March 9
From BR Bullpen
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| Stats of players who died on this day | |
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Events, births and deaths that occurred on March 9.
Events[edit]
- 1897 - The Cleveland Spiders sign Lou Sockalexis, who will become popular in his brief stay with the club. The team's later Cleveland Indians name has been linked to Sockalexis by some, based on little or no evidence.
- 1912 - Joseph (Arky) Vaughan is born in Clifty, Arkansas. Vaughan, a hard-hitting shortstop, will make his major league debut in 1932 and will go on to hit for a .318 batting average during a 14-year career with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Brooklyn Dodgers. Vaughan will be elected to the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee in 1985.
- 1981 - The Chicago White Sox sign prized catcher Carlton Fisk. The future Hall of Fame receiver was declared a free agent in February after the Boston Red Sox failed to mail him a contract by the deadline imposed under the Basic Agreement. Fisk batted .289 with 18 home runs for the Red Sox in 1980.
- 1995 - Major League Baseball owners unanimously approve two expansion teams: the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Each of the new clubs will pay a $130 million franchise fee and will begin play in 1998.
- 2006:
- Four games are played today in the inaugural World Baseball Classic. At Chase Field, Jorge Cantú hits a home run and drives in three runs as Mexico defeats Canada, 9 - 1, to move into the second round of the Classic. At Hiram Bithorn Stadium, Yoandry Garlobo goes 4 for 5 with three RBI to lead Cuba to an 11 - 2 victory over the Netherlands, also advancing to the second round of the Classic. Cuba's win also moves Puerto Rico into the next round.
- At Cracker Jack Stadium, Adrian Beltre hits his third home run in two games and Albert Pujols and Moises Alou also homer, leading the Dominican Republic past Italy, 8 - 3. Meanwhile, Ramón Hernandez homers and starter Kelvim Escobar allows one hit and strikes out five in 4 2/3 innings, leading Venezuela to a 2 - 0 win over Australia. Four other Venezuelan pitchers, Tony Armas Jr., Gustavo Chacin, Jorge Julio and Francisco Rodriguez, complete the one-hitter.
- 2008:
- In the 2008 Final Olympic Qualification Tournament, Australia keeps its hopes alive with a 10 - 5 victory over previously unbeaten Canada to tie for third after three days. Daniel Berg, Glenn Williams and Brett Roneberg lead the Australian offense while Steven Kent turns in a fine game on the hill.
- In other games, Mexico is practically eliminated from contention with its third straight loss, falling 6 - 1 to unbeaten South Korea. The host Taiwan national team staves off a tough challenge from Germany, as André Hughes throws six shutout innings in a duel with Chih-Chia Chang before Kuo-Hui Lo doubles in a run with two outs in the 7th, then scores on a bloop single. Down only 2 - 0 in the 9th, Germany threatens when Jendrick Speer doubles and Dominik Wulf singles, but Chia-Jen Lo retires cleanup hitter Kai Gronauer and #5 batter Michael Franke to end it. Remigio Leal gives Spain its first win of the tournament with a 2 - 1 victory over South Africa. Barry Armitage gives up five hits while going the distance in defeat.
- 2009:
- In the 2009 World Baseball Classic, Italy eliminates Team Canada, the fourth team ousted. Justin Morneau gets four hits for Canada, but Chris Denorfia goes 4 for 4 with three doubles, two runs, two RBI and a great catch and Italy holds on for a 6 - 2 win. The Dutch national team almost clinches a semifinal spot, leading 1 - 0 going into the bottom of the 8th against host Puerto Rico. Unfortunately, relievers Dennis Neuman and Michiel van Kampen walk three batters and Yadier Molina doubles off Leon Boyd en route to a 3 - 1 comeback win.
- South Korea shuts out Japan, 1 - 0, as Jung-keun Bong, Hyun-wook Jong, Hyun-jin Ryu and Chang-yong Lim combine for the whitewash. The game's lone run comes in the 4th inning against Hisashi Iwakuma, who otherwise is excellent; Tae-kyun Kim singles in Jong-wook Lee in that frame.
