On March 26 in Baseball History...

    1936 - Two future Hall of Famers ink modest contracts with their respective teams. The Tigers sign Hank Greenberg for $20,000 and Red Ruffing comes to terms with the Yankees for $12,000.

    1937 - On the advice of Ty Cobb, Joe DiMaggio reduces the weight of his bat from 40 ounces to 36 ounces.

    1951 - During a spring exhibition game against the University of Southern California at Bovard Field, Mickey Mantle hits a home run which is estimated to travel 650 feet. The rookie's performance, which includes a single, triple and another homer, is one of the highlights of the Yankees' first ever West Coast trip.

    1957 - Yankee manager Casey Stengel is arrested and is released on $50 bail after he allegedly curses at and kicks a newspaper photographer during an exhibition game in St. Petersburg.

    1960 - Due to political unrest in the area, the Orioles-Reds series scheduled to be played in Havana is moved to Miami. Cincinnati, which has a farm team in Cuba, wanted the exhibition games to stay on the island, but Baltimore's team president Lee MacPhail feared for his players' safety.

    1974 - The Red Sox release future Hall of Famers Orlando Cepeda (1999) and Luis Aparicio (1984).

    1977 - The Red Sox released fan-favorite Rico Petrocelli. The two-time all-star shortstop will call it quits ending his 13-year career, all with Boston, with a .251 batting average.

    1979 - The Padres and Giants announce that the 1980 exhibition series between the two teams will be played in Tokyo. But Giants owner Bob Lurie leaves the decision up to his players, who reject the agreement.

    1984 - In a spring training deal, the Phillies trade outfielders Gary Matthews and Bob Dernier along with right-handed reliever Porfi Altamirano to the Cubs for right-hander Bill Campbell and Mike Diaz, a utility player. The former Philadelphia fly chasers, who will each received consideration for the MVP award, both play a pivotal role in Chicago's first-place finish this season in the National League Eastern Division.

    1984 - Jackie Robinson, who broke baseball's color line playing for the Dodgers in 1947, is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously by President Reagan. Rachel Robinson, on behalf of her late husband, accepts the award, the highest civilian honor given in the United States.

    1997 - The Detroit Tigers claimed Jimmy Hurst from the Chicago White Sox on waivers.

    1998 - The Chicago White Sox traded Jim Bullinger to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Marty Weymouth.

    2000 - In less than 20 seconds, the Kingdome is demolished thanks to 5,800 holes filled with gelatin dynamite ignited by 21.6 miles of detonation cord. The former home of the Mariners is now a mound of rubble over 65 feet high.

    2003 - The St. Louis Cardinals released Al Levine.

    2003 - The Milwaukee Brewers released Robert Machado.

    2010 - The Boston Red Sox signed Scott Schoeneweis as a free agent.
   
    2014 - The Chicago White Sox claimed Javy Guerra from the Los Angeles Dodgers on waivers.

    2014 - The St. Louis Cardinals signed David Aardsma as a free agent.



    Baseball Birthdays on March 26...

    1850 - Critchley, Morrie
    1869 - McCarthy, Jack
    1874 - DeMontreville, Gene
    1879 - Moran, Charles
    1884 - Geyer, Rube
    1888 - Hogg, Brad
    1889 - Burns, Joe
    1891 - Barry, Hardin
    1893 - Brower, Frank
    1895 - Klugmann, Joe
    1901 - Battle, Jim
    1909 - Mustaikis, Alex
    1913 - Zuber, Bill
    1914 - Epps, Hal
    1917 - Lambert, Clayton
    1939 - Neiger, Al
    1942 - Queen, Mel
    1949 - Hambright, Roger
    1955 - Morogiello, Dan
    1958 - Codiroli, Chris
    1961 - Warren, Mike
    1961 - Weston, Mickey
    1962 - Seitzer, Kevin
    1963 - Medina, Luis
    1964 - Loynd, Mike
    1967 - Hare, Shawn
    1967 - Brown, Jarvis
    1968 - Alexander, Gerald
    1968 - Reynolds, Shane
    1968 - Vizcaino, Jose
    1971 - Lankford, Frank
    1971 - Tavarez, Jesus
    1972 - Maxwell, Jason
    1979 - Dubois, Jason
    1981 - Wilson, Josh
    1982 - Ryan, Brendan
    1983 - Hacker, Eric
    1988 - Hatley, Marcus
    1990 - Bandy, Jeff
    1991 - Davidson, Matt
    1991 - Perez, Hernan
    1991 - Refsnyder, Rob
    1991 - Taylor, Michael
    1992 - Flores, Ramon
    1992 - Zastryzny, Rob



    Baseball Deaths on March 26...

    1936 - Hawk, Ed
    1936 - Costello, Dan
    1937 - Nops, Jerry
    1942 - Burke, Jimmy
    1944 - Stynes, Neil
    1947 - Bluejacket, Jim
    1958 - Kraft, Clarence
    1960 - Tipple, Dan
    1967 - Wilson, Squanto
    1973 - Sisler, George
    1974 - Kores, Art
    1975 - Young, Harley
    1986 - Bosser, Mel
    2002 - Wietelmann, Whitey
    2005 - Russo, Marius
    2014 - Lerchen, George
    2017 - Frohwirth, Todd