December 15 in Tigers and mlb history:
1883 - In Louisville a "first-class colored team" is formed. The team, later known as the Falls Cities, becomes one of the nation's best black teams. It will join the National Colored Base Ball League (NCBBL) in 1887, but will apparently disband shortly after the collapse of the NCBBL in the first week of its season.
1886 - The American Association meets and ratifies the new rules. It also approves the new clause that allows a club to reserve a player for as long as it wants, not just for next year's contract.
1896 - The first pitching machine, created by Princeton professor Charles E. Hinton, is demonstrated in the university's gymnasium. The mathematics instructor's device resembles a rifle which shoots the ball toward the batter.
1920: The National League reveals a most telling statistic, pointing out the changes in the game: the use of 27,924 baseballs during the season, an increase of 10,248 over 1919.
1932: A joint meeting of American League and National League owners approves the concept of "chain store" baseball, developed as the St. Louis Cardinals farm system, despite strenuous objections by Judge Landis.
1933 - The major leagues agree on a uniform ball to be livelier than the National League ball of recent seasons, to match the American League balls.
Owners also agree to ban Sunday doubleheaders until after June 15th.
1938 - The Red Sox send Pinky Higgins and P Archie McKain to the Tigers for pitchers Elden Auker and Jake Wade, and OF Chet Morgan.
1945 The Tigers release Tommy Bridges, longtime ace pitcher. He has one of the greatest full names in baseball history: Thomas Jefferson Davis Bridges.
1964: Tigers owner John Fetzer announces a 2-year television pact between Major League Baseball and ABC-TV. The network pays $12.2 million to telecast games on 25 Saturdays, Independence Day, and Labor Day.
1965 - Detroit trades P Phil Regan to the Dodgers for IF Dick Tracewski. Regan will lead the National League in saves in 1966 while winning 14 of 15 decisions.
1969 - The National Labor Relations Board accepts the case of fired umpires Bill Valentine and Al Salerno, thereby issuing a challenge to baseball's antitrust status.
1994: The owners approve a salary cap plan by a vote of 25-3, but agree to delay implementing it so that another round of talks with the players can be held as the strike remains unresolved.
2000: The Tigers acquire P Matt Perisho from the Rangers for pitchers Kevin Mobley and Brandon Villafuerte.
2008 Detroit signs free agent and defensive specialist Adam Everett.
2009: Commissioner Bud Selig announces that he will chair a 14-person committee to analyze ways to improve baseball's on-field product. The group will look at issues such as the pace of the game, umpiring, instant replay and possible rule changes.
2010: Hall of Famer Bob Feller, one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history, dies at age 92. "Rapid Robert" made his major league debut at 17 and had the best fastball of his generation. He lost a good part of his prime years while serving with great distinction in the US Navy during World War II and spent his entire career with the Cleveland Indians, for whom he posted 6 20-win seasons and pitched 3 no-hitters.
Tigers players and managers birthdays:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/clarkni01.shtml
Jay Clarke 1905.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Eddie_Robinson
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/robined01.shtml?redir
Eddie Robinson 1957.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Ray_Herbert
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/herbera01.shtml?redir
Ray Herbert 1950-1951, 1953-1954.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Jim_Leyland
http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/leylaji99.shtml
Jim Leyland manager 2006-2013, Tigers minor league player 1964-1970, Tigers minor league manager 1971-1981. 50th year in baseball in 2013.
Tigers players and managers who passed away:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Ed_Barrow
http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/barroed99.shtml
Ed Barrow manager 1903-1904.
from baseball reference
