The Dodgers celebrate the 50th anniversary of their move to Los Angeles and set the attendence record for a single game

ByThis Day in Baseball

2008 – The Dodgers celebrate the 50th anniversary of their move to Los Angeles, CA by playing an exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox in their original home, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. A crowd of 115,300 is present, the largest ever assembled at a baseball game anywhere. The previous record of 93,103 had been set in the Dodgers’ second season in L.A., for an exhibition game against the New York Yankees in honor of paralyzed catcher Roy Campanella on May 7, 1959.

At the start of spring training, Hideki Matsui, who already made plans for marriage in a few weeks, a fact not known to the team, makes a wager with some of his teammates about who would be the first to get married. A surprised Derek Jeter and Bobby Abreu agree to pay off the bet after learning the Yankee slugger pulled a fast one on them by getting ‘hitched’ in New York on the club’s off day yesterday.

ByTom

At the start of spring training, Hideki Matsui, who already made plans for marriage in a few weeks, a fact not known to the team, makes a wager with some of his teammates about who would be the first to get married. A surprised Derek Jeter and Bobby Abreu agree to pay off the bet after learning the Yankee slugger pulled a fast one on them by getting ‘hitched’ in New York on the club’s off day yesterday.

2008 – Opening Day in Major League Baseball is held in the Tokyo Dome. The game was put in doubt earlier in the month when the Red Sox planned to “strike” due to disagreements with MLB over payment for coaches who make the trip. Daisuke Matsuzaka battles control problems, walking five, and allows two runs in five innings in a homecoming of sorts. In the 6th inning, Manny Ramirez hits a two-run double off Joe Blanton to tie the score and Brandon Moss singles him in for the lead. Oakland retakes the lead, 4 – 3, entering the 9th. Moss then delivers more heroics with one out in the 9th, homering off A’s closer Huston Street to tie the score. Hideki Okajima tosses a scoreless bottom of the inning for the win. In the 10th, Ramirez hits a two-run, two-out double off Street for a 6 – 4 lead. Oakland scores once off Jonathan Papelbon in the 10th, but he hangs on for the save.

ByTom

2008 – Opening Day in Major League Baseball is held in the Tokyo Dome. The game was put in doubt earlier in the month when the Red Sox planned to “strike” due to disagreements with MLB over payment for coaches who make the trip. Daisuke Matsuzaka battles control problems, walking five, and allows two runs in five innings in a homecoming of sorts. In the 6th inning, Manny Ramirez hits a two-run double off Joe Blanton to tie the score and Brandon Moss singles him in for the lead. Oakland retakes the lead, 4 – 3, entering the 9th. Moss then delivers more heroics with one out in the 9th, homering off A’s closer Huston Street to tie the score. Hideki Okajima tosses a scoreless bottom of the inning for the win. In the 10th, Ramirez hits a two-run, two-out double off Street for a 6 – 4 lead. Oakland scores once off Jonathan Papelbon in the 10th, but he hangs on for the save.

The Twins agree to a new deal with their All-Star closer, signing Joe Nathan (1.88, 37 saves) to a $47 million, four-year contract, which includes a 2012 club option. The 33 year-old right-hander’s 160 saves over the past four seasons is tied with Mariano Rivera of the Yankees for most in the American League.

ByTom

The Twins agree to a new deal with their All-Star closer, signing Joe Nathan (1.88, 37 saves) to a $47 million, four-year contract, which includes a 2012 club option. The 33 year-old right-hander’s 160 saves over the past four seasons is tied with Mariano Rivera of the Yankees for most in the American League.

2008 – Javy Lopez retires. Lopez hit 260 home runs and slugged .491 in his major league career, producing a 112 OPS+ in 15 seasons. He set a single-season home run record for catchers with 42. A three-time All-Star, Lopez sat out 2007 before managing just a .188 average in his comeback attempt with the Atlanta Braves this spring.

ByTom

2008 – Javy Lopez retires. Lopez hit 260 home runs and slugged .491 in his major league career, producing a 112 OPS+ in 15 seasons. He set a single-season home run record for catchers with 42. A three-time All-Star, Lopez sat out 2007 before managing just a .188 average in his comeback attempt with the Atlanta Braves this spring.

In protest of coaches not receiving the same $40,000 stipend negotiated by the players union, the Red Sox players vote to boycott playing in their exhibition game, scheduled to be televised nationally from the City of Palms Park, and tomorrow’s flight to Japan for the season-opening game against the A’s. The delayed game starts an hour later when MLB consents to pay the managers, coaches, and trainers $20,000 each from management’s proceeds, with the team agreeing to make up the difference.

ByTom

In protest of coaches not receiving the same $40,000 stipend negotiated by the players union, the Red Sox players vote to boycott playing in their exhibition game, scheduled to be televised nationally from the City of Palms Park, and tomorrow’s flight to Japan for the season-opening game against the A’s. The delayed game starts an hour later when MLB consents to pay the managers, coaches, and trainers $20,000 each from management’s proceeds, with the team agreeing to make up the difference.

In an attempt to be part of a healing process on the campus where 32 students and staff became victims of a deadly shooting spree last April, the Yankees play the Hokies at Virginia Tech’s English Field. George Steinbrenner, moved by coverage of the massacre last spring, donated $1 million to a memorial fund and made arrangements for his team to participate in an exhibition game at the school.

ByTom

In an attempt to be part of a healing process on the campus where 32 students and staff became victims of a deadly shooting spree last April, the Yankees play the Hokies at Virginia Tech’s English Field. George Steinbrenner, moved by coverage of the massacre last spring, donated $1 million to a memorial fund and made arrangements for his team to participate in an exhibition game at the school.

The Dodgers lose to the Astros, 12-10, in their last game at Dodgertown, the team’s spring training home since 1948. Eighty-one year old Carl Erskine, who pitched the first game that occurred at Holman Stadium 55 years ago, plays the national anthem on his harmonica before the contest.

ByTom

The Dodgers lose to the Astros, 12-10, in their last game at Dodgertown, the team’s spring training home since 1948. Eighty-one year old Carl Erskine, who pitched the first game that occurred at Holman Stadium 55 years ago, plays the national anthem on his harmonica before the contest.

Georgia Southern University sets a NCAA record with 14 home runs in a 26 – 8 win over Columbia University. Alabama (1996) and Cal State Northridge (1999) had shared the NCAA Division I record of 13 while Wooster in Division III had also hit 13, back in 1986.

ByTom

Georgia Southern University sets a NCAA record with 14 home runs in a 26 – 8 win over Columbia University. Alabama (1996) and Cal State Northridge (1999) had shared the NCAA Division I record of 13 while Wooster in Division III had also hit 13, back in 1986.

Randy Wolf, the Padres’ new left-hander starter, struggles in a 6-2 spring training loss to the Brewers in Peoria, Arizona. The pitcher’s brother, Jim, isn’t much help as the home plate umpire, an occurrence which isn’t allowed during a regular-season game and is the only time it has ever happened, as the San Diego hurler gives up three runs in four innings.

ByTom

Randy Wolf, the Padres’ new left-hander starter, struggles in a 6-2 spring training loss to the Brewers in Peoria, Arizona. The pitcher’s brother, Jim, isn’t much help as the home plate umpire, an occurrence which isn’t allowed during a regular-season game and is the only time it has ever happened, as the San Diego hurler gives up three runs in four innings.