April 3 This Day In Baseball

Recapping events that took place in the baseball world on this day

The history of sports is both vast and rich, thanks to the existence of so many different events and the longevity associated with them. With so much history to cull through, We offer the opportunity to look back and see what memorable things happened or milestones were reached on April 3 in baseball history.

Classic Games and Video Accounts of Historic Moments

 

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Notable Events and Chronology for April 3

Although he tried to return the money, Christy Mathewson is accused by Connie Mack of reneging on his contract with Philadelphia. In January, 'Big Six,' after meeting with the A's manager, received a signing bonus, committing himself to play for the 1901 season with the American League team, but then used the offer as leverage to get a richer contract from the Giants.

Although he tried to return the money, Christy Mathewson is accused by Connie Mack of reneging on his contract with Philadelphia. In January, ‘Big Six,’ after meeting with the A’s manager, received a signing bonus, committing himself to play for the 1901 season with the American League team, but then used the offer as leverage to get a richer contract from the Giants.

1902 – The National League names club owners Arthur Soden, John T. Brush, and James Hart as an interim committee to run the league.

Frank Ping beats ostrich in a spaghetti-eating contest!

Frank Ping beats ostrich in a spaghetti-eating contest!

Expelled players Happy Felsch and Swede Risberg file suit against the White Sox for back salary and $400,000 in damages. Both players, acquitted for allegedly fixing the 1919 World Series, were still banned from baseball by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis, even though they were found not guilty of the wrongdoing in a much-publicized court case.

Expelled players Happy Felsch and Swede Risberg file suit against the White Sox for back salary and $400,000 in damages. Both players, acquitted for allegedly fixing the 1919 World Series, were still banned from baseball by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis, even though they were found not guilty of the wrongdoing in a much-publicized court case.

1930 – The Cuban national team loses its first game ever, after starting its history 8-0. They drop a 2-1 contest to Mexico in the 1930 Central American Games (but will still beat Mexico for the Gold). Fernando Barradas fans 10 to outduel Manuel Domínguez, while Manuel Chávez and José Alvarez each have two hits and a run for Mexico.

Goose Goslin

Goose Goslin returns to the Washington Senators for his third stint with the team

Considered a well-guarded secret, Mel Parnell reveals he pitched all but three of his 39 games for Boston last season with a sore elbow. The 27 year-old 'Dusty' finished the season 25-7 with a 2.77 ERA for the second-place Red Sox.

Considered a well-guarded secret, Mel Parnell reveals he pitched all but three of his 39 games for Boston last season with a sore elbow. The 27 year-old ‘Dusty’ finished the season 25-7 with a 2.77 ERA for the second-place Red Sox.

1960 – The Baltimore Orioles trade second baseman Billy Gardner to the Washington Senators in exchange for catcher Clint Courtney and shortstop Ron Samford.

New York investors Jack P. Schleifer and Milton Schwartz take a title to Connie Mack Stadium, formerly known as Shibe Park, in hopes of developing the property as an industrial center with bowling alleys and a restaurant when the Phillies move to a proposed new ballpark in the northeastern part of the city. The 52 year-old ballpark, home for both the A’s (1909-1954) and Phillies (1938-1970), will eventually become the site of the Deliverance Evangelistic Church in 1991.

carl wiley

New York Mets pitcher Carl Willey suffers a broken jaw when he is hit by a line drive batted by Detroit Tigers outfielder Gates Brown during a spring training loss

New York Mets sign Tom Seaver to first contract

New York Mets sign Tom Seaver to first contract

Al Jackson, competing for a spot in the Cardinals’ rotation to replace an injured Steve Carlton, yields twenty hits over nine innings in an exhibition game. The southpaw’s poor outing comes against the Tulsa Oilers, the Redbirds’ Class AA minor league team in the Texas League.

The Tigers trade left-hander Hank Aguirre to the Dodgers for a player to be named later, minor leaguer Fred Moulder

The Tigers trade left-hander Hank Aguirre to the Dodgers for a player to be named later, minor leaguer Fred Moulder

The Phillies trade first baseman Bill White to the Cardinals for infielder Jerry Buchek and utility player Jim Hutto. White will retire after one season in St. Louis, eventually becoming the president of the National League, after a stint as a Yankee broadcaster.

