January 18 in Tigers and mlb history:
1896 - Long before Marvin Miller and Curt Flood attacked the reserve clause, John Montgomery Ward, who has not played or managed for the last two seasons, objects to being reserved by the New York Giants. At the National League meeting in February, his appeal is upheld, and Ward becomes a free agent.
1947 - The Detroit Tigers sell All-Star first baseman Hank Greenberg to the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1946, Greenberg led the American League with 44 home runs and 127 RBI, but will slump to 25 home runs and 74 RBI with the Pirates and will retire after the season.
1969 - The last-place Washington Senators name former Boston Red Sox star Ted Williams as their new manager. Williams signs a five-year contract worth a reported salary of $75,000 per season. Under his leadership, the Senators will finish with a record of 86-76, the best mark in the franchise's history in Washington.
1973 - The Boston Red Sox sign veteran slugger Orlando Cepeda to be their first designated hitter. The Red Sox become the first team to sign a player specifically for the role of DH, a new rule that will go into effect this season.
1994 - Major league owners approve a new revenue-sharing plan keyed to a salary cap, which requires the players' approval. They will reject it, causing a strike.
2001 - US President George W. Bush, in an interview with the Associated Press, says he is worried about baseball's labor contract, which expires on October 31st. Bush, once managing partner of the Texas Rangers, left the job to run for governor of Texas in 1994. He suggests, "Get rid of arbitration if possible and have, maybe, free agency occur at an earlier time, and if there's three shortstops and two bidders the price goes down, and vice versa, it goes up".
Tigers players birthdays:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lanema01.shtml
Marvin Lane 1971-1974, 1976.
from Baseball Reference
