Major League Baseball announces that it will begin testing minor leaguers for human growth hormone this season. The illegal performance-enhancing substance has long been considered undetectable by conventional doping tests, but its presence has recently been isolated through a blood test, which will be used for this purpose.

ByTom

Major League Baseball announces that it will begin testing minor leaguers for human growth hormone this season. The illegal performance-enhancing substance has long been considered undetectable by conventional doping tests, but its presence has recently been isolated through a blood test, which will be used for this purpose.

2006 – Complaining about the lack of support from local baseball officials, Roberto Kelly resigns as manager of Panama’s team in the World Baseball Classic. The Giants spring training instructor believes some players were held back from participating in the WBC so they would play in the Panamanian championships.

ByTom

2006 – Complaining about the lack of support from local baseball officials, Roberto Kelly resigns as manager of Panama’s team in the World Baseball Classic. The Giants spring training instructor believes some players were held back from participating in the WBC so they would play in the Panamanian championships.

Complaining about the lack of support from local baseball officials, Roberto Kelly resigns as manager of Panama’s team in the World Baseball Classic. The Giants spring training instructor believes some players were held back from participating in the WBC so they would play in the Panamanian championships.

ByTom

Complaining about the lack of support from local baseball officials, Roberto Kelly resigns as manager of Panama’s team in the World Baseball Classic. The Giants spring training instructor believes some players were held back from participating in the WBC so they would play in the Panamanian championships.

2001 – In what is believed to be a first test of its kind, umpire Mike Everitt meets with the Milwaukee Brewers to test out baseball’s new strike zone.

ByTom

2001 – In what is believed to be a first test of its kind, umpire Mike Everitt meets with the Milwaukee Brewers to test out baseball’s new strike zone.

The San Diego Padres obtain OF Al Martin from the Pirates for OF John Vander Wal, and pitchers Jim Sak and Geraldo Padua.

The San Diego Padres obtain OF Al Martin from the Pirates for OF John Vander Wal, and pitchers Jim Sak and Geraldo Padua.

Bypittsburgh

The San Diego Padres obtain OF Al Martin from the Pirates for OF John Vander Wal, and pitchers Jim Sak and Geraldo Padua. San Diego also signs pitcher Matt Clement to a four-year agreement.

Chicago Cubs manager Don Baylor names four captains – first baseman Mark Grace, right fielder Sammy Sosa, pitcher Kevin Tapani and reliever Rick Aguilera. The quartet will be the Cubs’ first captains since the 1960s and early 1970s when Ron Santo held the position.

ByTom

Chicago Cubs manager Don Baylor names four captains – first baseman Mark Grace, right fielder Sammy Sosa, pitcher Kevin Tapani and reliever Rick Aguilera. The quartet will be the Cubs’ first captains since the 1960s and early 1970s when Ron Santo held the position.

Architects for the new downtown ballpark propose to Astros owner Drayton McLane a train engine to be placed upon the left field wall. Builders announce the new field is almost halfway complete. 

ByTom

1999 – Architects for the new downtown ballpark propose to Astros owner Drayton McLane a train engine to be placed upon the left field wall. Builders announce the new field is almost halfway complete. 

1998 – A series of killer tornadoes sweeps through Florida, narrowly missing the Houston Astros clubhouse, and the homes of several players, in Kissimmee. A campground behind Osceola County Stadium, the Astros’ training base, is destroyed, and seven people are killed by one of the twisters.

ByTom

1998 – A series of killer tornadoes sweeps through Florida, narrowly missing the Houston Astros clubhouse, and the homes of several players, in Kissimmee. A campground behind Osceola County Stadium, the Astros’ training base, is destroyed, and seven people are killed by one of the twisters.

The interview that got Larry Doby leads to his election to the Hall of Fame

The interview that got Larry Doby leads to his election to the Hall of Fame

ByTom

Ira Berkow’s front page story about Larry Doby appears in the Sunday New York Times. The article spurs much interest about the first black to play in the American League, and many believe leads to the outfielder’s election to the Hall of Fame the following year.