On April 2 in Baseball History... 1908 - After a two-year investigation, the Mills Commission, formed on the recommendation of Al Spalding and headed by the former N.L. president A. G. Mills, declares that baseball was invented by Abner Doubleday in Cooperstown, New York, in 1839. Overwhelming evidence to the contrary is ignored, but the designation makes James Fenimore Cooper's town the most likely site for a Hall of Fame and museum when these establishments are conceived some 30 years later.
1931 - Chattanooga Lookouts' pitcher Jackie Mitchell, a seventeen-year old girl, strikes out a good-natured Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig on six pitches in an exhibition game.
1947 - The Indians purchased George Metkovich from the Red Sox. According to legend, Casey Stengel, who will manage the Californian next season in the PCL, coins the nickname 'Catfish' after the first baseman/outfielder injures himself trying to extract a hook from the bottom-dweller.
1952 - In Denver, Giants' Monte Irvin breaks his ankle sliding into third base during an exhibition game against Cleveland. The future Hall of Fame outfielder will appear in only 46 games this season, mostly as a pinch-hitter, batting .310.
1962 - The Indians trade Gold Glove first baseman Vic Power and left-handed pitcher Dick Stigman to Twins for pitcher 20-game loser Pedro Ramos, who will compile a 26-30 record during his 2+ seasons with the Tribe. Powers will contribute 2+ solid seasons with the Twins batting .278, and their new southpaw will post a .702 winning percentage, the best in the American League this season, winning 12 of 17 decisions.
1969 - After Donn Clendenon refuses to report to his new team when he is traded along with Jesus Alou to the Astros, the Expos resign their reluctant first baseman. Montreal will send Jack Billingham, Skip Guinn, and $100,000 to the Astros to complete the deal that brings Rusty Staub north of the border.
1972 - Hank Aaron, Rico Carty, and Orlando Cepeda all start in an exhibition game. It is the first time the trio of sluggers, sidelined with a variety of injuries over the past two seasons, have appeared together in the Braves lineup since 1970.
1972 - After playing a round of golf in West Palm Beach with his coaches on Easter Sunday, Mets manager Gil Hodges, two days shy of his 48th birthday, suffers a fatal heart attack. The club will name current first base coach and former Yankee skipper Yogi Berra to run the team when the strike-delayed season begins.
1976 - In a blockbuster trade a week before the season starts, the Orioles deal Don Baylor, Paul Mitchell, and Mike Torrez to the A's in exchange for Ken Holtzman, Reggie Jackson, and Bill Van Bommel. A month will pass before Jackson will report to his new team accounting for Baltimore's slow start in April.
1982 - In an exhibition game against the Padres, A's pitcher Steve McCatty steps to the plate wielding a 15-inch toy bat on the instructions of manager Billy Martin, who was upset that his club was not allowed to use a designated hitter in spring training games at N.L. parks. Home plate umpire Jim Quick refuses to let McCatty use the bat, and McCatty takes three called strikes.
1984 - For the first time in ten years, the Mets lose on Opening Day bowing to the Reds, 8-1. The last time the team dropped a season opener was in 1974 when Mike Schmidt hit a two-run walk-off home run off Tug McGraw giving the Phillies' a 5-4 victory over New York at Veterans Stadium.
1992 - The Phillies acquire Curt Schilling from Houston in exchange for Jason Grimsley. Schilling will play nine seasons in the City of Brotherly Love becoming the team's ace while Grimsley will never throw a pitch in an Astros uniform.
1995 - Having the first 23 days of this season canceled and 252 games of the last season lost, the owners accept the players' March 31 unconditional offer to return to work. The players’ decision to return to work is made after a U.S. District judge issues an injunction restoring terms and conditions of the expired agreement. Teams will play 144-game schedules.
1996 - Tiger first baseman Cecil Fielder steals the first base of his eleven-year career. The swipe of second comes in the 1,097th game 'Big Daddy' has played in the majors establishing the longest duration a player has ever gone without a stolen base.
