April 2 in Tigers and mlb history:
1869 - Hughie Jennings is born in Pittston, PA. Jennings will be a standout shortstop before making a successful transition to manager. He will lead the Baltimore Orioles National League club to four straight appearances in the 19th century Temple Cup World Championship Series from 1894 to 1897 and the Detroit Tigers to three consecutive American League pennants from 1907 to 1909. Jennings will be elected to the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee in 1945.
1908 - The Mills Commission determines that Abner Doubleday originated the game of baseball. In its final report, the seven-man commission states that: "The first scheme for playing baseball, according to the best evidence obtainable to date, was devised by Abner Doubleday at Cooperstown, NY, in 1839."
1918 - The New York Yankees purchase first baseman "Tioga" George Burns from the Detroit Tigers and immediately trade him to the Philadelphia Athletics for outfielder Ping Bodie.
1931 - At Engel Stadium, Miss Jackie Mitchell strikes out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in an exhibition game held in Chattanooga, TN. The 17-year-old girl, a member of the Chattanooga Lookouts roster, also walks Tony Lazzeri in Chattanooga's 14 - 4 loss to the New York Yankees. In 1933 Mitchell will pitch for the House of David team.
1959 Detroit returns minor league prospect Maury Wills to the Dodgers as part of a conditional deal.
1995 - The longest strike in major league history comes to an end. Having the first 23 days of this major league season canceled and 252 games of the last season lost, the owners accept the players' March 31st unconditional offer to return to work. The players' decision to return to work is made after a US District Court issued an injunction restoring terms and conditions of the expired agreement. Teams will play 144-game schedules. The strike had begun on August 12, 1994.
1996: Detroit Tigers first baseman Cecil Fielder steals the first base of his eleven-year major league career. His theft of second base comes in the 1,097th game that Fielder has played, establishing the longest duration a player had ever gone without a stolen base.
2003: The Detroit Tigers become the first major league team to have four pitchers make their big league debuts during the same game. Rookie starter Jeremy Bonderman, who gives up gives up six runs on nine hits in four innings, is followed by rookies Wilfredo Ledezma, Chris Spurling and Matt Roney in the 8 - 1 loss to the Minnesota Twins.
Tigers players and managers birthdays:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Hughie_Jennings
http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/jennihu01.shtml
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jennihu01-bat.shtml
Hughie Jennings 1907, 1909-1910, 1912, 1918, manager 1907-1920.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Ed_Siever
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sieveed01.shtml?redir
Ed Siever 1901-1902, 1906-1908.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/moranha01.shtml
Harry Moran 1912.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Billy_Pierce
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/piercbi02.shtml?redir
Billy Pierce 1945, 1948.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/johnsea01.shtml
Earl Johnson 1951.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Dick_Radatz
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/radatdi01.shtml?redir
Dick Radatz 1969.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Pete_Incaviglia
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/i/incavpe01.shtml?redir
Pete Incaviglia 1991, 1998.
Tigers players who passed away:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Matty_McIntyre
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mcintma01.shtml?redir
Matty McIntyre 1904-1910.
from Baseball Reference
