February 17 in Tigers and mlb history:
1886: Superior Court of Detroit rules to protect neighbors' right to erect bleachers outside Recreation Park for baseball fans. Ruling was later upheld by Michigan Supreme Court.
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1900: Mary Hamilton Von Derbeck is to become owner of the Detroit American League franchise and of Bennett Park, in lieu of unpaid alimony. However, her ex-husband George Von Derbeck files the required bond with a Michigan court to cover the alimony due, regains ownership of the club, and sells it to Tiger manager George Stallings on March 6th.
1909: The National League deprives umpires of the power to fine players and decrees that relief pitchers must retire at least one batter before being relieved.
1937: The New York Yankees buy another Babe from the Red Sox, picking up Babe Dahlgren. The California native will become the player who replaces Lou Gehrig.
1943: Joe DiMaggio, drawing $43,500 from the Yankees, trades in his salary for the $50 a month as an army enlisted man. DiMaggio, in his customary quiet style, gives no notice to the club.
1964: Former White Sox SS Luke Appling is elected into the Hall of Fame by a special vote. In 1953, Appling's first year of eligibility for Cooperstown, the Sox great received just two votes. He holds the single-season highest batting average for his position, hitting .388 in 1936.
1965: Commissioner Ford Frick suspends U.S.-Japan baseball relations until the Yomiuri Giants-San Francisco Giants dispute over Masanori Murakami's contract is resolved.
1970: Sports Illustrated releases cover story on Denny McLain's involvement with bookmakers in 1967.
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1984: Pitchers and catchers begin reporting to camp in Lakeland. #Relive84
1984: Alan Trammell arrives in Lakeland still nursing a knee injury after a mishap with Halloween costume.
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1987: New York Yankees first baseman Don Mattingly wins his $1.975 million arbitration case, breaking the record for the largest amount ever awarded to a player set by Jack Morris just four days ago.
1988: The Detroit Tigers signed Frank Tanana as a free agent.
1993: The Detroit Tigers signed Dave Johnson as a free agent.
1995: With the strike still unresolved and spring training set to begin, Tigers manager Sparky Anderson is put on an involuntary leave of absence as he refuses to manage replacement players.
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1995: The Orioles announce they will not play exhibition games against teams using replacement players.
2003: Avoiding arbitration, the Braves and 36-year-old righty Greg Maddux (16-6, 2.62) agree to the largest one-year contract in major league history.
The $14.75 million deal for the four-time Cy Young Award winner eclipses the $12 million given to David Cone by the Yankees in 2000.
2006: The Detroit Tigers signed Bobby Jones as a free agent.
2011: The Society for American Baseball Research announces the second class of recipients of the Henry Chadwick Award. Sean Forman, founder of Baseball-Reference.com and the BR Bullpen is one of the five honorees.
2015: The Detroit Tigers signed Casper Wells as a free agent.
Tigers players and coaches birthdays:
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/onsloed01.shtml
Eddie Onslow 1912-1913.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Wally_Pipp
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pippwa01.shtml
Wally Pipp 1913.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/philled01.shtml
Eddie Phillips 1929.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/collior02.shtml
Orlin Collier 1931.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/crimija01.shtml
Jack Crimian 1957.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Roger_Craig
Roger Craig coach 1980-1984.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/patteda04.shtml
Danny Patterson 2000-2004.
Tigers players who passed away:
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/daltoja01.shtml
Jack Dalton 1916.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Tony_Phillips
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/phillto02.shtml
Tony Phillips 1990-1994.
Baseball Reference