1996 - On Opening Day, Derek Jeter hits a home run off Dennis Martinez in New York's 7-1 victory over the Indians at Jacobs Field. The 22-year old infielder becomes the first Yankee rookie to play shortstop at the start of the season since 1962 when Tom Tresh filled in for Tony Kubek, who had reported to duty when his National Guard unit was federalized.
1996 - With an Opening Day 7-1 rout of Cleveland at Jacobs Field, Joe Torre wins the first of his 1173 victories as the manager of the Yankees. During his 12-year tenure, the Bronx Bombers will reach the post season each year, winning ten American League East Division titles, six American League pennants, and four World Championships
1997 - For the first time in major league history, the salary of one player is more than the payroll of an entire team. The White Sox will pay Albert Belle $10 million for the season which is $928,333 more than the entire Pirate payroll.
1997 - Gary Sheffield (.314, 42, 120) and the Marlins agree to a six year, $61 million contract extension. The deal is the largest in total dollars in baseball history, but is only the third highest annual salary behind Albert Belle's (1996-2000 White Sox - $11 million) and Barry Bonds (1993-98 Giants - $11,131,157) 1998 - With the help of Jeromy Burnitz's grand slam in the top of the frame, the Brewers record their first National League victory when they beat Atlanta in 11 innings, 8-6. The franchise, which started in Seattle in 1969 before moving to Milwaukee a year later, played in the American League for the first 29-year of its existence before switching circuits, a move necessitated by the restructuring of each league from two divisions into three.
2001 - On Opening Day, Yankee fireballer Roger Clemens becomes the all-time AL career strike out leader moving ahead Walter Johnson when he whiffs Royals' Joe Randa for his 3,509 Junior Circuit victim. Passing the 'Big Train', the 'Rocket' now takes over the seventh spot in major league history.
2001 - For the first time in major league history, a Japanese-born position player participates in a regular-season major league game. Ichiro Suzuki, hitless in his first three at-bats, singles in the seventh inning to ignite a two-run rally and bunts for a hit in the eighth in his Mariner debut at Safeco Field.
2002 - In his major league debut, right-hander Jon Rauch of the White Sox pitches a perfect 1.1 innings in a 7-4 loss to the Mariners at Safeco Field. The 6’-11” Louisville, Kentucky native, who was a member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic team, becomes the tallest pitcher to appear in a big league game. 2003 - Mike Bordick's record streak for games and chances without an error by a shortstop ends when Yankee outfielder Bubba Trammell's third inning grounder tips off his glove. After converting a fielder's choice in the first inning, the Blue Jay infielder misplays his second chance of the game, establishing 544 chances and 110 consecutive games without an error, a new major league mark for shortstops.
2003 - According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Tigers become the first major league team to have four pitchers make their big league debuts during the same game. Twenty-year old starter Jeremy Bonderman, who gives up six runs on nine hits in four innings, is followed by rookies Wilfredo Ledezma, Chris Spurling and Matt Roney in the 8-1 loss the Minnesota Twins.
2003 - Todd Zeile homers in his first at-bat as a Yankee becoming the only major leaguer to hit a home run for ten different teams, surpassing Tommy Davis who went deep for nine different clubs. In addition to homering with the Bronx Bomber, the infielder has also gone deep for the Cardinals, Cubs, Phillies, Orioles, Dodgers, Marlins, Rangers, Mets, and Rockies.
2003 - At the age 27 years, 249 days of age, Alex Rodriguez becomes the youngest player in major league history to hit 300 home runs. The Ranger shortstop's fifth inning three-run blast off Anaheim's Ramon Ortiz in the Rangers' 11-5 loss at Edison Field surpasses the mark established in 1935 by Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx, who had accomplished the feat when being 79 days older than A-Rod.
