On April 16, 1940, Bob Feller of the Cleveland Indians hurls the first and only Opening Day no-hitter in major league history. Feller outduels Edgar Smith of the Chicago White Sox in winning a 1-0 decision at Comiskey Park. During one at-bat, White Sox star Luke Appling fouls off 15 straight pitches, but fails to get a hit.
1940 – Slugger Chuck Klein, who was released by the Pittsburgh Pirates, signs for his third stint with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Joe DiMaggio, Jimmie Foxx, Ted Williams, and Bill Dickey. Spring training in Florida – 1940.
1940 – In an exhibition game that might be a spring training record of sorts, the Triple-A Kansas City Blues pound the Washington Senators, 22 – 5. The Blues collect 23 hits for 46 total bases. Frenchy Bordagaray starts the scoring with a home run in the 1st inning; Jack Saltzgaver hits three triples in three at-bats with five RBI. Another familiar name, Johnny Lindell, yields three hits in three innings on the mound for the Blues.
On March 6, 1940, future Hall of Famer Willie Stargell is born in Earlsboro, Oklahoma. Stargell will make his debut in 1962 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He will hit 475 home runs during a 21-year career, helping the Pirates to World Championships in 1971 and 1979.
First National Bank of Chicago tries to force Grace Comiskey to sell the White Sox
1940 – Ron Santo is born in Seattle, WA. He will be one of the greatest third basemen in history, playing 14 of his 15 major league seasons with the Chicago Cubs and hitting 342 home runs. He will elected to the Hall of Fame in 2011, barely a year after his death from diabetes.
1940 Cincinnati Reds: Billy Werber, Bucky Walters and Ernie Lombardi.
1940 – The A’s waive Lynn Nelson to Detroit. Nelson was the A’s top winner in 1939 with 10 victories, but he’ll go 1-1 with Detroit before bowing out.
On January 14, 1940, 91 players in the Detroit Tigers farm system are set free by commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis, who rules that the organization had improperly handled the players and makes them free agents. Among the notable players effected by the ruling who go on to major league careers are outfielders Roy Cullenbine, Benny McCoy, Dutch…
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