April 18 in Tigers and mlb history:
1899 - At age 26, John McGraw makes his managerial debut with the Baltimore Orioles of the National League. McGraw leads them to a 5 - 3 victory over the New York Giants, a team he will later manage for more than 30 years.
1916 - Grover Cleveland Alexander of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches his first of 16 shutouts of the season against the Boston Braves.
1923 - The debut of Yankee Stadium is a huge success with an announced attendance of 74,217. Bob Shawkey of the Yankees, aided by a three-run home run by Babe Ruth, beats Howard Ehmke and the Red Sox, 4 - 1.
1929 - At Yankee Stadium, Babe Ruth hits a home run in his first at-bat since his marriage the day before. As he rounds second base tips his hat to his new bride, Claire Merritt Hodgson.
1939 - Announcer Red Barber calls the action in the Brooklyn Dodgers' 7 - 3 loss to the New York Giants, marking the first time a regular-season Brooklyn game is broadcast on the radio.
1946 - Jackie Robinson makes his minor league debut for the Montreal Royals, the International League affiliate club of the Brooklyn Dodgers. In becoming the first openly black person to play Organized Baseball in the 20th century, Robinson bangs out a home run and three singles on his way to winning the league batting championship.
1950: At the Polo Grounds, Sam Jethroe becomes the first black to play for the Boston Braves. A former Cleveland Buckeyes star, he goes 2 for 4, including a home run, to lead the Braves to an 11 - 4 beating of the New York Giants. Warren Spahn is the winner. Jethroe will go on to become National League Rookie of the Year after leading the majors in stolen bases.
1956 - Ed Rommel becomes the first major league umpire to wear glasses during a game as he arbitrates a contest between the Yankees and Senators.
1964 - Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers strikes out the side on nine pitches, becoming the first pitcher in major league history to achieve the feat twice.
1965 Ray Oyler, one of the game?s worst-hitting regulars ever, plays in his first game.
1995 Jack Morris, the winningest pitcher of the 1980s, announces his retirement.
Tigers players and owners birthdays:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Frank_Navin
Frank Navin owner 1908-1935.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Sam_Crawford
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/crawfsa01.shtml
Sam Crawford 1903-1917.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/flynndo01.shtml
Doug Flynn 1985.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Brian_Dubois
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/duboibr01.shtml
Brian Dubois 1989-1990.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Rico_Brogna
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/brognri01.shtml
Rico Brogna 1992.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Miguel_Cabrera
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cabremi01.shtml
Miguel Cabrera 2008-present.
Tigers players who passed away:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Roscoe_Miller
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/millero01.shtml
Roscoe Miller 1901-1902.
from Baseball Reference