Donn Clendenon ends his retirement and reports to the Montreal Expos

Donn Clendenon ends his retirement and reports to the Montreal Expos

1969 – The Rusty Staub trade with Montreal is finally settled when the Astros accept pitchers Skip Guinn and Jack Billingham, along with $100,000, instead of first baseman Donn Clendenon. Jesus Alou was to accompany Clendenon to Houston and he remains part of the deal.

1970 – Doug Rader becomes the first to reach the Dome’s gold (upper reserved) seats with a home run off Stan Bahnsen during a 9-5 exhibition win against the Yankees. The ball lands in section 738D, row 6, seat 1. 

Dodgers get Pedro Guerrero

Dodgers get Pedro Guerrero

1976 – Angels outfielder Bobby Bonds suffers a fractured finger during an exhibition game with the Dodgers. After 99 painful games, Bonds will have surgery on August 9th.

1977 – An exhibition game with the Texas Rangers in Tulsa, OK, is halted when a part of the stand collapses, injuring 17 people. Players helped carry victims to aid, some making stretchers out of wooden planks. 

On Opening Day, Tiger rookie Barbaro Garbey becomes the first Cuban refugee to play in the majors when he grounds out in the seventh inning as a pinch-hitter for Dave Bergman. The 27 year-old utility player will stay in the game, playing first base in Detroit's 8-1 rout of Minnesota in the Metrodome.

On Opening Day, Tiger rookie Barbaro Garbey becomes the first Cuban refugee to play in the majors when he grounds out in the seventh inning as a pinch-hitter for Dave Bergman. The 27 year-old utility player will stay in the game, playing first base in Detroit’s 8-1 rout of Minnesota in the Metrodome.

Arbitrator Richard Bloch rules that the Royals’ Willie Wilson and the Mets’ Jerry Martin can return to action on May 15th, the day their year-long suspensions for cocaine abuse are first due to be reviewed.

After rain washed out yesterday’s opener at Royals Stadium, Yul Brynner tosses out the first ball and Kansas City opens with a 4 – 2 win over the Yankees. The threat of snow holds the crowd to just 10,006. Starter Bud Black, with relief help from Dan Quisenberry, tops Ron Guidry, still winless in Openers. Onix Concepción hits Guidry’s first pitch of the game for a home run, while Dave Winfield has a two-run homer for the Yankees.

Championship Series format changes

Championship Series format changes

1986 – Pedro Guerrero, the Dodgers’ most productive hitter, ruptures a tendon in his left knee while sliding into third base in an exhibition game. Guerrero will be sidelined for more than three months and not have his first hit until September.

Dennis Eckersley

Chicago Cubs trade seemingly over-the-hill pitcher Dennis Eckersley to the Oakland A’s

Dwight Gooden records most strikeouts

At Shea Stadium, the New York Mets win their 11th consecutive home opener

Ken Griffey Jr Debut

In his first major league at bat, Mariners’ center fielder Ken Griffey Jr. doubles off of Oakland’s Dave Stewart

Billy Hatcher, who is in the delivery room with his pregnant wife when the phone rings, is informed by Pirates manager Jim Leyland that he has been traded but doesn’t ask to which team. After his daughter Chelsea is born, the former Buc outfielder gets a call at home from Cincinnati general manager Bob Quinn to welcome him to the Reds.

bo-jackson-white sox

Bo Jackson returns to baseball

Nolan Ryan and his son, Reid, pitch against each other as the Texas Rangers take on the University of Texas at Austin. Reid, a 19-year-old freshman, gives up four runs in two innings, and is down 4 – 1 to his father when he leaves the game. Nolan gives up five hits, three runs, and strikes out seven in five innings, as the Rangers win, 12 – 5.

1992 – The Red Sox conclude 27 years of spring training at Winter Haven, Florida, by beating the Tigers, 14 – 4.

