1931 – Ban Johnson dies in St. Louis, Missouri, at the age of 67. Johnson served as the first president of the American League, guiding the “junior circuit” until 1927. He will be elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1937.
1927 – In a final exhibition match between the previous World Series’ opponents, the New York Yankees score four runs in the 1st inning off Grover Cleveland Alexander and the St. Louis Cardinals. Then, Alexander shuts down the Yankees until leaving in the 8th, and the Cardinals score two in the 9th to win, 6 – 4. Both teams use their regular lineups – the only teams to make no starting changes from last year’s teams. The four runs off Alexander are the first the 40-year-old veteran has allowed in 15 innings of spring training work.
1918 – International League owners vote 6-2 to disband the league. The two teams voting to continue play are Richmond and Newark. Despite the apparent dissolution of the league, a reborn IL will indeed play in 1918 and beyond.
On March 28, 1913, the St. Louis Browns make an unusual “trade,” sending infielder Clyde “Buzzy” Wares to the Montgomery Rebels a minor league team in exchange for the rental of a stadium. The Montgomery Rebels will allow the Browns to use their stadium during spring training-rent free. he Southern Association Class-A team will return…
1907 – Popular outfielder Chick Stahl, who replaced Jimmy Collins as manager of the Boston Americans at the end of last season, commits suicide while travelling with the team in West Baden Springs, Indiana. After breakfast he returns to his room and drinks four ounces of carbolic acid. He leaves a note: “Boys, I just couldn’t help it. It drove me to it.” Cy Young reluctantly agrees to start the season as Boston’s manager, but there will be three others during the year.
1901 – Philadelphia Phillies owner John Rogers files for an injunction prohibiting Nap Lajoie, Bill Bernhard, and Chick Fraser from playing for any other team – the most serious legal test of the reserve clause to date.
1889 – In a trade of pitchers, the Indianapolis Hoosiers send John Healy to the Washington Nationals in exchange for Jim Whitney.
1884 – During an exhibition game between the National League Philadelphia Quakers and American Association Philadelphia Athletics, umpire William McLean, reacting to fans’ taunts, hurls a bat into the stands, hitting but not injuring a spectator. McLean is arrested after the game, but the charges are soon dropped.
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