The history of sports is both vast and rich, thanks to the existence of so many different events and the longevity associated with them. With so much history to cull through, We offer the opportunity to look back and see what memorable things happened or milestones were reached on This Day In Baseball March 9.
Highlighted events: This Day In Baseball March 9
- On This Day In Baseball March 9, 1912, future Hall of Famer Joseph “Arky” Vaughan is born in Clifty, Arkansas. Vaughan, a hard-hitting shortstop, will make his major league debut in 1932 and will go on to hit .318 during a 14-year career with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Brooklyn Dodgers. Vaughan will be elected to the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee in 1985.
- On March 9, 1963 — Songwriters Ruth Roberts and Bill Katz introduced the official Met theme song, Meet the Mets, to the public. The tune will be modernized in 1984, adding Long Island, New Jersey, Brooklyn, Queens, Uptown and Down, to the team’s East side, West side geographical realm.
- On March 9, 1967 Cincinnati Reds pitcher Ted Davidson was shot by his estranged wife Mary in an alley alongside the Chicken Delight Restaurant in Tampa, Florida. Davidson was shot twice in the right shoulder and the left side of the abdomen with a .22-caliber automatic. The incident happened after the two had an argument inside the restaurant. Davidson was on the critical list for days, but recovered and returned to the playing field in June.
- On March 9, 1981, the Chicago White Sox sign prized free agent catcher Carlton Fisk. The future Hall of Fame receiver was declared a free agent in February after the Boston Red Sox had failed to mail him a contract by the deadline imposed under the Basic Agreement. Fisk batted .289 with 18 home runs for the Red Sox in 1980.
- On March 9, 1995 — Major League Baseball owners unanimously approve two expansion teams: the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Each of the new clubs will pay a $130 million franchise fee and will begin play in 1998.
- On March 9, 2010 — Former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Willie Davis dies at age 69 in Burbank, CA.
- Born: March 9, 1942 in Pueblo Nuevo, Cuba, Surrounded by superstars, Bert Campaneris was a key contributor to the great Oakland teams with his competitive spirit and superb play. His memorable debut with the Kansas City A’s (July 23, 1964) included two home runs, one off the first major league pitch ever thrown to him. Bert became only the third player in big league history to hit two homers in his first game. He made headlines in one of club owner Charlie Finley’s publicity stunts in 1965. On September 9, Campaneris played every position in a nine inning game.
- Born: March 9, 1893 in Harvard, NE, A boyish Nebraskan, Southworth entered professional baseball against his father’s wishes and spent four decades in the game as a player and manager and will be inducted into Hall of Fame. As a lefthanded-hitting outfielder, he displayed consistency at the plate, speed on the bases, and sure-handedness a field.