1993 – The Colorado Rockies sign free agent veteran Dale Murphy. The two-time National League MVP will hit just .143 in 26 games for the Rockies.

At Riverfront Stadium, in a game that is not embraced by the local fans or Cincinnati owner Marge Schott, the new season begins with the first Sunday night opener ever played in major league history. On a frigid Easter Sunday evening, the Cardinals beat the Reds in the controversial contest, 6-4, in front of the smallest opening day crowd in the ballpark’s 24-year history.

1997 – Pitcher Jimmy Key makes his debut with the Orioles, beating the Royals, 4 – 2, to run his opening day record to 7-0, the best ever. Previously, Key won three with the Yankees and three with the Blue Jays.

Milwaukee Brewers SS Jose Valentin strokes three home runs and drives in five runs to lead Milwaukee to a 7 – 1 victory over the Florida Marlins.

Just four days after being obtained in a trade with Cleveland, Reds 1B Sean Casey is hit in the eye by a ball thrown by Damian Jackson during batting practice. His eye orbit is fractured, and will require surgery on April 8th.

1998 – It’s not in Colorado, but the Astros club the Rockies as if it was, 15-2. Derek Bell, now hitting in front of Jeff Bagwell in the lineup, drives in six and keys a seven-run uprising to put the game away. 

Andres Galarraga hits a home run in his first game back after missing the entire 1999 season following cancer surgery as the Braves defeat the Rockies, 2 – 0.

A new major league record for Opening Day is set with five players having multiple home run games. Gabe Kapler becomes the first player to hit home runs in his first two at-bats in a Texas Rangers uniform and his teammate Ivan Rodriguez also hits a pair of homers in a 10 – 4 Texas victory against the Chicago White Sox. Vladimir Guerrero hits a pair of homers for the Montreal Expos but the Dodgers defeat Montreal, 10 – 4, behind Eric Karros’ grand slam. Jason Giambi of the Oakland Athletics hits two home runs against the Detroit Tigers. Despite Giambi’s effort, Detroit edges the Athletics, 7 – 4.

2001 – Craig Biggio returns from knee surgery in style with the first five-hit game of his career during an 11-3 Opening Day win against Milwaukee, scoring three times. Daryle Ward and Chris Truby belt homers. 

Barry Bonds becomes the second player in baseball history to begin a season with consecutive two-homer games. Eddie Mathews also hit a pair of homers in each of the Braves’ first two games against the Pirates to start the 1958 season.

The Giants defeat the Dodgers, 12 – 0, as Barry Bonds hits a pair of home runs for the second day in a row. He becomes only the second player in major league history to begin a season with a pair of two-homer games. Eddie Mathews was the other.

At McAfee Coliseum, the Texas Rangers defeat the Oakland Athletics, 9 – 6. The loss snaps the Athletics’ string of 20 straight wins at home, stretching back to August 24th of last year. Oakland moves past the 1974-1975Cincinnati Reds for most consecutive home wins over two seasons. The Reds’ mark was 17.

4/3/2002: Darrin Fletcher of the Blue Jays hit a home run off Dustin Hermanson of the Red Sox in the second inning of a game at Fenway Park. In the bottom of the inning, Jason Varitek homered off Luke Prokopec. Both blasts came with two out and no one on base. The game was called due to rain after two innings had been played.

Alex Sanchez becomes the first major leaguer to be publicly identified under baseball’s new steroid policy. The Tampa Bay outfielder receives a ten-day suspension for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs..

In his first outing for the New York Yankees, Randy Johnson allows a run and five hits in six innings as New York open the major league season with a 9 – 2 triumph over the 2004 World Champion Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.

The Chicago Cubs roll to their fourth straight opening day victory, 16 – 7, over a Cincinnati Reds team that can bring the president to town but can’t stop the Cubs’ run of first-game success. US President George W. Bushthrows a ceremonial pitch at the invitation of new Reds owner Bob Castellini, one of his former ownership partners with the Texas Rangers. No current president had ever thrown an opening day pitch in Cincinnati, the traditional site of the National League’s opener.

