On March 13 in Baseball History...

    1917 - After hearing that Gabby Street had caught a ball dropped off the Washington Monument, Dodgers manager Wilbert Robinson bragged that he could catch a ball dropped from an airplane, even though he was in his mid-50s and well above his playing weight. But Casey Stengel substituted a grapefruit for the baseball. Robinson circled unsteadily under the descending spheroid and actually got a glove on it before it splattered across his chest. Robinson felt the ooze, thought it was blood, and screamed that he was dying until he tasted the juice. He later conceded that he probably would have been killed if a real baseball had been dropped from the plane.

    1943 - The major leagues approve an official ball, the insides of which will be made from reclaimed cork and balata, materials not needed in the war effort. Officials insist the ball will have the resiliency of the 1939 ball, but the players will express with dismay that they cannot drive the new ball and point out the dearth of runs and homers in 1942 even with the old ball.

    1944 - It's True, Cy Young's middle name is not Tucumseh, as generally accepted, but the middle initial T really stands for True.

    1953 - Braves' owner Lou Perini announces he will seek permission from the National League to move his franchise from Boston to Milwaukee. The day will become known as 'Black Friday' in Beantown.

    1954 - During an exhibition game against the Yankees, recently acquired Brave Bobby Thomson breaks his ankle in three places and will be sidelined until July 14. The '51 National League playoff hero is replaced by a promising prospect named Hank Aaron.

    1960 - The White Sox become the first major league team to feature players' names on the backs of their uniforms. The monikered jerseys, an innovation brought forward by team owner Bill Veeck, will make it easier for viewers watching the games on television to identify the players.

    1979 - The Tigers and Mets swap relievers with Detroit sending Ed Glynn to the Big Apple in exchange for Mardie Cornejo, who after posting a 4-2 record as a rookie lat season will never play in another major league game. In contrast, the latest addition to the New York bullpen will make 84 appearances compiling an ERA of 3.53 during the two years with his new club.

    1986 - In a Royal pre-season game, Hal McRae (age 39) and his son Brian (age 18) play together against the Phillies. Kansas City manager Dick Howser refers to the event as the 'Big Mac Attack'.

    1997 - In their first ever minor league spring training game, the Rays defeated Philadelphia, 6-0. John Kaufman, Tom Bergan, Matt Williams, and Jamie Ybarra combine to throw a no-hitter in the exhibition contest against the major league team.

    2001 - Throwing 22 strikes out of 29 pitches over two innings of shutout ball in his surprise start against the Mets at Roger Dean Stadium, Rick Ankiel makes his first appearance since the 2000 playoffs in which he loss his control throwing seven wild pitches in three postseason appearances.

    2006 - Three pitches into the top of the seventh inning, the stadium lights at Tradition Field partially fail. With fifty percent of the lights not functioning, the exhibition game is ended, after a 15-minute delay, with the Mets leading the Nationals, 10-4.

    2008 - Joining the ranks of Garth Brooks and Tom Selleck as celebrities who have appeared in an spring exhibition game, Billy Crystal strikes out in the first inning as the Yankees' leadoff batter. The comedian, who sign a one-day contract with the Bronx Bombers, wears the number sixty in honor of his 60th birthday which is tomorrow.

    2008 - The pitching-poor Cardinals bolster their rotation by agreeing to a preliminary one-year deal with Kyle Lohse (9-12, 4.62). The 29-year old right-hander, who pitched the Reds and Phillies last season, will make $4.25 million hurling for the Redbirds.

    2009 - Pat Burrell takes out ads in two of Philadelphia’s largest newspapers to thank Phillies fans for their support during his nine years with the team. The 32-year old slugging outfielder signed a free-agent deal in the off-season with the Rays, the club the Phils beat in last season’s World Series.

    2011 - Jackie Robinson's former apartment in Montreal is remembered with the placement of a plaque by the U.S. government as a tribute to the Canadian city for their exemplary treatment of the future Hall of Fame infielder. The season before he broke the color barrier, the Dodger farmhand led the hometown Royals to the 1946 International League championship with a .349 batting average and earned the circuit's Most Valuable Player for his outstanding performance with the team

    2013 - The Detroit Tigers released Brennan Boesch.




    Baseball Birthdays on March 13...

    1862 - McGuckin, Joe
    1865 - Bartson, Charlie
    1868 - Gilbert, Bill
    1875 - McFarland, Chappie
    1877 - Flood, Tim
    1879 - Eason, Mal
    1879 - Kelly, John
    1882 - Glaze, Ralph
    1885 - Block, Bruno
    1886 - Baker, Frank
    1889 - Smith, Wally
    1889 - Lynn, Byrd
    1892 - Gharrity, Patsy
    1892 - Gaw, Chippy
    1895 - Erickson, Eric
    1897 - Malone, Lew
    1899 - Brannan, Otis
    1906 - Powers, Ike
    1909 - Kimberlin, Harry
    1915 - Clarkson, Buzz
    1917 - Walsh, Joe
    1918 - Pellagrini, Eddie
    1920 - Biscan, Frank
    1921 - Rossi, Joe
    1922 - Mapes, Cliff
    1925 - Martin, Ray
    1928 - Greenwood, Bob
    1931 - Bessent, Don
    1931 - Pascual, Carlos
    1936 - Miles, Don
    1939 - Luplow, Al
    1940 - Kolb, Gary
    1942 - Staehle, Marv
    1948 - Barber, Steve
    1949 - O'Toole, Dennis
    1954 - Bass, Randy
    1954 - Leach, Terry
    1957 - Walker, Duane
    1959 - Aguayo, Luis
    1962 - Lee, Terry
    1962 - Funk, Tom
    1963 - Duncan, Mariano
    1964 - Clark, Will
    1970 - Fabregas, Jorge
    1971 - Sullivan, Scott
    1973 - Veras, Dario
    1979 - Santana, Johan
    1980 - Gettis, Byron
    1981 - Aviles, Mike
    1988 - Rogers, Jason
    1989 - Leon, Sandy
    1990 - Oberg, Scott
    1991 - Banuelos, Manny
    1991 - Butler, Eddie
    1991 - Leiter, Jr.; Mark



    Baseball Deaths on March 13...

    1885 - Dehlman, Herman
    1919 - Toy, Jim
    1928 - Wheelock, Bobby
    1929 - Magee, Sherry
    1932 - Strang, Sammy
    1934 - Jones, Fielder
    1938 - Ellis, Rube
    1940 - Flagstead, Ira
    1942 - Steere, Gene
    1950 - Young, George
    1951 - Hughes, Joe
    1955 - Vernon, Joe
    1955 - Sweeney, Buck
    1961 - Pauxtis, Si
    1961 - Berry, Joe
    1964 - Allison, Mack
    1975 - Marion, Red
    1976 - Pasek, Johnny
    1979 - Steen, Bill
    1983 - Anderson, Bill
    1986 - Warner, Jack
    1987 - Osborne, Wayne
    1994 - Freitas, Tony
    1994 - Rosar, Buddy
    1996 - West, Dick
    1999 - Peterman, Bill
    2000 - Bright, Harry
    2005 - House, Frank
    2013 - Detweiler, Ducky
    2015 - Rosen, Al