March 31 in Tigers and mlb history:
1909 - The National Commission rules that players who jump contracts will be suspended for five years. Players joining outlaw organizations will be suspended for three years as punishment for going outside organized baseball.
1962: The Pacific Coast League proposal to use a designated hitter is voted down 8-1 by the Professional Baseball Rules Committee. Prompted by the Cubs' college of coaches, the committee also rules each team must name a manager 30 minutes prior to the game. The DH will not come into major league use until 1973, when it is adopted by the American League.
1995 - The longest strike action in sports history ends - in a courtroom. A U.S. District court order forbids owners from implementing new financial working conditions in the wake of the impasse in negotiations. The court decides that conditions will revert to the old rules from the previous season. Because of the timing of the court order, 18 games will have to be trimmed from the major league schedule.
1999 - Commissioner Bud Selig confirms that discussions are underway which could lead to advertising space being sold on the sleeves of players uniforms. Nothing will come of these, fortunately.
2009 - The Detroit Tigers surprisingly cut slugger Gary Sheffield, who is one home run shy of 500 for his career. Sheffield, a 9-time All-Star, is 25th on the all-time home run list and 27th in RBI (1,633). He only hit .178 in spring training, but went deep in 5 of 45 at-bats. He says he is not shocked, but is surprised. Marcus Thames will replace Sheffield as Detroit's starting DH.
2011: The Yankees are successful on opening day, beating Detroit, 6 - 3, at home. Curtis Granderson, whose health was a concern before the start of the game because of a strained right oblique muscle, makes a diving catch of a line drive hit by Will Rhymes in the 1st, then breaks a 3 - 3 tie with a solo homer off Phil Coke in the 7th. Mark Teixeira had earlier hit a three-run blast to tie the score in the 3rd.
Tigers players birthdays:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/couchjo01.shtml
Johnny Couch 1917.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/grissma01.shtml
Marv Grissom 1949.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/denehbi01.shtml
Bill Denehy 1971.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jonestr01.shtml
Tracy Jones 1989-1990.
Tigers players who passed away:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Grover_Lowdermilk
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lowdegr01.shtml?redir
Grover Lowdermilk 1915-1916.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Bob_Schultz
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/schulbo01.shtml?redir
Bob Schultz 1955.
from Baseball Reference
