April 16 in Tigers and mlb history:
1913 - Ty Cobb has a modern day holdout.
http://deadspin.com/100-years-ago-ty-cobb-had-a-very-modern-holdout-473661349
1929: The New York Yankees are the first team in major league baseball to permanently feature numbers on the backs of their uniforms. The numbers correspond to each player's position in the batting order. The numbers also allow fans and broadcasters to identify the players more easily.
1940: Working in 47-degree weather, Bob Feller of the Cleveland Indians hurls the first and only Opening Day no-hitter in major league history. Feller outduels Eddie Smith of the Chicago White Sox in winning a 1 - 0 decision at Comiskey Park. During one at-bat, White Sox star Luke Appling fouls off 15 straight pitches, but fails to get a hit.
1940: On Opening Day at Griffith Stadium, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt throws the ceremonial first pitch as Boston Red Sox pitcher Lefty Grove shuts outs the Washington Senators, 1 - 0.
1945 - The Boston Red Sox give tryouts to three Negro League players: Sam Jethroe, Jackie Robinson, and Marvin Williams. The three players work out at Fenway Park, but none are signed to contracts. Later this year, Robinson will sign a minor league contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
1961 - Beginning his historic chase of Babe Ruth's 60 home run season-record, Roger Maris connects for his first homer in the twelfth game of the season for the Yankees. The 5th-inning solo shot is off Detroit Tigers pitcher Paul Foytack.
2006: Chris Shelton of the Detroit Tigers becomes the first player in American League history to hit eight home runs in his team's first 12 games.
Tigers players birthdays:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/fordge01.shtml
Gene Ford 1905.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Dutch_Leonard_(leonadu01)
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/leonadu01.shtml
Dutch Leonard 1919-1921, 1924-1925.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/taylobr01.shtml
Bruce Taylor 1977-1979.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vinafe01.shtml
Fernando Vina 2004.
from Baseball Reference
