March 8

From BR Bullpen


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Stats of players who were born this day
Stats of players who died on this day
Standings on this day
Permanent link to Today's Entry
Sources
Baseball Library Chronology
Today in Baseball History

Events, births and deaths that occurred on March 8.

[edit] Events

1900 - In New York, the National League meets, voting to shrink to eight teams. They pay the Baltimore owners $30,000 for their franchise, with Charles Ebbets and Ned Hanlon reserving the right to sell the players. Cleveland, Louisville, and Washington receive $10,000 each, with Louisville owner Barney Dreyfuss sending most of his players to his Pittsburgh Pirates team. The circuit will remain the same until the Boston Braves move to Milwaukee in 1953.
1913 - The Federal League is organized as a six-team outlaw circuit and elects John T. Powers president. It will play 120 games at a level equivalent to the lower minor leagues, but will enhance its status considerably in 1914 to challenge the major leagues.
1923 - Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis allows former New York Giants pitcher Rube Benton to return to the National League. Benton had admitted prior knowledge of the 1919 World Series fix, but he remained, winning 22 games for St. Paul (American Association). N.L. President John Heydler disagrees with Landis, calling Benton undesirable, but does not stop the Cincinnati Reds from signing him. Benton, at 35 age, will be 14-10 for the second-place Reds.
1930 - Babe Ruth signs a two-year contract for $160,000 with the New York Yankees. At $80,000 per year, he is the highest paid player of all time as of 1930.
1938 - Lou Gehrig rejects the latest contract offer from the New York Yankees to a one-year deal worth $39,000. Four days later, Gehrig will agree to the same Yankees offer and end his spring training holdout.
1941 - Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Hugh Mulcahy becomes the first major league player to be drafted into the Armed Forces. The newest member of the 101st Artillery at Cape Cod's Camp Edwards had lost 22 games last season and 20 in 1938 to lead the National League in defeats both years.
1947 - In the new Stadium del Cerro at Havana, Cuba, the Brooklyn Dodgers beat the New York Yankees 1 - 0.
1966 - The Hall of Fame Special Veterans Committee waives one of its election rules and selects manager Casey Stengel as the newest member of the HoF. Stengel had managed the New York Mets for much of the 1965 season before falling and breaking his hip. The injury ended the elderly Stengel's career. Given his age, the Veterans Committee decides to make him immediately eligible for the Hall of Fame.
1985 - Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dave Stieb signs an unusual 11-year contract. The deal carries an estimated value of $25 million, based on deferred payments and incentives.
1999 - Hall of Fame center fielder Joe DiMaggio dies of a lung cancer at age 84. Born in Martinez, California, DiMaggio arrived in the major leagues at the age of 21. He batted .323 in his first season and helped the New York Yankees to the 1936 World Championship. His rookie performance served as an indicator of future success, both for him and the Yankees. During his 13-year career, DiMaggio participated in 10 World Series, with his team winning the Championship nine times. In 1941, DiMaggio achieved his most famous milestone when he compiled a major league record 56-game hitting streak.
2001 - In a press release, the Baltimore Orioles announce Albert Belle, "has been found to be totally disabled and unable to perform as a Major League baseball player," due to a degenerative right hip. The Orioles will place the 34-year old outfielder on the 60-day disabled list thus beginning the process which conforms to the procedure set forth by MLB in the case of a totally disabling and permanent injury to a player.
2006 - Five games were played today in the inaugural World Baseball Classic:
- Pool B
  - Adam Stern drove in four runs, had an inside the park home run and made a clutch game-saving catch as Canada shocked the U.S., 8 - 6, leaving the Americans on the brink of elimination. The beating began early as Canada powered over pitchers Dontrelle Willis and Al Leiter taking an 8 - 0 lead at Chase Field.
  - Jorge Cantú went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI and Vinny Castilla had three hits to help Mexico beat South Africa, 10 - 4, at Scottsdale Stadium.
- Pool C
  - At Hiram Bithorn Stadium, pinch hitter Yoandry Garlobo hit a tie-breaking single and Frederich Cepeda followed with a game-winning RBI to give Cuba an 8 - 6 victory over Panama in 11 innings. Cuban second baseman Yulieski Gourriel went 3-for-4 with four RBI, including a a two-RBI home run in the top of the ninth to break a tie, and made more than one dazzling play with his glove to lead Cuba to a victory in the first tournament they have played against Major League stars.
  - Javy López, Ivan Rodriguez and Carlos Beltran each hit solo home runs to led Puerto Rico to an 8 - 3 victory over the Netherlands at Hiram Bithorn Stadium. Jose Valentin put Puerto Rico ahead for good in the sixth inning with a sacrifice fly, and Rodriguez and Beltran hit-back-to-back homers in the seventh to make it 7-3. Puerto Rico qualified for the second round with the win, improving to 2-0 in Group C, and will face rival Cuba on Friday 10.
- Pool D
  - At Cracker Jack Stadium, slugger Miguel Cabrera homered for the second straight game and drove in two runs and Venezuela rebounded from a loss in its WBC opener with a 6 - 0 victory over Italy. Pitchers Freddy Garcia, Carlos Silva, Rafael Betancourt and Francisco Rodriguez combined in the two-hits, 12-strikeouts shutout. Venezuela moved one victory away from advancing to the Classic's second round.
2008:
- In the 2008 Final Olympic Qualification Tournament, Taiwan tops Mexico, 6-1, as Mexico falls to 0-2 and is on the brink of elimination from contention. Chen-Min Peng collects three hits to lead the hit parade off of Pablo Ortega and company, while Chien-Fu Yang and two hard-throwing amateur relievers shut down a Mexican offense which includes a couple former major leaguers.
- In the other major game of the day, South Korea routs Australia, 16-2. Seung-yeop Lee scores 3 and drives in four and three eother South Koreans tack on three RBI apiece in the unexpected rout.
- Canada easily turns back South Africa as expected, with a 10-0, 7-inning win. The star is catcher Chris Robinson, who goes 4 for 4 with a double and a home run. Despite a shoulder injury, Brett Gray throws four scoreless innings to rest a Canadian staff worn out by yesterday's 15-10 slugfest with Mexico.
- The German national team beats Spain, 1-0, to assure that they will get at least one win out of the event. Germany had lost the 2005 European Championship and 2007 European Championship Bronze Medal games to Spain so this was sweet revenge for them. Enorbel Márquez tosses a 5-hit shutout while Sascha Lutz provides all the offense when he leads off the 8th inning with a home run against Yoel Hernandez.