April 23 in Tigers and mlb history:
1910 - At Huntington Avenue Grounds, Boston Red Sox centerfielder Tris Speaker pulls off his second unassisted double play, the gem occurring in the 2nd inning against the Philadelphia Athletics. Speaker snares a low line drive and beats baserunner Harry Davis back to second base.
1919 - Anticipating a poor season at the gate, the major leagues open a reduced 140-game season. Despite the lack of close races, attendance remains high all year and every club will show a profit.
1939 - Rookie Ted Williams goes 4 for 5, including his first major-league home run.
1940 - Flooding of the Ohio River causes cancellation of today's game between the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals at Crosley Field. Weather forecasters predict that the flood's waters will reach as high as eight feet at the ballpark. The next day's game will also be postponed.
1952: New York Giants knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm hits a home run in his first major league at-bat as he pitches five innings in relief in a 9 - 5 win over the Braves. In his second at-bat, two days later, he will hit a triple. But Wilhelm, a notoriously poor hitter, will never hit another home run or triple in a major league game during the next 21 years, covering a span of 1,070 games.
1954: In his seventh major league game, Hank Aaron of the Milwaukee Braves hits the first of his 755 career home runs off St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Vic Raschi atSportsman's Park.
2005 - Earl Wilson, a former pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers, dies in Southfield, Michigan, at age of 70. In 1962, Wilson became the first black pitcher in major league history to throw a no-hitter.
Tigers players birthdays:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Harry_Coveleski
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/covelha01.shtml?redir
Harry Coveleski 1914-1918.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vangiel01.shtml
Elam Vangilder 1928-1929.
Tigers players who passed away;
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Earl_Wilson
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wilsoea01.shtml?redir
Earl Wilson 1966-1970.
from Baseball Reference
