February 17 in Tigers and mlb history:
1900 - Mary Hamilton Von Derbeck is to become owner of the Detroit American League franchise and of Bennett Park, in lieu of unpaid alimony. However, her ex-husband George Von Derbeck files the required bond with a Michigan court to cover the alimony due, regains ownership of the club, and sells it to Tiger manager George Stallings on March 6th.
1909 - The National League deprives umpires of the power to fine players and decrees that relief pitchers must retire at least one batter before being relieved.
1943 - Joe DiMaggio, drawing $43,500 from the Yankees, trades in his salary for the $50 a month as an army enlisted man. DiMaggio, in his customary quiet style, gives no notice to the club.
1964 - Former White Sox SS Luke Appling is elected into the Hall of Fame by a special vote. In 1953, Appling's first year of eligibility for Cooperstown, the Sox great received just two votes. He holds the single-season highest batting average for his position, hitting .388 in 1936.
1995 - With the strike still unresolved and spring training set to begin, Tigers manager Sparky Anderson is put on an involuntary leave of absence as he refuses to manage replacement players.
The Orioles announce they will not play exhibition games against teams using replacement players.
2011: The Society for American Baseball Research announces the second class of recipients of the Henry Chadwick Award. Sean Forman, founder of Baseball-Reference.com and the BR Bullpen is one of the five honorees.
Tigers players and coaches birthdays:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/onsloed01.shtml
Eddie Onslow 1912-1913.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Wally_Pipp
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pippwa01.shtml?redir
Wally Pipp 1913.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/philled01.shtml
Eddie Phillips 1929.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/collior02.shtml
Orlin Collier 1931.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/crimija01.shtml
Jack Crimian 1957.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Roger_Craig
Roger Craig coach 1980-1984.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/patteda04.shtml
Danny Patterson 2000-2004.
from Baseball Reference