At Ameriquest Field in Arlington, Curt Schilling strikes out five and allows two runs over seven strong innings and David Ortiz is 3 for 5 with a home run and three RBI as the Boston Red Sox win on Opening Day for the first time since 2000 with a 7 – 3 victory over the Texas Rangers.

At Safeco Field, Seattle Mariners rookie Kenji Johjima, the first catcher from Japan to start a major league game, hits a home run for his first hit in Seattle’s 5 – 4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.

Seattle’s Kenji Johjima becomes the first Japanese catcher to start a major league game. The Mariners’ 30 year-old backstop homers in his debut in the team’s 5-3 loss to the Angels.

Sportsnet NY, the Mets’ new team-owned network, broadcasts its first regular season baseball game. During the third inning of New York’s 3-2 victory over the Nationals, SNY experiences technical difficulties which black out the telecast for nearly twenty minutes.

Jimmy Rollins hits a double on opening day to extend his hitting streak to 37

Jimmy Rollins hits a double on opening day to extend his hitting streak to 37

On Opening Day, Marcus and Brian Giles bat first and second in the San Diego lineup in the Padres’ 7-0 victory over the Giants. Skipper Bud Black’s batting order marks first time brothers have hit one and two in a game since Matty and Jesus Alou did it for San Francisco in 1965.

During a tour of Fenway Park, a three-and-a-half pound red-tailed hawk, known to nest at the historic ballpark, attacks a Memorial Boulevard Middle School student. The 13 year-old eighth grader from Bristol, Connecticut, who is treated for a small scratch on her scalp at a local hospital, has a familiar name to Red Sox fans, Alexa Rodriguez, similar to the much detested third baseman of the Yankees, who also is 13 (uniform number).

Twenty minutes before their game, the Dodgers announce reliever Hong-Chih Kuo will start in place of Chad Billingsley, who in turn will be in the bullpen. The unusual move, made due to the threat of rain at the start of the contest, is also employed by the Giants with Merkin Valdez beginning the game on the mound and the announced starter, and eventual winner Tim Lincecum entering the game in the fourth inning.

At Comerica Park in Detroit, the Royals beat the Tigers, 4-1, completing a season-opening three-game sweep. It is the first time that Kansas City had started the year with a sweep on the road since 1977 when the team also won the first three contests of the season in the Motor City.

In a dazzling debut, Reds right-hander Johnny Cueto fans ten batters in an overpowering seven-inning performance when Cincinnati beats the visiting Diamondbacks, 3-2. Using a 96-mph fastball and devastating changeup, the 22 year-old rookie, who started last season pitching in the low minors, strikes out eight of his first 13 Arizona batters he faces.

The Mets, obligated only to pay the major league minimum of $400,000, sign Gary Sheffield (.225, 19, 57) in hopes of adding a much-needed right-handed bat to the lineup. The 40 year-old offensively challenged outfielder, who has 499 career home runs, was unexpectedly released by the Tigers earlier in the week despite having $14 million left on his contract.

On a damp and chilly New York night, both the Mets and Yankees open their new stadiums with exhibition games. The double debut in the Big Apple sees each team come away with a victory when the Amazin’s beat the Red Sox, 4-3, and the Bronx Bombers launch three homers to defeat the Cubs, 7-4.

Adam Lind (.305, 35, 114) and the Blue Jays agreed to an $18 million, four-year contract that includes three additional years with a club option. The 26 year-old outfielder, flanked by several teammates, announces the deal at a press conference held before an exhibition game in Houston.

Ranger teammates Ian Kinsler and Nelson Cruz become the first pair of players to homer in each of the first three games in a season playing for the same team. The duo’s weekend of round-trippers enabled Texas to sweep their season-opening series against visiting Boston.

In his first career start at 1B, the Indians’ Carlos Santana starts a triple play in the 4th by diving to catch a pop-up bunted down the first base line by the White Sox’s Alexei Ramirez. The two Sox baserunners are running on the play and are doubled off easily. In the bottom of the frame, Orlando Cabrera hits a two-run homer to send the Indians on their way to a 7 – 1 victory, with Justin Masterson getting the best of John Danks.