- In today's last game, South Africa stays tight with Mexico for five innings before the Mexican squad wakes up and goes on to a 14 - 3 rout. South Africa becomes the fifth country eliminated. Adrián González drives in six and Jorge Cantú scores two while driving home three. Gift Ngoepe is a bright spot for the losers, with two triples, a run and a RBI.
- 2010 - Former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Willie Davis dies at age 69 in Burbank, CA.
- 2011:
- At a spring training game in Kissimmee, FL, Braves minor league manager Luis Salazar is hit in the face by a foul ball off the bat of Brian McCann while standing in the dugout. Salazar immediately collapses and passes out and, bleeding abundantly, is transported by helicopter to a medical facility in Orlando, FL as trainers fear for his life. He regains consciousness in hospital, but has several facial fractures and will lose an eye as a result of the accident.
- In Glendale, AZ, Dodgers P Jon Garland leaves the game in the second inning with a strained oblique muscle. He will miss the first two weeks of the season as a result.
- 2012:
- Umpire Harry Wendelstedt, who officiated during 33 seasons in the National League and also trained two generations of umpires at his "Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School", dies in Florida at the age of 74. His son, Hunter Wendelstedt, also a Major League umpire, has taken over the management of the school.
- In an eery reminder of last year's almost fatal spring training accident, the Orioles' Nolan Reimold is hit in the head by a pitch by Tampa Bay's Alex Cobb in the 1st inning of a Grapefruit League game. Reimold stays face down on the ground for several minutes before being taken to Peace River Hospital in Port Charlotte, FL. However, preliminary tests reveal no significant injury.
- 2013:
- Cuba routs Taiwan, 14 - 0, eliminating them from the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Cuba hits four homers, including two in an eight-run outburst in the 6th inning.
- In first-round games in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, the Dominican Republic defeats Spain, 6 - 3, although the Spaniards score twice and leave the bases loaded in the 9th. Canada defeats Mexico, 10 - 3, eliminating them from the tournament in a game marred by a 9th-inning brawl which erupts after Mexican pitcher Arnold Leon plunks Rene Tosoni. For its part, Team USA beats Italy, 6 - 2, on David Wright's 5th-inning grand slam. Italy is through to the second round, while the outcome tomorrow's game between Canada and the USA will determine who joins them there. In the final contest, Puerto Rico beats Venezuela, 6 - 3, handing Venezuela an early exit from the tournament.
- 2017:
- Luke Hughes hits a two-run homer off Kwon Ju and drives in four runs to lead Australia to an 11 - 0 rout of China in a Pool B game in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Trent D'Antonio pitches in with a two-run triple and James Beresford adds a grand slam in the 8th to bring the lead into double digits and trigger the mercy rule that ends the game early. Travis Blackley pitches 4 2/3 scoreless innings to earn the win. Australia's win guarantees that Japan, which won its first two games, is through to the next round, with the remaining spot to be determined by the winner of the Aussies' upcoming game with Cuba.
- Already qualified for the next round of WBC action, Israel completes a sweep of its first-round matches with a 4 - 2 win over the Netherlands, who also come into the game unbeaten. Israel scores three times in the 1st and never looks back. Ryan Lavarnway is named the MVP of Pool A after batting .556 with three walks in the three games. In the other contest, South Korea avoids the humiliation of a winless first round by disposing of Chinese Taipei in a ten-inning slugfest, 11 - 8, but not before squandering a six-run lead. A sacrifice fly by Eui-ji Yang and a two-run pinch homer by Tae-kyun Kim off Hung-Wen Chen give the Koreans their winning margin in the top of the 10th. Closer Seung-hwan Oh is the winner.
- It's also the first day of games in the two North American pools. In Pool C, defending champions the Dominican Republic rout Canada, 9 - 2, behind a very supportive large crowd at Marlins Park. The Dominicans score four runs in the 2nd, including a two-run homer by C Welington Castillo, and never look back as they victimize starter Ryan Dempster, who has come out from three years of retirement to play for his national team. Jose Bautista hits a three-run homer off Dustin Molleken in the 6th and drives in four for the winners. In Pool D, Italy defeats Mexico, 10 - 9, stunning the hometown crowd at Estadio Charros de Jalisco by scoring five runs in the 9th inning. The Italians' rally is capped by a two-run double by Alex Liddi against Roberto Osuna, and a two-run single by John Andreoli, off Oliver Perez.
