1914 – The 25-player limit is suspended in the American and National leagues. With uncertainty over who has signed with what teams as a result of the creation of the Federal League, it is almost impossible to know how many players may be on the roster at any one time.
On April 20, 1912 – The Boston Red Sox play the first game in the history of Fenway Park, after three previous attempts to play the opener have been rained out. Over 27,000 fans attended the opening, the Red Sox had “The Million Dollar” outfield of Duffy Lewis, Tris Speaker, and Harry Hooper. In 1912,…
On April 20, 1912, the Detroit Tigers host their first game at Navin Field. The original opening day was to be April 18th but it was delayed, as was Fenway Park’s by multiple days of heavy rain. The starting lineups included three future members of Baseball’s Hall of Fame: charter member Ty Cobb, Wahoo Sam…
On April 20, 1910, Addie Joss of the Cleveland Naps pitches his second career no-hitter. A busy Joss helps himself by recording 10 fielding assists during the 1-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
1908 – Henry Chadwick dies at age 83 in Brooklyn, New York. A sportswriter and historian, Chadwick was one of the prime movers in the rise of baseball to its unprecedented popularity at the turn of the 20th century. He will be elected to the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee in 1938.
Sports promoter Jim Kennedy, priportedly just 23 years old when he managed the AA Brooklyn Gladiators in 1890, which would make him the youngest manager in ML history if true, dies of a heart attack aboard a commuter train in Brighton Beach, NY
1903 – On Opening Day, before 8,376 fans at Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds, the Boston Americans defeat the Philadelphia Athletics in the morning game of a Patriots’ Day twin bill, 9 – 4. Connie Mack’s Athletics win the matinee match-up featuring two future Hall of Fame pitchers, 10 – 7, as 27,658 spectators enjoy watching starters Eddie Plank and Cy Young oppose one another.
Against Baltimore (AA)‚ Washington 2B Fred Dunlap‚ once considered the greatest in the game‚ suffers a career-ending broken left leg. The injury occurs in the 1st inning after Dunlap walks‚ steals‚ 2B‚ and‚ following a single‚ circles 3B and attempts to return to the bag when he sees he can’t get home. As noted by Bob Schaefer‚ it is the 2nd time that Dunlap has broken a leg in a game: the first occurred on July 5‚ 1887 when he collided with Sam Thompson in the 7th inning.
Chicago trades holdout Jim McCormick‚ a 10-year vet‚ to Pittsburgh for untried rookie P George Van Haltran. Van Haltran is staging something of a holdout as well‚ staying in California to be with his mother who is seriously ill. Chicago also gets $2‚500.
Enjoy our free trial and start listening to games, interviews and shows! Ruth, Mantle, Aaron, and Seaver!