Orioles P Zach Britton is masterful in his major league debut, giving up a run on three hits while striking out six in as many innings as the Birds complete a three-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field with a 5 – 1 win. The Rays get more bad news before the game when they place All-Star 3B Evan Longoria on the disabled list with a strained left oblique muscle that will keep him out of action for three weeks.

The Rays win for the first time this year in dramatic fashion, as Matt Joyce hits a walk-off homer off the Orioles’ Tommy Hunter for a 7 – 6 win. His heroics are necessitated by a rare blown save by Fernando Rodney, who had not allowed a run over his last 20 appearances for the Rays, dating back to last season, in addition to his perfect run in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

The Red Sox start a season 2-0 for the first time since 1999 when they defeat the Yankees, 7 – 4, behind the pitching of Clay Buchholz, who allows one run in 6 innings. Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda isn’t so lucky, having to leave the game in the 2nd inning after being struck on a finger by a line drive off the bat of Shane Victorino. For the second straight game, New Yankee Stadium is virtually empty by the end of the game, as the home side falls behind early and never threatens the Sox’s lead.

On the first day of minor league games this year, Henry Owens of the Portland Sea Dogs (Eastern League) throws a rain-shortened six-inning no-hitter as Portland defeats the Reading Fightin Phils, 5 – 0. Mookie Betts goes 4 for 4 with a homer and 3 runs scored to lead the Sea Dogs’ offense.

2015 – Major League Baseball suspends P Ervin Santana, who signed the largest free agent contract in Twins history this off-season, for 80 games for testing positive to the anabolic steroid stanozolol. Santana claims he never knowingly took a banned substance.

On Opening Day in Kansas City with the team’s theme “We Are The Champions” playing in the background, over 2,000 fans participate the Relay the Way event, establishing a new record when they line up to complete the longest first pitch in baseball history. The ball, which is tossed hand to glove for four hours, travels a distance of nine miles and raises over $100,000 for the Royals’ Urban Youth Academy charity.

In the first game of the major league season, the Pirates defeat the Cardinals, 4 – 1, behind a great performance by Francisco Liriano who strikes out 10 batters in 6 scoreless innings and also drives in the first run of the game with a single off Adam Wainwright.

2017 – Christian Bethancourt’s bid to become the first two-way player in the majors in over a decade does not get off to a good start. The former catcher pitching for the Padres on opening day relieves Jhoulys Chacin in the 4th with his team trailing the Dodgers, 7 – 1, and immediately uncorks wild pitches on his first two deliveries to the plate, both times scoring a run. He gets out of the inning when a couple of long fly balls are caught just shy of clearing the fence, but in the 5th, Corey Seager touches him for a three-run homer as Los Angeles goes on to win a 14 – 3 rout. For L.A., Joc Pederson hits a grand slam and drives in 5 runs and Yasmani Grandal homers from both sides of the plate, as the team wins its opening game for the seventh straight season – every time behind the pitching of ace Clayton Kershaw.

The Padres are the last team to enter the win column this year, as they defeat the Rockies, 8 – 4, at Petco Park after four straight losses to open the season. Rookie 3B Christian Villanueva is the hero with a three-homer game.

Something unprecedented happens in the Brewers’ 5 – 4 win over the Cardinals. The Cards open the game with back-to-back homers, as Dexter Fowler and Tommy Pham connect off Chase Anderson within the first three pitches of the game, and the contest ends in similar fashion, but now it’s Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich and Ryan Braun who go deep back-to-back off Dominic Leone with two outs in the bottom of the 9th to end the game.

2019 – Jacob deGrom, last year’s Cy Young Award winner is back at it. He strikes out 14 Marlins in 7 innings and also hits a homer to lead the Mets to a 6 – 4 win. It is deGrom’s 26th consecutive quality start, dating back to 2018, matching the major league record set by Hall of Famer Bob Gibson in 1967-1968.

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Todays Major League Birthdays On April 3

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Todays Major League Final Games April 3

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Major League Baseball Deaths On April 3 

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