Barry Bonds’ Reality TV Show chronicling the slugger during his pursuit of Hank Aaron’s career home run record will debut April 4th on ESPN2, the television network announces.
Bret Boone retires at the New York Mets training camp, the culmination of a swift decline for a player who was one of baseball’s best second basemen only a few years ago.
Raúl Ibañez and the Seattle Mariners finalize an $11 million, two-year contract extension that runs through 2008.
Thirty-two years after his death, Jackie Robinson receives the Congressional Gold Medal in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, the highest honor Congress can bestow. The medal is accepted by Rachel Robinson, his widow. Baseball is represented in a way by former Texas Rangers executive George W. Bush. Robinson joins Roberto Clemente, Joe Louis and Jesse Owens as the only athletes among about 300 Gold Medal recipients. Following the ceremony, the Boston Red Sox are honored at the White House for winning the 2004 World Series.
In a Capitol Rotunda ceremony, with legislators from both the House and Senate and baseball commissioner Bud Selig in attendance, President George W. Bush awards the nation’s highest honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, posthumously to Jackie Robinson’s widow. Rachel, the widow of the courageous ball player, accepts the award for her late husband, who died in 1972.
With hundreds of Red Sox Nation citizens in attendance on the south lawn, President George W. Bush praises the team spirit and winning style of the 2004 World Champions during a White House ceremony. Fall Classic hero and Bush supporter Curt Schilling gives the former owner of the Texas Rangers a white baseball jersey emblazoned with the forty-third Chief Executive’s name and the number 43.
In the Washington Nationals’ first game since moving from Montreal, pitcher Tony Armas, Jr. tosses two hitless innings and Jose Guillen hits a two-run home run as the Nationals post a 5 – 3 triumph over the Mets in the Grapefruit League opener for both teams. The Expos played their first regular-season game against the Mets in 1969 and their last game against the Mets on October 3, 2004. In the first regular-season game between these franchises, Tom Seaver started for the Mets at Shea Stadium and Coco Laboy powered the Expos to an 11 – 10 victory. In their last meeting, Tom Glavine started for the Mets at Shea Stadium and Todd Zeile hit a home run to deal the Expos an 8 – 1 defeat. Wearing their regular-season home uniforms instead of the traditional batting practice spring training jerseys, the Nationals defeat Glavine this time.
1999 – Players Orlando Cepeda and Smokey Joe Williams, manager Frank Selee, and umpire Nestor Chylak are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee.
1996 – At St. Petersburg’s Al Lang Field, two Japanese umpires work a game with two U.S. umpires. Osamu Ino is behind the plate as the Pirates whip the Cardinals, 11 – 2. “I thought they (the Japanese) did a good job,” comments Pirates manager Jim Leyland. “And even if they didn’t, you couldn’t argue with them.” In Dunedin, fellow Central League umpires Samio Murakoshi and Toshio Azuma are part of a four-man crew that works the Phillies’ 12 – 2 victory over the Blue Jays. Meanwhile, four umpires from the majors are on a nine-day tour of Nippon Pro Baseball.
1992 – Astros’ broadcaster Milo Hamilton is named the annual Ford C. Frick Award winner for major contributions to baseball. He will be honored in July at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. Hamilton becomes the 16th announcer to win the award since it began.