- 2022
- Major League Baseball announces the cancellation of another slate of games, as negotiations to resolve the ongoing lockout have been unsuccessful. The earliest day the season could start has now been pushed back by another week, to April 14th.
- Playing for the University of Mississippi, Peyton Chatagnier accomplishes an extremely rare feat as he steals three bases on one play in a game against Alcorn State University. Picked off first base in the 2nd inning, he heads for second base hoping for the best and makes it safely with a head-first slide, then sees that the third baseman is well away from the bag and decides to keep going. The catcher runs to cover the deserted bag but makes it there too late to catch the sliding runner, and now home plate is left vacant, so Chatagnier keeps his wheels on and swipes that base as well, scoring a run.
- 2023:
- In Pool A of the 2023 World Baseball Classic, the Netherlands improves to 2-0 with a 3 - 1 win over Panama. Handcuffing Panama for the first 3 1/3 innings is Shairon Martis, who had no-hit them back in the first World Baseball Classic 17 years prior. Xander Bogaerts has three hits, including a homer and turns in stellar defense at shortstop. In the other Pool A game, Italy beats Cuba, 6 - 2, in ten innings. Nicky Lopez drives in a pair for Italy.
- Pool B opens with a huge upset as Australia (2-10 in the first four WBCs) beats South Korea (15-7 in the first four), 8 - 7. Robbie Glendinning and Robbie Perkins each hit three-run homers and turn in fine work in the field, Glendinning stopping a rally by catching a runner with his foot off the bag and Perkins throwing out Tommy Edman stealing to end it. Jon Kennedy, the fourth of nine Australian pitchers, gets the win while Josh Guyer saves it. For South Korea, Eui-ji Yang hits a three-run bomb as well. The host Japanese national team cruises as expected past China, 8 - 1, as Shohei Ohtani singles twice, walks twice and allows one hit in four shutout innings. Japanese hurlers combine to fan 17 and allow three hits while China's hurlers walk 16.
- 2024 - The Rays and Red Sox play the first of two spring training games at Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The Red Sox win, 4 - 0, in front of 11,800 spectators as MLB is looking to eventually stage some regular season games in the baseball-mad country in the future.
Births[edit]
- 1857 - George Daisy, outfielder (d. 1931)
- 1857 - Sam Moffett, outfielder (d. 1907)
- 1861 - Al Atkinson, pitcher (d. 1952)
- 1869 - John McPherson, pitcher (d. 1941)
- 1869 - Frank Quinlan, catcher/outfielder (d. 1904)
- 1872 - Tom Delahanty, infielder (d. 1951)
- 1875 - Elmer Bliss, pitcher/outfielder (d. 1962)
- 1877 - Alex Pearson, pitcher (d. 1966)
- 1882 - Jack Compton, pitcher (d. 1974)
- 1890 - George Davis, pitcher (d. 1961)
- 1890 - Rolla Mapel, pitcher (d. 1966)
- 1893 - Billy Southworth, outfielder, manager (d. 1969)
- 1893 - Lefty Williams, pitcher (d. 1959)
- 1895 - Frank Kane, outfielder (d. 1962)
- 1896 - Rube Yarrison, pitcher (d. 1977)
- 1897 - Joe Dawson, pitcher (d. 1978)
- 1897 - Charley Williams, infielder (d. 1931)
- 1900 - Bill Narleski, infielder (d. 1964)
- 1905 - Jimmy Dalrymple, minor league infielder and manager (d. 1979)
- 1906 - Hughie Wise, catcher (d. 1987)
