1923 After buying the club along with two partners for $300,000, Christy Mathewson becomes the president of the Boston Braves.
1929 The Red Sox announce the team will play its newly allowed Sunday games at Braves Field. Fenway Park is considered too close to a church.
1953 Pledging not to move the team from St. Louis, beer baron August A. Busch convinces the Board of Directors of Anheuser-Busch to purchase the Cardinals for $3.75 million.
1963 After leading the Giants to the pennant the previous season, Willie Mays becomes the highest paid player, signing a $100,000 contract.
1963 The Cubs officially put an end to their radical approach in using multiple field bosses during the course of the season when they hire Bob Kennedy as their only manager. With the “College of Coaches” system disbanded, the club will post an 82-80 record under their lone skipper.
1980 The era of ‘Billy Ball’ begins in Oakland when Billy Martin is hired as the manager of the A’s for $125,000. During his three-year tenure in the dugout, the fiery skipper will compile a 215-218 record and will win a division title as the first half leader in the AL West of the 1981 strike-shortened season.
1984 Pedro Guerrero becomes the highest paid Dodger when he signs a five-year, seven million dollar contract to play in Los Angeles.
1992 After Homer Simpson and his co-workers qualify the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant’s softball team for the league final, Mr. Montgomery Burns, the owner of the facility, hires nine professional MLB players, to win a $1 million bet with his against Shelbyville rival. Although he hits nine home runs, the southpaw-swinging Darryl Strawberry, the only major leaguer to actual participate in the game, after Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, Ken Griffey Jr., Steve Sax, Ozzie Smith, José Canseco, Don Mattingly, and Mike Scioscia are all sidelined after being involved in a series of bizarre pre-game accidents, will be replaced by Homer in the last inning, because Burns wants a righty to face the opponent’s left-hander.
2008 “My, oh my”, Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus is going into the Baseball Hall of Fame. On his 73rd birthday, the veteran announcer learns he is the recipient of the 2008 Ford C. Frick Award for broadcast excellence.
2009 Tom Glavine, with the most wins among active pitchers, agrees to a one-year, $1 million deal to stay with the Braves. The 42 year-old southpaw, who underwent surgery for a torn ligament in his left elbow, posted a 2-4 record with a 5.54 ERA in 13 starts for Atlanta before being shut down for the season last August.
2009 Baltimore inks Brian Roberts to a four-year contract extension reported to be worth $40 million. Along with Nick Markakis, who recently signed a six-year, $66 million deal, the 31 year-old talented second basemen becomes the second home-grown Oriole player within a month to agree to a long term deal to stay with the last-place club.
2009 Avoiding arbitration, the Nationals and Ryan Zimmerman (.283, 14, 51) agree to a one-year, $3.3 million contract. The 24-year-old third baseman is Washington’s all-time leader in almost every offensive category, including homers, RBI, runs, and hits, as well as contests played, since the franchise relocated from Montreal four seasons ago.