Notable Events and Chronology for March 20

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March 20, 1888

1888 – Albert Spalding announces a baseball tour to Australia next winter with his Chicago team and a squad of National League All-Stars.

March 20, 1889

1889 – A New York sporting goods house receives an order for bats, balls, and other baseball equipment from Mr. Hiroka of Tokyo, Japan. In his letter he says that baseball “has been played there for several months” and that a baseball association would soon be organized.

March 20, 1915

1915 – The Boston Braves break ground on Commonwealth Avenue and begin construction of Braves Field. Owner James E. Gaffney wants a large enough park so that inside-the-park homers can be hit in three directions. The field will open on August 18th.

March 20, 1918

1918 – Although the major leagues optimistically keep the schedules at 154 games, the owners agree to halve the spring training time in an attempt to save money with the United States now engaged in World War I, as the St. Louis Cardinals open their camp at Hot Springs, Arkansas. In fact, the season’s last month will never be played, with the World Series starting at the beginning of September.

March 20, 1925

1925 – In a reprise of the 1924 World Series, the New York Giants edge the Washington Senators, 2 – 1, at West Palm Beach’s new Municipal Athletic Field.

March 20, 1934

Babe Didrikson, a renowned female athlete, gives up no hits and walks only one Dodger when she pitches the first inning of the Philadelphia A’s spring training game at McCurdy Field in Frederick, Maryland. The founder of the LPGA and Olympic track and field Gold Medalist will also participate in exhibition contests with the Indians and Cardinals.

March 20, 1934

Mildred Didrickson (also known as Babe Zaharias), the renowned all-around female athlete, pitches the 1st inning for the Philadelphia Athletics in a spring training exhibition game against the Brooklyn Dodgers

March 20, 1935

At Fort Myers, the Philadelphia Athletics defeat the House of David, 4 – 3.

March 20, 1935

At St. Petersburg, the St. Louis Cardinals set a spring training record, drawing 6,467 in a match against the Boston Braves. The big draw is Babe Ruth, who hits a towering fly against Dizzy Dean, then, after Dean departs, laces two doubles into the overflowing crowd. The Cardinals win, 5 – 4.

March 20, 1937

Homestead Grays of the Negro Leagues acquire future Hall of Famers Josh Gibson and Judy Johnson

March 20, 1943

Washington Senators acquire veteran outfielder Bob Johnson

March 20, 1953

1953 – U.S. Senator Edwin C. Johnson offers a bill to give clubs the sole right to ban radio-TV broadcasts of major league games in their own territory. The antitrust division of the Justice Department outlawed this practice in 1949. Johnson believes that it started the decline of baseball in small towns and cities throughout the country. His bill aims to restore the equity between large communities and the small areas.

March 20, 1954

1954 – The Chicago Cubs send shortstop Roy Smalley to the Milwaukee Braves for pitcher Dave Cole, opening up the shortstop job for Ernie Banks.

March 20, 1955

1955 – While the Chicago Cubs are in Arizona beating their Los Angeles farm team, 7 – 0, major league baseball is played at Chicago’s Wrigley Field. In a rematch of last year’s World Series, the New York Giants beat the Cleveland Indians again, 7 – 3. Willie Mays and Dusty Rhodes hit home runs for New York, while Ralph Kiner’s 9th-inning homer is the first score for Cleveland. A crowd of 24,434 is on hand.

March 20, 1957

1957 – In today’s issue of The Sporting News, former Pittsburgh Pirates GM – and current Pirate batting instructor (at least while George Sisler recuperates from a recent operation), Branch Rickey, – raves about Roberto Clemente, who will be seen as Rickey’s most illustrious Pirate hire. The article features a classic example of bandwagon-jumping, coming in the wake of Clemente’s dramatically improved sophomore showing, as Rickey radically revises his initial, considerably more pessimistic prognosis made in January but which won’t be made public until years later. Moreover, he shamelessly inflates his own role in acquiring Clemente, in effect stealing the credit from his longtime subordinate, pitching coach Clyde Sukeforth, the man who actually discovered Clemente last year while on assignment from Rickey to scout demoted Dodger hurler Joe Black. Ironically, just as Rickey has jumped on the bandwagon, Clemente, thanks to an off-season back injury which has somehow escaped the “Mahatma”‘s omniscient eye, is about to embark on the worst season of his career.

March 20, 1958

Philadelphia Phillies acquire veteran first baseman Joe Collins

March 20, 1961

1961 – The New York Yankees of the American League announce the team will oppose any plan that would enable the new National League expansion franchise in New York, NY to use Yankee Stadium. This decision leaves the old Polo Grounds as the only viable option for the NL’s new team, the New York Mets, who will begin play in a year’s time.

March 20, 1973

In an exhibition game played in Puerto Rico, Willie Mays substitutes for New York Mets manager Yogi Berra and leads his team to a 8 – 3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

March 20, 1973

Roberto Clemente becomes the first Hispanic American to gain election to the Hall of Fame

March 20, 1975

A rare spring training brawl takes place when Ranger second baseman Dave Nelson takes exception to the two brushback pitches thrown at him by Yankee southpaw Mike Wallace in the seventh inning of an exhibition contest at played Fort Lauderdale. The trouble begins brewing early when Jim Bibby’ first pitch of the game plunks the shoulder New York’s leadoff hitter Elliot Maddox, who had deeply angered Texas skipper Billy Martin when he told the local press that his former manager “has a habit of lying to his players.”

