1983 – One day after taking a job as director of sports promotions for the Claridge Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, Mickey Mantle is ordered to sever his ties with Major League Baseball by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn. Mantle joins fellow Hall of Famer Willie Mays as players banned from baseball by Kuhn for involvement with legalized gambling.
1983 – The Seattle Mariners select Cincinnati Reds minor league infielder Danny Tartabull as compensation for the loss of free agent pitcher Floyd Bannister to the Chicago White Sox.
On February 19, 1983, Fernando Valenzuela of the Los Angeles Dodgers becomes the first player to earn a $1 million salary through arbitration. Valenzuela’s victory makes him the third highest-paid player in the game. The Dodgers had offered Valenzuela $750,000 for this season.
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