In 1935, Babe Ruth made a significant move by signing a contract with the Boston Braves, where he would take on the roles of player, coach, and team vice president.
Throughout MLB history, pivotal moments have shaped the game:
– In 1901, the National League Rules Committee implemented a rule stating that all foul balls would be counted as strikes, except after two strikes, although the American League would adopt this rule later.
– In 1907, the New York Highlanders acquired catcher Branch Rickey from the St. Louis Browns in exchange for infielder Joe Yeager.
– The sacrifice fly rule was introduced in 1908, allowing a run to score after a catch of a fly ball without charging the hitter with an at-bat. This rule underwent several changes before becoming permanent in 1954.
– 1948 saw Herb Pennock and Pie Traynor elected to the Hall of Fame.
– In 1962, an architect proposed enclosing Candlestick Park with a plastic screen to shield it from the wind.
– 1973 marked a milestone when White Sox first baseman Dick Allen signed a three-year contract worth $250,000, setting a new record for the richest contract in major league history.
– In 1988, the Orioles traded third baseman Ray Knight to the Tigers for pitcher Mark Thurmond.
– A significant health event occurred in 1989 when Washington State University first baseman John Olerud underwent brain surgery to remove an aneurysm. Despite this setback, Olerud went on to enjoy a successful 17-year major league career with various teams.
– The sale of the Boston Red Sox to a group led by John Henry was finalized in 2002.
– Also in 2002, the Astros repurchased their stadium naming rights from bankrupt Enron for $2.1 million, leading to the stadium being known as “Astros Field” until the rights were resold.
– In 2018, the MLBPA filed a grievance against the Marlins, Rays, Pirates, and A’s, alleging that they did not invest revenue sharing funds into their on-field product.
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