December 8 in Tigers and mlb history:
1880 - At the annual National League meeting, the league rejects the Washington Nationals' bid for admission, electing Detroit instead, although there is no established club there. The Michigan city is chosen for geographic reasons, since its 1880 population (116,340) is smaller than both Washington's (147,293) and Cincinnati's (255,139), the city being replaced.
1881 - The National League adopts a few new playing rules: the 3-foot corridor along the first base line is adopted for the first time; runners can no longer be put out returning to their bases after a foul ball not caught; the fine for pitchers hitting batters with pitches is repealed; the "block ball" rule allowing runners to take as many bases as possible on balls going into the crowd, the fielding team being able to put them out only after returning the ball to the pitcher in his box, is also repealed.
1914: The National League votes to hold the 1915 player limit to 21 per team. They also create the disabled list (DL) which allows a player to be kept out of play for 10 days and another player substituted for him.
1916 - The National Commission fines 51 players $25 to $100 for performing in post-season exhibitions. Among the guilty: Babe Ruth, Jack Barry, Duffy Lewis, 10 other Red Sox players, and Ty Cobb.
1939: At the December meeting of both leagues in Cincinnati, Judge Landis votes against all amendments favorable to farm systems. The Rules committee, with an eye towards raising declining batting averages, votes to restore the sacrifice fly for 1940. Seven American League owners push through a new rule barring the American League champion from making any trades within the league. Clearly aimed at the Yankees, winners of the last four World Series, the National League owners decline to vote it for their league.
1941 - Yesterday's bombing of Pearl Harbor and America's sudden involvement in the war, changes the owners' plan at the American League meeting of shifting the Browns from St. Louis to Los Angeles.
1951 - The American League alters its restrictions on night games, adopting the National League's suspended game rule and lifting its ban on lights for Sunday games.
1959: American League President Joe Cronin reports that expansion plans are indefinite. Branch Rickey scores him for his indecisiveness.
1962 - Former major leaguers Frank Crosetti and Johnny Schulte bring suit to prevent any increase in pension benefits which fails to include players from different eras.
2008: The Detroit Tigers try to shore up a gap at catcher by acquiring Gerald Laird from the Texas Rangers. They give up two pitching prospects, Guillermo Moscoso and Carlos Melo.
2011: Also signing today is reliever Octavio Dotel, who agrees to terms with Detroit, his 13th major league team.
Tigers players and coaches birthdays:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/ledbera01.shtml
Razor Ledbetter 1915.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Jack_Rowe
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/roweja01.shtml?redir
Jack Rowe Detroit Wolverines 1886-1888.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Ed_Brinkman
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/brinked01.shtml?redir
Ed Brinkman 1971-1974, coach 1979.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Robbie_Weinhardt
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/weinhro01.shtml
Robbie Weinhardt 2010-2011.
Tigers players and managers who passed away:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Bobby_Lowe
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lowebo01.shtml?redir
http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/lowebo01.shtml
Bobby Lowe 1904-1907, manager 1904.
from baseball reference