March 20, 1976

1976 – Leo Durocher, hired to manage the Taiyo Whales of the Japanese Central League, is sick with hepatitis and asks for a five-week delay in reporting. Durocher receives a telegram from the Taiyo Whales stating: “Since the championship starts in twenty days, it’s better if you stay home and take care of yourself for the remainder of the season.”

March 20, 1984

Hall of Fame pitcher Stan Coveleski dies at the age of 94

March 20, 1989

Commissioner Peter Ueberroth announces that he has begun an investigation into the behavior of Cincinnati Reds manager Pete Rose

March 20, 1995

1995 – The Baltimore Orioles cancel the remainder of their spring training games because of the team’s refusal to use replacement players.

March 20, 2000

2000 – The new World Umpires Association agrees to consolidate all umpires as part of an interim agreement with the commissioner’s office. The umpires will merge into a single unit reporting directly to Major League Baseball this season, after being employed by either the National League or the American League since the latter’s creation in 1901.

March 20, 2002

The Commissioner’s office announces MLB will continue the practice that began after the September 11 attacks of singing ‘God Bless America’ during the seventh-inning stretch in each team’s first homestand. Also, an American flag patch will be worn on the jackets of 28 major league teams this season and as well as distinctive logos for Opening Day, Memorial Day weekend, and the Fourth of July, with Canadian versions designed for the Blue Jays and Expos.

March 20, 2002

The Milwaukee Brewers trade catcher Henry Blanco to the Atlanta Braves for catcher Paul Bako and pitcher Jose Cabrera.

March 20, 2004

2004 – Jesús Ríos strikes out his 2,381st batter in Mexican League play to break Ramón Arano‎’s record.

March 20, 2006

Japan scores four runs in the first inning and hangs on to defeat Cuba in the championship game of the first World Baseball Classic

March 20, 2006

In his first appearance in a Nationals uniform, Alfonso Soriano refuses to play the outfield in an exhibition game against the Dodgers. The one-time All-Star second baseman, who was listed on Frank Robinson’s lineup to start in left field, could be placed on the disqualified list for his insubordination, preventing him from getting paid his $10 million salary and accruing service time, which is used to determine a player’s free agent status.

March 20, 2006

At spring training, 86-year-old Red Sox special instructor Johnny Pesky is injured when a foul ball breaks a bone in his left ankle as he watches a college game.

March 20, 2006

The Boston Red Sox trade pitcher Bronson Arroyo to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for outfielder Wily Mo Peña

March 20, 2006

Two-time All-Star pitcher Al Leiter announces his retirement after a 19-season major league career.

March 20, 2011

The Padres claim sidearming reliever Pat Neshek on waivers from the Twins. It’s a bit of a gamble as Neshek’s last effective season was in 2007; he has since been slowed down by a string of injuries.

March 20, 2011

White Sox P Jake Peavy is diagnosed with rotator cuff tendinitis and his return to action is uncertain. Peavy has been very effective when he has been able to pitch since the Sox acquired him in a trade with the Padres in 2009, but he has spent most of his time in Chicago on the disabled list.

March 20, 2012

2012 – Having lost two catchers to injuries since the start of spring training, the Royals obtain Humberto Quintero from Houston, alongside OF Jason Bourgeois, in return for P Kevin Chapman and a player to be named later.

March 20, 2014

2014 – In a trade of minor leaguers with excellent bloodlines, the Angels send 1B Matt Scioscia, son of manager Mike Scioscia, to the Cubs in return for OF Trevor Gretzky, son of all-time hockey great Wayne Gretzky. In spite of their athletic lineage, neither player is considered to be much of a prospect, however.

March 20, 2015

2015 – The Angels hit four triples in an inning in a Cactus League game against the Indians, with Erick Aybar, C.J. Cron, Johnny Giavotella and Collin Cowgill doing the damage against Trevor Bauer. The feat has not been accomplished in a regular season game since 1936, and for Bauer, it’s the second time this spring he gets featured for allowing long hits in a bunch, having previously served up three consecutive homers in an inning against the Cubs on March 10th.

March 20, 2016

Brewers OF Rymer Liriano suffers multiple facial fractures when hit by a pitch by the Dodgers’ Matt West in a Cactus League game.

March 20, 2019

2019 – The Major League season opens at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, with the A’s hosting the Mariners in the first game of a two-game series. While most of the early attention is directed at 45-year-old Ichiro Suzuki, who starts in right field for Seattle, it’s the sluggers who define the game as the Mariners prevail, 9 – 7. Stephen Piscotty, Khris Davis and Matt Chapman all homer for Oakland, but the M’s reply with long balls by Domingo Santana – a grand slam – and Tim Beckham. Marco Gonzales pitches 6 innings for the win.

October 19, 2019

2009 – After winning their first spring game of the year, the Astros fail to win their next 19 Grapefruit League contests until beating the Reds, 4-2, behind six shutout innings from Russ Ortiz. It comes the same day that the Astros sign catcher Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez to a one-year deal. The 37-year-old Rodriguez is a 14-time All-Star with 13 Gold Gloves and fills a need as none of the other catchers in camp were hitting above .200 in spring action. 

October 19, 2019

1994 – Both teams train in Florida, yet the Astros and Rangers spar in a two-game series at the Astrodome as part of their in-state rivalry. Tony Eusebio is the hero in a 6-5 victory, driving in Luis Gonzalez with an eighth-inning double. Astro nemesis Will Clark delivers the game-winner for the Rangers the following day. It’s the first Dome visit for new Houston manager Terry Collins. Afterwards, both teams fly back to Florida. 

Major League Baseball Birthdays on March 20

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Todays Major League Debuts On  

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Major League Baseball Deaths On March 20

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