2007 - Josh Hamilton receives a 22-second standing ovation from the fans at Great American Ball Park as he makes his major league debut. The Reds 25-year old rookie, a former number one draft choice who has overcome a nearly career-ending history of substance abuse, lines out pinch-hitting for pitcher Kirk Saarloos in the eighth inning and then plays left field for the remainder of the 5-1 Opening Day victory over Chicago.
2007 - Right-hander Mike Hampton, who signed the richest contract ever given to a pitcher, makes his Rockies debut getting the victory when the team beat the Cardinals, 8-0. The 123.8 million man will get off to a quick 9-2 start for Colorado, but will finish his stay in the mountains 12-27 over the next one and half seasons before being dealt to the Braves.
2007 - In a 9-5 loss to New York, Elijah Dukes of the Devil Rays becomes the 99th major leaguer to homer in his first official at-bat. The 22-year old rookie center fielder is the first to accomplish the feat at Yankee Stadium on an Opening Day.
2007 - For only the fourth time in major league history, a hurler under the age of 21 wins an Opening Day assignment as 20-year old Venezuelan right-hander Felix Hernandez pitches eight strong innings in the Mariners' 4-0 victory over the A's at Safeco Field. Fernando Valenzuela of the Dodgers was the last pitcher 'not of age' to accomplish the feat beating the Astros, 2-0, in 1981.
2007 - Tony Pena Jr.'s two Opening Day triples help the Royals rip the Red Sox at Kauffman Stadium, 7-1. The rookie shortstop, the son of a Yankee coach, is the first major leaguer to hit a pair of the three-baggers on Opening Day since Tommy Henrich did it for the Bronx Bombers in 1950.
2007 - In his first big league at bat, rookie third baseman Alex Gordon, the Royals #1 pick and second overall in 2005, receives a standing ovation from the Kauffman Stadium crowd as he steps to the plate. The former Golden Spikes Award is just the fourth player in franchise history to make his major league debut on Opening Day.
2007 - During the Royals' Opening Day ESPN telecast, commentator Joe Morgan announces the team will honor the late Buck O'Neil by placing a fan, who best exemplifies his spirit, in a special seat during every home game at Kauffman Stadium. The first person to sit in the Buck O'Neil Legacy Seat, easily identified by its red color in a sea of blue behind home plate, is the Negro League legend's younger brother, Warren.
2007 - Cincinnati mayor Mark Mallory's ceremonial first pitch in the Reds' home opener lands thirty feet up the first base line from home plate, widely missing its intended target, a bewildered Eric Davis. The terrible toss will received national media attention including the politician receiving a second chance on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live, an opportunity in which his Honor will also widely miss the mark.
2008 - Calling it one of the dumbest ejections he has ever had to make, third base ump Ed Montague tosses Larry Bowa for not staying within the boundaries of the coaching box. The Dodgers base coach, although warned several times to follow the new edict put in place by MLB following the tragic death of Tulsa Drillers’ first base coach Mike Coolbaugh, will be suspended for three games for “inappropriate and aggressive conduct,” in which he had to be restrained by manager Joe Torre and bench coach Bob Schaefer in the sixth inning of the 3-2 victory over the Giants in Los Angeles.
2008 - Kevin Youkilis establishes the longest errorless streak by a first baseman playing the field flawlessly for 194 games. The Red Sox infielder, who hasn’t committed an error at first base since July 4, 2006, breaks Steve Garvey's mark set with the Padres from 1983-85.
2011 - Ian Kinsler leads off the bottom of first with a round-tripper off Red Sox's Jon Lackey to become the first major leaguer ever to hit leadoff homers in each of his team's first two games. On Opening Day, the Texas second baseman also took Boston's Jonathan Lester deep as the first Rangers' first batter of the season.
2011 - David Ortiz breaks the major league record for RBIs by a designated hitter established by Seattle's Edgar Martinez. 'Big Papi', who hit a two-run homer in the second to tie the mark, drives in Alex Gonzalez for his record-setting 1,004th career run batted in as a DH with a fourth-inning groundout to first base in the Red Sox 12-5 loss to Texas.
