On March 23, 1936, Dizzy Dean ends his well-publicized holdout and signs a contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. Dean agrees to a one-year deal that will pay him $24,000 for the upcoming season.
New York Yankees outfielder Joe DiMaggio runs his spring training record to 12 for 20, in an 11 – 2 Yankees victory over the newly-named Boston Bees. Before the next game is played, the prize rookie is left unattended with his foot in a diathermy machine. The resulting burn ends his spring training and delays his major league debut until May.
The Cincinnati Reds trade first baseman Jim Bottomley to the St. Louis Browns in exchange for utility player Johnny Burnett. Bottomley will have a strong season this year and, midway through the 1937 season, will be named manager.
1936 – Much-heralded rookie Joe DiMaggio makes his debut with the New York Yankees, collecting four hits including a triple. The day is marred when the St. Louis Cardinals win, 8 – 7.
March 7, 1936 – Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio during spring training in St. Petersburg, FL. @ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IGp1c3QgY2xpY2sgdGhlIHRhZ3MhICAiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsImxpbmtfdG9fdGVybV9wYWdlIjoib24iLCJzZXBhcmF0b3IiOiIgfCAiLCJjYXRlZ29yeV90eXBlIjoicG9zdF90YWcifX0=@
1936 – The St. Louis Cardinals – without the brothers Paul and Dizzy Dean, who are once again holdouts – visit Cuba and are beaten by the Cuban all-stars. Luis Tiant, Sr., whose son Luis Jr. will win 229 major league games, is the starting pitcher for the Cubans.
1936 – After spring training, the Yomiuri Giants beat the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League managed by Lefty O’Doul, 5 – 0. On March 5th, the Giants will win again, 11 – 7.
As thousands cheer on both sides of the river, 48 year-old Senator legend Walter Johnson throws a silver dollar to the far side of the Rappahannock, believed to be a 386-foot toss. The Washington, D.C. Sesquicentennial celebration, which includes commemorating the 204th anniversary of George Washington’s birth, stages the event to duplicate the alleged feat that the young Virginian accomplished when he threw a silver dollar across the Potomac River.
1936 – The New York Giants buy back good-hitting first baseman Sam Leslie from the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Baseball Writers’ Association announces the results of the first Hall of Fame vote
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