- 1908 - Myril Hoag, outfielder; All-Star (d. 1971)
- 1909 - Phil Seghi, general manager (d. 1987)
- 1909 - Joe Paparella, umpire (d. 1994)
- 1912 - Arky Vaughan, infielder; All-Star, Hall of Famer (d. 1952)
- 1916 - Woody Rich, pitcher (d. 1983)
- 1918 - Dale Alderson, pitcher (d. 1982)
- 1920 - James Bizzle, outfielder (d. 1987)
- 1920 - Barney Serrell, infielder; All-Star (d. 1996)
- 1921 - John MacLean, broadcaster (d. 1973)
- 1922 - Eugene Jones, pitcher (d. 1960)
- 1924 - Joe Puskaric, umpire (d. 2003)
- 1927 - Jackie Jensen, outfielder; All-Star (d. 1982)
- 1928 - Francisco Ramírez, minor league pitcher; Salon de la Fama (d. 2015)
- 1928 - Robert White, minor league pitcher (d. 2010)
- 1930 - Larry Raines, infielder (d. 1978)
- 1932 - Ron Kline, pitcher (d. 2002)
- 1932 - Paul Martin, pitcher (d. 2011)
- 1934 - Jim Landis, outfielder; All-Star (d. 2017)
- 1935 - Dick Sovde, minor league pitcher (d. 2019)
- 1942 - Bert Campaneris, infielder; All-Star
- 1942 - Guy Conti, coach
- 1944 - Ed Acosta, pitcher
- 1946 - Fermín Laffita, Cuban league outfielder (d. 1999)
- 1946 - Mike Lisetski, minor league infielder
- 1948 - Darrel Chaney, infielder
- 1948 - John Curtis, pitcher
- 1948 - Dan Neumeier, pitcher
- 1949 - Jules Tygiel, author (d. 2008)
- 1950 - Doug Ault, infielder (d. 2004)
- 1950 - Wendell Kim, coach (d. 2015)
- 1956 - Mike Turgeon, minor league infielder
- 1958 - Brian Butterfield, coach
- 1958 - Steve Finch, minor league pitcher
- 1959 - Shooty Babitt, infielder
- 1959 - Lourdes Gourriel Sr., Cuban league outfielder and manager
- 1961 - Kwang-rim Kim, KBO outfielder
- 1963 - Terry Mulholland, pitcher; All-Star
- 1964 - Scott Marrett, minor league pitcher
- 1964 - Charles Soos, minor league pitcher
- 1965 - Benito Santiago, catcher; All-Star
- 1967 - Ed Alicea, minor league infielder
- 1967 - Vince Horsman, pitcher
- 1970 - Mike Groppuso, minor league infielder
- 1973 - Aaron Boone, infielder, manager; All-Star
- 1973 - C.J. Nitkowski, pitcher
- 1973 - Jason Taulman, minor league pitcher
- 1974 - Adán Amezcua, minor league catcher
- 1974 - Wayne Franklin, pitcher
- 1974 - Francisco Santos, outfielder
- 1975 - Rob Sasser, pinch hitter
- 1978 - Mike Neu, pitcher
- 1978 - Ryosuke Sawai, NPB infielder
- 1979 - Koyie Hill, catcher
- 1980 - Chien-Chiang Wang, CPBL infielder
- 1981 - Ricky Barrett, minor league pitcher
- 1981 - Chadd Blasko, minor league pitcher
- 1981 - Ender Chavez, minor league outfielder
- 1981 - Clay Rapada, pitcher
- 1983 - Willy Aybar, infielder
- 1983 - Javier José Flores, Division Honor catcher
- 1984 - Elliot Johnson, infielder
- 1984 - Craig Stammen, pitcher
- 1985 - Brian Bocock, infielder
- 1985 - Saúl González, minor league pitcher
- 1985 - Sung-ho Lee, South Korean national baseball team catcher
- 1985 - Jesse Litsch, pitcher
- 1985 - Jonah Nickerson, minor league pitcher
- 1986 - Donnie Ecker, minor league infielder
- 1986 - Donavon Hendricks, minor league pitcher
- 1986 - Alain Sánchez, Cuban league pitcher
- 1987 - Evan Bigley, minor league outfielder
- 1987 - Chang-ho Lee, South Korea national team pitcher
- 1987 - Daniel Hudson, pitcher
- 1988 - Shane Dyer, minor league pitcher
- 1988 - Qingyuan Meng, China Baseball League pitcher
- 1988 - Kenny Roberts, pitcher
