On March 21 in Baseball History...

    1908 - Ty Cobb signs with Detroit for $4,000 plus an $800 bonus if he hits over .300. He will collect the bonus with a league-leading .324, becoming one of only three A.L. regulars to top .300 (the N.L. has five) this year.

    1936 - The Reds trade first baseman Jim Bottomley for the Browns' utility player Johnny Burnett.

    1943 - The A's trade Bob Johnson to the Senators for Jimmy Pofahl and Bobby Estalella. The former Philadelphia's fan-favorite outfielder will make to the all-star squad for Washington, and will receive consideration for the Most Valuable Player award.

    1957 - It is reported the owners will get 9.3 million dollars for the 1957 TV-Radio rights.

    1959 - The Indians trade Larry Doby to the Tigers for Tito Francona. It turns out to be a great swap for the Tribe as their new outfielder will hit .363‚ while Doby will play in just 16 games for Detroit.

    1962 - In a ceremony prior to the spring training game against New York in Clearwater, the Phillies honor the visiting Robin Roberts, who was sold to the Yankees in the off-season, by retiring his uniform number 36, the familiar numerals he wore for 14 seasons with Philadelphia. The future Hall of Fame right-hander starts the exhibition game against his former team, giving up four runs in three innings, and is credited with the win in the Bronx Bombers' 13–10. victory.


    1966 - In a spring exhibition game in Houston's Astrodome, the Dodgers and Astros become the first major league teams to play on artificial grass. The material, which would become known as AstroTurf, was developed by Monsanto in an effort to overcome the team's inability to grow grass indoors.

    1968 - The new American League team in Kansas City announces its nickname. The expansion club, which will join the circuit in 1969, will be now known as the "Royals", paying tribute to the Negro League Monarchs that played in the City of Fountains from 1920 through 1965.

    1975 - Georgia Tech blanks Earlham, 41-0, setting the NCAA mark for the largest margin of victory.

    1977 - Mark Fidrych, the 1976 Rookie of the Year, rips the cartilage in his left knee and will undergo surgery 10 days later. The injury will effectively end the fabled career of the Bird.

    1978 - In a surprise move, Padres manager Alvin Dark becomes the second manager ever fired during spring training after being told that he was having difficulties communicating with his players. San Diego names Roger Craig, the club's pitching coach, as the interim skipper.

    1986 - The Yankees announce that their most celebrated off-season acquisition, 26-year-old pitcher Britt Burns, will not pitch at all this season because of a chronic deteriorating hip condition. He never again pitches in the major leagues. Burns had won 18 games for the White Sox the previous season.

    2002 - The Phillies make public the one-day regular-season suspension of Larry Bowa handed down by Major League Baseball vice president for on-field operations Bob Watson. The action was taken as a result of the Philadelphia's manager's "inappropriate conduct toward the umpire" when he became enraged with the home plate umpire over two close calls on checked swings during an exhibition game against the Indians on March 9.

    2009 - The Chicago White Sox sent Chris Stewart to New York Yankees for future considerations.

    2011 - Citing a lack of velocity and command, Mets GM Sandy Alderson announces the release of 29-year old southpaw Oliver Perez, who is still owed $12 million on his contract. It is the second time in four days that the team has cut a player still under a considerable contract, with second baseman Luis Castillo being asked to leave despite his $6 million price tag.

    2013 - Mets third baseman David Wright is named the captain of the team, joining John Franco, Keith Hernandez, and Gary Carter as the fourth player to be honored by the franchise. The 30 year-old infielder, who signed an eight-year, $138 million contract in November, will be one of the current three major leaguers, along with Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter and White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko, to have the title with their club.

    2014 - The Cleveland Indians released David Aardsma.


    Baseball Birthdays on March 21...

    1847 - Bielaski, Oscar
    1855 - Coon, William
    1867 - Collver, Bill
    1884 - Walker, Mysterious
    1890 - Sullivan, John
    1892 - Stumpf, Bill
    1897 - Lamar, Bill
    1897 - Ketchum, Gus
    1904 - Sigafoos, Frank
    1904 - Rollings, Red
    1905 - Samuels, Joe
    1906 - Hogan, Shanty
    1913 - Jacobs, Bucky
    1914 - Perry, Boyd
    1915 - Brandt, Bill
    1918 - Klieman, Ed
    1923 - Hughes, Jim
    1927 - Creger, Bernie
    1927 - Friend, Owen
    1929 - Browne, Pidge
    1937 - Thies, Dave
    1939 - Davis, Tommy
    1942 - Church, Len
    1944 - Sanguillen, Manny
    1946 - Fitzmorris, Al
    1946 - Clark, Rickey
    1947 - Plummer, Bill
    1949 - Durham, Don
    1952 - Arroyo, Fernando
    1957 - Leal, Luis
    1963 - Dunston, Shawon
    1965 - McIntosh, Tim
    1966 - Smithberg, Roger
    1970 - DeHart, Rick
    1976 - Darr, Mike
    1978 - Bajenaru, Jeff
    1978 - Guzman, Cristian
    1979 - Palmer, Matt
    1982 - Hill, Aaron
    1984 - Madrigal, Warner
    1986 - Monasterios, Carlos
    1987 - Brady, Michael
    1987 - Carrasco, Carlos
    1992 - Wahl, Bobby
    1992 - Yacabonis, Jimmy
    1993 - Montas, Frankie



    Baseball Deaths on March 21...

    1921 - Vickery, Tom
    1925 - Raymond, Harry
    1930 - Fagan, Bill
    1933 - Black, Bob
    1934 - Day, Pea Ridge
    1943 - Daly, Joe
    1949 - Jacobs, Mike
    1952 - Thomas, Lefty
    1953 - Truby, Harry
    1960 - Stewart, Mack
    1967 - Parker, Pat
    1969 - Higgins, Pinky
    1975 - Medwick, Joe
    1976 - Scheer, Heinie
    1978 - Coumbe, Fritz
    1982 - Sax, Ollie
    1984 - Rothel, Bob
    1988 - Roush, Edd
    2003 - Eisenstat, Harry
    2008 - Foster, Roy
    2017 - Krause, Jerry
    2017 - Zardon, Jose