January 8 in Tigers and mlb history:
1941 - In a poll in The Sporting News, the Baseball Writers Association of America names the 1940 All-Star team: Hank Greenberg (LF), Joe DiMaggio (CF), Ted Williams (RF), Frank McCormick (1B) Joe Gordon (2B), Luke Appling (SS), Stan Hack (3B) and Harry Danning (C) are the position players, and Bob Feller, Bucky Walters, and Paul Derringer the pitchers.
1987 - Ten free agents (Doyle Alexander, Bob Boone, Andre Dawson, Rich Gedman, Ron Guidry, Toby Harrah, Bob Horner, Lance Parrish, Tim Raines, and Gary Roenicke) fail to meet a midnight deadline and thus will not be allowed to re-sign with their former clubs until May 1st if they are not offered contracts by new teams.
The general lack of interest in the players will become the focus of the Players Association's first anti-collusion suit against the owners.
1996 - For the first time in 25 years, and only the 7th time in history, the BBWAA fails to elect a single player for induction into the Hall of Fame.
Tigers players birthdays:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Reno_Bertoia
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bertore01.shtml
Reno Bertoia 1953-1958, 1961-1962.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/nosekra01.shtml
Randy Nosek 1989-1990.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/johnsbr01.shtml
Brian Johnson 1997.
Tigers players and coaches who passed away:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Schoolboy_Rowe
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rowesc01.shtml
Lynwood 'Schoolboy' Rowe 1933-1942, coach 1954-1955, scout 1956-1961.
from Baseball Reference