Art Devlin cracks a 1st-inning double with the bases loaded and the New York Giants score seven runs off Irv Young in the first two innings. Christy Mathewson scatters 10 Doves hits in coasting to a 7 – 3 win.

ByBaseball

Art Devlin cracks a 1st-inning double with the bases loaded and the New York Giants score seven runs off Irv Young in the first two innings. Christy Mathewson scatters 10 Doves hits in coasting to a 7 – 3 win.

 Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Honus Wagner, at age 34, announces his retirement. An annual rite of spring, it will not keep him from playing in 151 games, more than in any of the past 10 years, and leading the National League in batting average (for the sixth time), hits, total bases, doubles, triples, slugging, runs batted in, and stolen bases. He will miss the Triple Crown by hitting two fewer home runs than Tim Jordan’s 12.

 Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Honus Wagner, at age 34, announces his retirement. An annual rite of spring, it will not keep him from playing in 151 games, more than in any of the past 10 years, and leading the National League in batting average (for the sixth time), hits, total bases, doubles, triples, slugging, runs batted in, and stolen bases. He will miss the Triple Crown by hitting two fewer home runs than Tim Jordan’s 12.

ByTom

1908 – Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Honus Wagner, at age 34, announces his retirement. An annual rite of spring, it will not keep him from playing in 151 games, more than in any of the past 10 years, and leading the National League in batting average (for the sixth time), hits, total bases, doubles, triples, slugging, runs batted in, and stolen bases. He will miss the Triple Crown by hitting two fewer home runs than Tim Jordan’s 12.

Near Lexington, Kentucky, the train carrying the Cleveland Naps is struck by two bricks, shattering windows. Elmer Flick, Bill Bradley, and Harry Bay

Near Lexington, Kentucky, the train carrying the Cleveland Naps is struck by two bricks, shattering windows.

ByTom

1908 – Near Lexington, Kentucky, the train carrying the Cleveland Naps is struck by two bricks, shattering windows. Elmer Flick, Bill Bradley, and Harry Bay are hit by the flying glass while playing euchre, but no injuries occur. Tomorrow, the team will arrive safely in Macon, Georgia for spring training.

In Fullerton, California, Washington Senators pitcher Walter Johnson is operated on for an infection of the mastoid area behind the right ear. The doctors remove a section of the bone, and the recuperation will keep Johnson sidelined until late May.

ByTom

In Fullerton, California, Washington Senators pitcher Walter Johnson is operated on for an infection of the mastoid area behind the right ear. The doctors remove a section of the bone, and the recuperation will keep Johnson sidelined until late May.

The sacrifice fly rule is adopted. No time at bat is charged if a run scores after the catch of a fly ball. The rule will be repealed in 1931, then reinstated (or changed) several times before gaining permanent acceptance in 1954.

ByTom

The sacrifice fly rule is adopted. No time at bat is charged if a run scores after the catch of a fly ball. The rule will be repealed in 1931, then reinstated (or changed) several times before gaining permanent acceptance in 1954.

Nevin

1908 – The Detroit Tigers name Frank Navin president of the team. The Tigers’ home ballpark, Bennett Park, will be re-named “Navin Field”, which will later become Tiger Stadium.

ByTom

1908 – The Detroit Tigers name Frank Navin president of the team. The Tigers’ home ballpark, Bennett Park, will be re-named “Navin Field”, which will later become Tiger Stadium.

1907 – The New York Highlanders trade second baseman Jimmy Williams and outfielder Danny Hoffman to the St. Louis Browns for pitcher Fred Glade, 2B Harry Niles and OF Charlie Hemphill. Glade will pitch just five games in 1908 before retiring.

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1907 – The New York Highlanders trade second baseman Jimmy Williams and outfielder Danny Hoffman to the St. Louis Browns for pitcher Fred Glade, 2B Harry Niles and OF Charlie Hemphill. Glade will pitch just five games in 1908 before retiring.

1907 – The Philadelphia Athletics’ Rube Vickers pitches a five-inning 4 – 0 perfect game against the Washington Senators. Vickers also wins the 15-inning first game of the twin bill, 4 – 2, with a spectacular 12-inning relief effort. The two wins are the only ones for Vickers this season.

ByBaseball

1907 – The Philadelphia Athletics’ Rube Vickers pitches a five-inning 4 – 0 perfect game against the Washington Senators. Vickers also wins the 15-inning first game of the twin bill, 4 – 2, with a spectacular 12-inning relief effort. The two wins are the only ones for Vickers this season.

At Robison Field in St. Louis, 21 year-old rookie first baseman Ed Konetchy steals home twice in the Cardinals’ 5-1 victory over Boston. The last-place Redbirds swipe home plate three times during the contest.

ByBaseball

At Robison Field in St. Louis, 21 year-old rookie first baseman Ed Konetchy steals home twice in the Cardinals’ 5-1 victory over Boston. The last-place Redbirds swipe home plate three times during the contest.

An overflow crowd lines the outfield at Philadelphia’s Columbia Park for the showdown doubleheader between the A’s and Tigers. In the first game, the home team gets off to a 7 – 1 lead against 25-game winner Bill Donovan. But Rube Waddell, who relieves in the 2nd, fails to hold the lead. A 2-run home run by Ty Cobb ties it 8 – 8 in the 9th. Both teams score once in the 11th; an umpire’s ruling costs Philadelphia the game in the 14th: Harry David hits a long fly into the crowd in left-centerfield, ordinarily a ground-rule double. As Tiger CF Sam Crawford goes to the crowd’s edge, a policeman stands up and moves, either to interfere or to get out of the way. Home plate umpire Silk O’Loughlin says there is no interference, then reverses his ruling when base umpire Tom Connolly offers a different opinion. When play resumes, the Athletics’ Danny Murphy hits a long single that would have scored Davis. The game is called because of darkness in the 17th, a 9 – 9 tie. The second game is never played. The Tigers, in first place, leave for Washington where they will win 4. They will finish 1 1/2 games in front.

ByBaseball

An overflow crowd lines the outfield at Philadelphia’s Columbia Park for the showdown doubleheader between the A’s and Tigers. In the first game, the home team gets off to a 7 – 1 lead against 25-game winner Bill Donovan. But Rube Waddell, who relieves in the 2nd, fails to hold the lead. A 2-run home run by Ty Cobb ties it 8 – 8 in the 9th. Both teams score once in the 11th; an umpire’s ruling costs Philadelphia the game in the 14th: Harry David hits a long fly into the crowd in left-centerfield, ordinarily a ground-rule double. As Tiger CF Sam Crawford goes to the crowd’s edge, a policeman stands up and moves, either to interfere or to get out of the way. Home plate umpire Silk O’Loughlin says there is no interference, then reverses his ruling when base umpire Tom Connolly offers a different opinion. When play resumes, the Athletics’ Danny Murphy hits a long single that would have scored Davis. The game is called because of darkness in the 17th, a 9 – 9 tie. The second game is never played. The Tigers, in first place, leave for Washington where they will win 4. They will finish 1 1/2 games in front.