On April 3 in Baseball History... 1901 - Although he tried to return the money, Christy Matthewson is accused by Connie Mack of reneging on his contract with Philadelphia. In January, 'Big Six' after meeting with the A's manager, received a signing bonus, committing himself to play for the 1901 season with the American League team, but then used the offer as leverage to get a richer contract from the Giants.
1923 - Expelled players Happy Felsch and Swede Risberg file suit against the White Sox for back salary and $400,000 in damages. Both players were acquitted for allegedly fixing the 1919 World Series, but were still banned from baseball by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis, even though they were found not guilty of the wrong doing in a much-publicize court case.
1950 - Considered a well-guarded secret, Mel Parnell reveals he pitched all but three of his 39 games for Boston last season with a sore elbow. The 27-year old 'Dusty' finished the season 25-7 with a 2.77 ERA for the second-place Red Sox.
1961 - New York investors Jack P. Schleifer and Milton Schwartz take title to Connie Mack Stadium, formerly known as Shibe Park, in hopes of developing the property as an industrial center with bowling alleys and a restaurant when the Phillies move to a proposed new ballpark in the northeastern part of the city. The 52-year old ballpark, home for both the A's (1909-1954) and Phillies (1938-1970) will eventually become the site of the Deliverance Evangelistic Church in 1991.
1966 - After his name is picked from a hat in a special draft, Tom Seaver signs with the Mets for a reported $50,000 bonus. The lottery is necessitated when Tom's father threatens a lawsuit after his son's contract with Atlanta is voided by Commissioner William Eckert because the right-hander's college team had played two exhibition games, but signing a pro contract also prevents the future Hall of Famer from playing on the collegiate level.
1968 - The Tigers trade left-hander Hank Aguirre to the Dodgers for a player to be named later, minor leaguer Fred Moulder. The All-Star southpaw, better known for being the worst hitter in major league history, will compile an .085 batting average during his 16-year major league career, striking out an astounding 61% of his 388 at-bats.
1969 - The Phillies trade first baseman Bill White to the Cardinals for infielder Jerry Buchek and utility player Jim Hutto. White will retire after one season in St. Louis, eventually becoming the president of the National League, after a stint as a Yankee broadcaster.
1974 - The Indians trade Pedro Guerrero to Dodgers for pitcher Bruce Ellingsen. The 17-year old infielder/outfielder will compile a .309 batting average and will be named to the All-Star team five times during his 11 seasons with the team.
1985 - The owners' proposal of expanding the 1985 League Championship Series from the best-of-five games to best-of-seven is agreed to by the Players' Association.
1987 - The Cubs trade starter Dennis Eckersley and minor leaguer Dan Rohn to the A's for three minor leaguers. The 'Eck' will become one of the game's top relievers in Oakland.
1989 - In his first major league at bat, Mariners' center fielder Ken Griffey Jr. doubles off of Oakland's Dave Stewart. The 19-year old 'Junior', the son of an active major leaguer outfielder playing with the Reds, will establish himself as one of the game's superstars before retiring in 2010.
1989 - With an 8-4 victory over the Cardinals, the Mets win their 11th consecutive home opener. The Amazins' now have won on Opening Day in 18 of the last 20 seasons.
1994 - At Riverfront Stadium, in a game that is not embraced by the local fans or Cincinnati owner Marge Schott, the new season begins with the first Sunday night opener ever played in major league history. On a frigid Easter Sunday evening, the Cardinals beat the Reds in the controversial contest, 6-4, in front of the smallest opening day crowd in the ballpark's 24-year history.
2000 - With their 8-0 and 21-1 victories over the Clafin Panthers, the Savannah State nine extends its consecutive-game winning streak to 42 games. The Tigers' twin sweep sets an NCAA record, eclipsing the Marietta College of Ohio record of 40 straight wins established by the Division II school last year.
2002 - Barry Bonds becomes the second player in baseball history to begin a season with consecutive two-homer games. Eddie Mathews also hit a pair of homers in each of the Braves' first two games against the Pirates to start the 1958 season.
2005 - Alex Sanchez becomes the first major leaguer to be publicly identified under baseball’s new steroid policy. The Tampa Bay outfielder will be suspended for 10 days for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
2006 - Sportsnet NY, the Mets' new team-owned network, broadcasts its first regular season baseball game. During the third inning of New York's 3-2 victory over the Nationals, SNY experiences technical difficulties which blacks out the telecast for nearly twenty minutes.
2006 - Kenji Johjima becomes the first Japanese catcher to start a major league game. In Seattle's 5-3 loss to the Angels, the Mariners' 30-year old backstop homers for his first career hit.
2007 - On Opening Day, Marcus and Brian Giles bat first and second in the San Diego lineup in the Padres 7-0 victory over the Giants. It is the first time brothers have hit one and two in a game since Matty and Jesus Alou did it for San Francisco in 1965.
2008 - Twenty minutes before their game, the Dodgers announce reliever Hong-Chih Kuo would be used as the starter in place of Chad Billingsley, who in turn will be used out the bullpen. The unusual move, made due to the threat of rain at the start of the contest, is also employed by the Giants with Merkin Valdez beginning the game on the mound and announced starter, and eventual winner, Tim Lincecum entering the game in the fourth inning.
2008 - At Comerica Park in Detroit, the Royals beat the Tigers, 4-1, completing a season-opening three-game sweep. It is the first time that Kansas City has started the year with a sweep on the road since 1977, when the team also won the first three contests of the season in the Motor City.
