February 22 in Tigers and mlb history:
1921: The Cincinnati Reds trade P Jimmy Ring and OF Greasy Neale to the Philadelphia Phillies for lefty Eppa Rixey, who led the National League with 22 losses in 1920. Rixey will continue to pitch his way into the Hall of Fame over the next 13 years. Neale is also a future Hall of Famer - for football. He will play just 22 games in Philly before returning to the Reds.
1936: As thousands cheer on both sides of the river, 48 year-old Senator legend Walter Johnson throws a silver dollar to the far side of the Rappahannock, believed to be a 386-foot toss. The Washington, D.C. Sesquicentennial celebration, which includes commemorating the 204th anniversary of George Washington's birth, stages the event to duplicate the alleged feat that the young Virginian accomplished when he threw a silver dollar across the Potomac River.
1938: The Cardinals sign Texas Christian University All-American football star and Washington Redskins quarterback Sammy Baugh as a shortstop. He will start off with the Cards in spring training, but be assigned first to Columbus and then Rochester.
1945: At the major league meetings, the owners cancel the 1945 All-Star Game scheduled to be played at Boston's Fenway Park on July 10th. Even after the cancellation, schedule-makers leave the dates of July 9, 10 and 11 open in case circumstances change, permitting the game. In place of the All-Star Game, eight simultaneous games pitting the National League vs. the American League are to be played. Seven are played, with the 8th being cancelled.
Also approved is a rule change stating that a player needs 400 at bats to qualify for a batting title.
1957: Walter O'Malley says the Dodgers may play 10 exhibitions in California in 1958.
1984: Sparky Anderson celebrates his 50th birthday at spring training with a slice of cake. #Relive84
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C5SHkw8WAAAP4kS.jpg
1989: The Detroit Tigers released Mark Huismann.
2005: Jerry Coleman, the San Diego broadcaster, is selected as the recipient of this year's Ford C. Frick Award. The 80-year old play-by-play man, who was the MVP of the 1950 World Series, has spent 41 years in the booth working for the Yankees, Angels and Padres.
2005: Tom Umberg, a California state assemblyman, introduces legislation which would require pro franchises to use disclaimers if they do not play the majority of home games in the location used in their name. With his "Truth in Sports Advertising Act", the Anaheim Democrat is trying prevent the local team from changing its name to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
2006: The Los Angeles Dodgers announce the team has extended the contract of Vin Scully through 2008. The Hall of Fame broadcaster, considered by many to be the best announcer in history, is beginning his 57th year in the Dodger organization, which is believed to be the longest tenure of any on-air individual in sports history.
2010: The Detroit Tigers signed Johnny Damon as a free agent.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C4jsj3eWIAAcDLn?format=jpg&name=small
2017: Major League Baseball adopts a significant rule change, as part of a strategy to speed up the game: a pitcher will no longer need to throw four pitches deliberately outside the strike zone in order to issue an intentional walk, but instead the defensive team's manager will simply need to signal his intention to the home plate umpire, who will immediately direct the batter to advance to first base. However, given that there is on average one intentional walk every 2.5 games, the change is expected to have only a minimal impact on playing time.
Tigers players and managers birthdays:
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mitchcl01.shtml
Clarence Mitchell 1911.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/defatto01.shtml
Tony DeFate 1917.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sullija01.shtml
Jackie Sullivan 1944.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Sparky_Anderson
https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/andersp01.shtml
https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/sparky-anderson/
Sparky Anderson manager 1979-1995.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/colyest01.shtml
Steve Colyer 2004.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/machadi01.shtml
Dixon Machado 2015-2018.
Tigers players who passed away:
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hubercl01.shtml
Clarence Huber 1920-1921.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hamilja01.shtml
Jack Hamilton 1964-1965.
Baseball Reference