- 1988 - Hsiao-Jung Shih, CPBL pitcher
- 1989 - Dimasther Delgado, minor league pitcher
- 1991 - Jean Corpas, minor league pitcher
- 1992 - Jared Lakind, minor league pitcher
- 1993 - JP Koulotouros, Greek national team infielder
- 1993 - Randy Wynne, pitcher
- 1994 - Yennier Cano, pitcher; All-Star
- 1994 - Jason Goldstein, minor league catcher
- 1995 - Zack Burdi, pitcher
- 1996 - Pasindu Perera, Sri Lankan national team infielder
- 1996 - Guillermo Pineda, Honduran national team pitcher
- 1997 - Kota Domeki, Japanese national team infielder
- 1998 - Anderson Espinoza, pitcher
- 1998 - Haydn Mathee, South African national team outfielder
- 1999 - Miguel Amaya, catcher
- 1999 - Faustino Carrera, minor league pitcher
- 1999 - Abraham Rodríguez, minor league outfielder
- 2001 - Shun Mizutani, NPB outfielder
Deaths[edit]
- 1890 - Jake Goodman, infielder (b. 1853)
- 1899 - Bill McGunnigle, outfielder, manager (b. 1855)
- 1912 - Doc Amole, pitcher (b. 1874)
- 1923 - Stephen Farrelly, owner (b. 1842)
- 1934 - Dan Dugdale, catcher (b. 1864)
- 1945 - Jack Lummus, minor league outfielder (b. 1915)
- 1946 - Tom Nagle, catcher (b. 1865)
- 1947 - Andy Gill, minor league infielder and college coach (b. 1887)
- 1958 - Skel Roach, pitcher (b. 1871)
- 1959 - Fin Wilson, pitcher (b. 1889)
- 1965 - Frank Graham, writer (b. 1893)
- 1966 - Aaron Robinson, catcher; All-Star (b. 1915)
- 1966 - Elmer Steele, pitcher (b. 1884)
- 1967 - Jack Meyer, pitcher (b. 1932)
- 1968 - Jim Callahan, outfielder (b. 1879)
- 1970 - Rihachi Mizuno, sporting good company founder; Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (b. 1884)
- 1974 - Hal Quick, infielder (b. 1917)
- 1977 - Spike Merena, pitcher (b. 1909)
- 1978 - Bill Doran, infielder (b. 1898)
- 1980 - Tom Baker, pitcher (b. 1934)
- 1983 - Carl Manda, infielder (b. 1886)
- 1984 - Charlie Blackburn, pitcher (b. 1895)
- 1984 - Ping Gardner, pitcher (b. 1899)
- 1986 - James Crump, infielder (b. 1898)
- 1987 - Zeke Bonura, infielder (b. 1908)
- 1990 - Lou Vedder, pitcher (b. 1897)
- 1991 - Jim Hardin, pitcher (b. 1943)
- 1994 - Elbie Fletcher, infielder; All-Star (b. 1916)
- 2003 - Takao Yato, NPB outfielder and manager (b. 1934)
- 2005 - Don Schaly, college coach (b. 1937)
- 2009 - Gene Manzer, minor league pitcher (b. 1926)
- 2009 - Thomas Wesley, college coach (b. 1957)
- 2009 - Dick Wilson, minor league catcher and manager (b. 1922)
- 2010 - Willie Davis, outfielder; All-Star (b. 1940)
- 2010 - Elizabeth Farrow, AAGPBL pitcher (b. 1926)
- 2011 - Bill Ecklund, minor league pitcher (b. 1930)
- 2011 - Bob McNamara, infielder (b. 1916)
- 2012 - Harry Wendelstedt, umpire (b. 1938)
- 2014 - James Cronin, minor league outfielder (b. 1925)
- 2014 - Clarence Lawrence, minor league pitcher (b. 1928)
- 2016 - Louis Hofer, Hoofdklasse coach (b. 1947)
- 2016 - Jim Miller, college coach (b. 1942)
- 2016 - Chuck Randall, college coach (b. 1926)
- 2016 - Katsutoyo Yoshida, NPB outfielder (b. 1935)
- 2017 - Bill Hands, pitcher (b. 1940)
- 2019 - Kevin Ward, outfielder (b. 1961)
- 2021 - Jim Snyder, infielder, manager (b. 1932)
- 2022 - Marty Scott, minor league infielder and manager (b. 1955)
- 2024 - Lance Nichols, minor league catcher and manager (b. 1939)
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