2012 - Matt Cain, the longest-tenured Giant, comes to terms with the team on a five-year extension that will keep the 6'5" Tennessean with San Francisco until 2017. The 27 year-old right-hander has been the workhorse of the staff averaging 32 starts in each of the last six seasons.
2013 - Marwin Gonzalez's two-out, ninth inning single, a hit that goes through the box between the pitcher’s legs, spoils Yu Darvish’s bid for a perfect game. The 26 year-old Ranger starter is removed from the Minute Maid Park contest after giving up the disappointing hit, and watches reliever Michael Kirkman close the Texas 7-0 victory over Houston.
2014 - The White Sox win a wild one in the bottom of the 11th inning at U.S. Cellular Field when Leury Garcia scores from third on a wild pitch during a ball four pitch to Adam Dunn. Ronald Belisario picks up the win as the White Sox beat the Twins 7-6. 2014 - Rookie catcher Tony Sanchez, pinch-hitting in the bottom of the 16th inning, singles in the winning run to end the 5-hour and 55-minute contest, now the longest game in Pittsburgh history by time. The 4-3 victory over Chicago took six minutes longer to play than the Bucs' 8-7, 18-inning victory over Houston in 2006.
2015 - The Chicago White Sox released Brian Anderson.
Baseball Birthdays on April 2... 1856 - Bond, Tommy
1866 - Nusz, Emory
1868 - Boyd, Frank
1869 - Jennings, Hughie
1877 - Siever, Ed
1878 - Harper, Jack
1881 - Stanley, Joe
1884 - Wakefield, Howard
1889 - Taylor, Ben
1889 - Moran, Harry
1889 - Demott, Ben
1894 - O'Donnell, Harry
1895 - Pruess, Earl
1906 - Way, Bob
1907 - Appling, Luke 1911 - Pippen, Cotton
1919 - Johnson, Earl
1924 - Avila, Bobby
1927 - Pierce, Billy 1930 - Jones, Gordon
1930 - Ceccarelli, Art
1937 - Radatz, Dick
1938 - Weis, Al 1945 - Kekich, Mike
1945 - Smith, Reggie
1945 - Sutton, Don
1950 - Ramirez, Milt
1951 - Johnson, Tom
1953 - Cruz, Hector
1955 - Sample, Bill
1958 - Howard, Mike
1959 - Nipper, Al
1960 - Barrett, Tom
1964 - Incaviglia, Pete
1968 - Leskanic, Curtis
1969 - Hosey, Steve
1970 - Lieber, Jon
1970 - Hocking, Denny
1973 - Kroon, Marc
1977 - Gallo, Mike
1978 - Gall, John
1981 - Barden, Brian
1981 - McCoy, Mike
1987 - Glenn, Brad
1989 - Rasmussen, Rob
1992 - Difo, Wilmer
Baseball Deaths on April 2... 1910 - Nealon, Jim
1920 - McIntyre, Matty 1927 - Lynch, Mike
1932 - Morrill, John
1932 - Graff, John
1934 - Roach, John
1935 - Hogg, Brad
1944 - Brush, Bob
1947 - Jones, Charlie 1950 - Sechrist, Doc
1955 - Grabowski, Reggie
1969 - Cardoni, Ben
1970 - Hoskins, Dave
1970 - Ray, Carl
1972 - Hodges, Gil
1974 - Vereker, Tommy
1978 - Brubaker, Bill
1981 - Rochefort, Ben
1984 - Davis, Ike 1992 - Williams, Dib
1994 - Paulsen, Gil
1997 - Blanche, Al
2001 - Gearhart, Gary
2003 - Flitcraft, Hilly
2010 - Cuellar, Mike
2011 - Silverio, Tom
2012 - Clark, Allie