April 9 in Tigers and mlb history:
1947: Commissioner Happy Chandler suspends Brooklyn Dodgers manager Leo Durocher for "conduct deemed detrimental to baseball." The one-year ban will force Leo to miss the major league debut of Jackie Robinson.
1956: The Detroit Tigers released Joe Coleman.
1959: At Griffith Stadium, the Baltimore Orioles become the first team in major league history to turn a triple play on Opening Day. The Orioles turn the feat in front of Vice-President Richard Nixon, who throws out the ceremonial first pitch as a substitute for President Dwight Eisenhower.
1959: In an effort to protect Little League batters, pitching mounds are moved back two feet to a distance of 46 feet.
1962: U.S. President John F. Kennedy throws out the first ball to open the baseball season at new District of Columbia Stadium. Despite rain, a record Washington crowd of 42,143 shows up to see Senators pitcher Bennie Daniels stop Detroit.
1964: The Detroit Tigers traded Lou Johnson and $10,000 to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Larry Sherry.
1965: U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson joins 47,878 fans for the opening of Harris County Domed Stadium (the Astrodome). The Houston Astros win an exhibition game against the New York Yankees, 2 - 1, in 12 innings. Yankees outfielder Mickey Mantle hits the first-ever indoor home run in the new park.
1971: The Detroit Tigers signed Dave Boswell as a free agent.
1974: San Diego Padres owner Ray Kroc criticizes his club over the public address system during a game! "Ladies and gentlemen, I suffer with you," Kroc says. "I've never seen such stupid baseball playing in my life." The announcement occurs during San Diego's 9 - 5 loss to the Houston Astros. Coincidentally, the San Diego Chicken team mascot makes its debut that day. Hearing of the incident, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn will make Kroc apologize to the fans.
1981: Kirk Gibson has a horrible Opening Day, twice having balls hit him on the head in the outfield for Detroit.
1985: The Detroit Tigers traded Rod Allen to the Baltimore Orioles for Luis Rosado.
1988: Jack Morris balks three times in one game. Umpires have been ordered to crack down on balks this year.
1997: The Detroit Tigers signed Jose Bautista as a free agent.
2009: The Blue Jays beat the Tigers as Ricky Romero outduels Rick Porcello. It is only the 19th time since 1901 that opposing starters both make their major league debuts together and it is the first time that two former first-round draft picks debut against one another.
2014: Major League Baseball's Diversity Task Force, created exactly a year ago, issues three recommendations to increase the number of African-Americans players: expanding MLB support for existing programs aimed at developing baseball in inner cities; launching program to improve the quality of coaching available to young African-American players; and raising its profile in inner cities by engaging current and past stars in outreach programs directed at the African-American community. Former manager Jerry Manuel will head the task force on a day-to-day basis, to ensure the implementation of the three initiatives, while Detroit Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski will continue as its chairman.
2015: The Tigers set an American League record by extending their streak of innings without allowing since the start of the season to 24, before giving up an unearned run in the 7th inning of a 7 - 1 win over the Twins. The previous mark of 22 innings was set by the 1947 Chicago White Sox, while the major league mark of 32 innings belongs to the 1963 St. Louis Cardinals. Shane Greene is the winner against Kyle Gibson as Detroit improves to 3-0 and Minnesota falls to 0-3.
Tigers players birthdays:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Vic_Sorrell
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sorrevi01.shtml
Vic Sorrell 1928-1937.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cantrgu01.shtml
Guy Cantrell 1930.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Nate_Colbert
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/colbena01.shtml
Nate Colbert 1975.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/brumlmi02.shtml
Mike Brumley 1989.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/morriha02.shtml
Hal Morris 2000.
Tigers players, coaches, and managers who passed away:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Jimmy_Outlaw
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/outlaji01.shtml
Jimmy Outlaw 1943-1949.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/colemjo04.shtml
Joe Coleman 1955.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Billy_Hitchcock
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hitchbi01.shtml
http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/hitchbi01.shtml
Billy Hitchcock 1942, 1946, 1953, coach 1955-1960, coach 1955-1961, manager 1960.
from Baseball Reference
