The 1899 Phillies wore green for St. Patrick’s Day

I haven’t done the research to determine just how far back the tradition of baseball teams wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day truly goes, but some believe that it may go back quite a ways. The 1899 Philadelphia Phillies introduced their new, green-trimmed uniforms on March 17th, a move that garnered headlines. Considering the Phillies wore these uniforms for the rest of the season, there remains some debate as to whether this could truly be considered a nod to St. Patrick’s Day. The modern tradition of wearing green on this day wouldn’t emerge until 1978, beginning with the Cincinnati Reds.

This day in baseball: The Cincinnati Red Stockings go pro

On March 15, 1869, the Cincinnati Red Stockings became the baseball’s first professional team when the National Association of Base Ball Players (NABBP) agreed to allow compensated players to participate. Harry Wright assembled a ten-man team, all of whom were given a salary through November. The Red Stockings finished the season with a 57–0 record, marking the only perfect season in professional baseball history.

1863_Harry_Wright
Harry Wright, 1863 (public domain)

This day in baseball: George Wright signs with Red Caps

Shortstop George Wright signed with the Boston Red Caps on February 22, 1880 — his second stint with the team, having previously played with the Red Caps in 1876-1878. The 1880 contract allowed Wright not to travel with the team on western road trips, stipulating that he would participate only in games played in New England and Troy. The arrangement allowed the future Hall of Famer to devote more time to his sporting goods business.

George_Wright 1872
George Wright, 1872 (Estate of George Wright / public domain)

This day in baseball: Yankees acquire Babe Dahlgren

On February 17, 1937, the New York Yankees purchased the contract of Babe Dahlgren from the Boston Red Sox. Dahlgren would go on to replace Lou Gehrig in the Yankees lineup at the end of the Iron Horse’s consecutive game streak in 1939. During his four-year tenure with the Bronx Bombers, Dahlgren would compile a .248 batting average in 1,143 at-bats before being bought by the Boston Braves.

Babe Dahlgren, 1940 (public domain)

This day in baseball: Three Rivers Stadium imploded

On February 11, 2001 at 8:03 a.m., Three Rivers Stadium was imploded using 4,800 pounds of dynamite in 2,500 spots placed throughout the former home of the Pirates and NFL’s Steelers. Over 20,000 people viewed the implosion from Point State Park, and thousands more watched from various points throughout Pittsburgh.  Roberto Clemente’s 3,000th hit and Mike Schmidt’s 500th career home run are part of the historic legacy of the 30-year-old sports venue.

Three_Rivers_Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)

This day in baseball: Preacher Roe fights a basketball ref

While coaching a high school basketball team on February 9, 1946, Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Preacher Roe got into a fight with the referee that resulted in him hitting his head on the floor and fracturing his skull. As a result, the southpaw would report to spring training a month late, and his pitching suffered during the season, with his record falling to 3–8 and posting an ERA of 5.14 in 1946.

Preacher_Roe
Preacher Roe, 1953 (public domain)

This day in baseball: Birth of the Cy Young Award

On February 4, 1956, Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick introduced the Cy Young Memorial Award in memory of the Hall of Fame pitcher, who died the previous year. The award was established as a way of honoring the outstanding major league pitcher of the year. The first recipient would be Don Newcombe, who posted a 27-7 record and a 3.06 ERA for the Dodgers during the 1956 season.

Don_Newcombe_1955
Don Newcombe, 1955 (public domain)

This day in baseball: The first Hall of Fame class is selected

On January 29, 1936, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America and a special Veterans Committee selected Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson in the first-ever Baseball Hall of Fame elections. The enshrinement of these five greats, however, would have to wait until 1939, since the museum’s construction in Cooperstown had not yet begun.

1200px-1936_Hall_of_Fame_Inductees
1936 inaugural Baseball Hall of Fame inductees: L-R: Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, Water Johnson (Wikimedia Commons / public domain)