2008 - In a dazzling debut, Reds right-hander Johnny Cueto fans 10 batters in an overpowering seven-inning performance when Cincinnati beats the visiting Diamondbacks, 3-2. Using a 96-mph fastball and devastating changeup, the 22-year old rookie, who started last season pitching in the low minors, strikes eight of his first 13 Arizona batters he faces.
2008 - During a tour of Fenway Park with her classmates, a Memorial Boulevard Middle School student is attacked by a 3 1/2-pound red-tailed hawk known to nest at the historic ballpark. The 13-year old eighth grader from Bristol, Connecticut, who is treated for a small scratch on her scalp at a local hospital, has a familiar name to Red Sox fans, Alexa Rodriguez, similar to the much detested third baseman of the Yankees, who also is 13 (uniform number).
2009 - The Mets, obligated only to pay the major league minimum of $400,000, sign Gary Shefield (.225, 19, 57) in hopes of adding a much-needed right-handed bat to the lineup. The 40-year old offensively challenged outfielder, who has 499 career home runs, was unexpectedly released by the Tigers earlier in the week despite having $14 million left on his contract.
2009 - On a damp and chilly New York night, both the Mets and Yankees open their new stadiums with exhibition games. The double debut in the Big Apple sees each team come away with a victory when the Amazin's beat the Red Sox, 4-3, and the Bronx Bombers launch three homers to defeat the Cubs, 7-4.
2010 - Adam Lind (.305, 35, 114) and the Blue Jays agreed to an $18 million, four-year contract that includes three additional years with a club option. The 26-year-old outfielder is joined by several teammates at the press conference held to announce the deal prior to an exhibition game in Houston.
2011 - The Arizona Diamondbacks released Kip Wells.
2011 - Ranger teammates Ian Kinsler and Nelson Cruz become the first pair of players to homer in each of the first three games in a season playing for the same team. The duo's weekend of round-trippers enabled Texas to sweep their season-opening series against visiting Boston.
2013 - The Cincinnati Reds signed Mike MacDougal as a free agent.
2013 - Homers by Adam Dunn, Tyler Flowers, Dayan Viciedo and Alexi Ramirez help lead the White Sox to a 5-2 win over the Royals at U.S. Cellular Field. Jake Peavy gets the win and Addison Reed picks up his second save of the season.
2014 - Four hits by Tyler Flowers, a 2 for 4 with 4 RBI performance by Jose Abreu, along with HRs by Marcus Semien, Adam Dunn and Alejandro De Aza weren't enough as the Minnesota Twins come from behind to beat the White Sox 10-9 at U.S. Cellular Park. Matt Lindstrom is the losing pitcher when he gives up 2 runs with 2 outs in the top of the ninth inning.
2015 - The Chicago White Sox signed Matt Lindstrom as a free agent.
Baseball Birthdays on April 3... 1854 - Ellick, Joe
1856 - Hecker, Guy
1860 - Lynch, Tom
1864 - Schwartz, Bill
1867 - McSweeney, Paul
1875 - Pappalau, John
1879 - Frill, John
1886 - Graham, Bert
1892 - Kingman, Harry
1896 - Seibold, Socks
1905 - Hinkle, Gordie
1921 - Conger, Dick
1926 - Grammas, Alex
1929 - Ditmar, Art
1930 - Moon, Wally
1936 - Rowe, Don
1939 - Taylor, Hawk
1940 - Vidal, Jose
1943 - Moore, Barry 1944 - Hodge, Gomer
1946 - Gaspar, Rod
1954 - Littleton, Larry
1956 - Jackson, Darrell
1958 - Pettis, Gary 1960 - Conroy, Tim
1961 - Crews, Tim
1961 - Baker, Doug
1962 - Clary, Marty
1963 - Bosio, Chris
1967 - Leon, Danilo
1967 - Garcia, Miguel
1968 - Lansing, Mike
1971 - Veras, Quilvio
1972 - Soderstrom, Steve
1974 - Pittsley, Jim
1975 - Uehara, Koji
1978 - Hill, Bobby
1978 - Rivera, Juan
1980 - Christian, Justin
1981 - Doumit, Ryan
1984 - Phillips, Kyle
1985 - Martinez, Luis
1985 - McClendon, Michael
1987 - Bruce, Jay
1987 - Kipnis, Jason
1990 - Hood, Dustin
1991 - Murphy, Tom
1991 - Wright, Daniel
1992 - Swihart, Blake
1993 - Alcantara, Victor
Baseball Deaths on April 3... 1900 - Bradley, Foghorn
1909 - Barclay, George
1938 - Campau, Count
1938 - Brown, Charlie
1942 - Rudderham, John
1952 - Smith, Phenomenal
1952 - Harley, Dick
1953 - Benton, Larry
1969 - Stanceu, Charley
1971 - Boyle, Jack
1972 - Crowder, Alvin
1975 - Cain, Sugar
1977 - Steinbacher, Hank
1978 - French, Ray
1979 - Simpson, Harry 1980 - Linton, Bob
1980 - Trowbridge, Bob
1981 - Lambert, Clayton
1983 - Livingston, Mickey
1991 - Miller, Whitey
2002 - Swanson, Karl 2002 - Nichols, Roy
2006 - Lint, Royce
2010 - Pagliaroni, Jim
2015 - Hamil, Ray
2017 - Sievers, Roy