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This Day in Baseball History
March 30th

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16 Fact(s) Found
1922

A frail-looking Christy Mathewson, who served as class president in 1899, is elected as Bucknell's "B" Club's first president. The beloved future Hall of Famer, who would die prematurely in 1925 from tuberculosis after being accidentally gassed in a training exercise during WWI, played on the school's football team as a placekicker and excelled as a pitcher on the baseball team.

1966 Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale's refusal to report to spring training ends when the hurlers agree to the Dodgers' offer of $235,000, signing for $130,000 and $105,000, respectively. The LA starters' joint holdout lasts for 32 days, paving the way for other players to be more aggressive when negotiating with owners.
1978 The Red Sox obtain Dennis Eckersley and catcher Fred Kendall from the Indians for pitchers Rick Wise and Mike Paxton, designated hitter Ted Cox, and catcher Bo Diaz. The 23-year-old 'Eck,' before becoming a Hall of Fame closer, will win 20 games as a starter for Boston this season.
1979 After hitting only .231 in 61 games last season, the White Sox released Ron Blomberg during spring training, completing one year of his long-term deal. Chicago owner Bill Veeck had surprisingly signed the first baseman/DH, who had played in only one game during his last two seasons with the Yankees, to a generous four-year, $500,000 contract in 1977 that included an additional $80,000 signing bonus.
1984 The Padres obtain Yankee veteran third baseman Graig Nettles for pitcher Dennis Rasmussen and prospect Darin Cloninger. The 39-year-old infielder's postseason experience will prove invaluable for the NL's West Division champs, but his on-field contributions will be minimal, hitting just .228 in 124 games.
1991 A sold-out Joe Robbie Stadium hosts the Yankees and the Orioles exhibition game, which draws 67,654 fans, a spring training attendance record. The two-day series between the AL East rivals is part of South Florida's efforts to secure a National League expansion team.

Baltimore Sun: Record crowd of 67,654
jams Joe Robbie Stadium

1992 The White Sox trade Sammy Sosa and pitcher Ken Patterson to the crosstown rival Cubs in exchange for 32-year-old All-Star slugger George Bell, who spends two seasons with his new team before retiring. Sosa will pass Ernie Banks as the franchise's all-time home run leader, going deep 545 times during his 13-year tenure with the North Siders.
1993 After 43 years, Peanuts character Charlie Brown finally hits a home run, a game-winning round-tripper batting against his nemesis Royanne Hobbs. Almost ten percent of the nearly 18,000 Peanuts strips created by Charles Schulz focused on baseball.

1995 After careful consideration of the case, New York Southern District judge Sonia Sotomayor rules that the owners' use of replacement players is in good faith regarding the negotiation for a new collective bargaining agreement, resulting in the players returning to work under the terms of the expired contract. The future Supreme Court Justice's decision ends the 232-day work stoppage, with fans showing their displeasure about the loss of last season and the cancellation of the World Series by not immediately supporting their local teams when the games resume in late April.
2001 In the East Room, President George W. Bush tells a group of Hall of Famers he is inviting kids from all over the nation to play baseball on the White House lawn on a junior-size baseball field planned for construction outside the Oval Office. The Commander in Chief enjoys a moment of levity with the group, citing the beloved Yogi Berra as an inspiration for his command of the English language.

2001 Dwight Gooden, choosing to end his career as a World Champion Bronx Bombers member, announces his retirement from baseball. The 36-year-old 'Doc,' who compiles a 194-112 record (.634) in 16 seasons playing for the Mets, Yankees, Indians, Astros, and Devil Rays, will have a position within the organization, remaining on owner George Steinbrenner's payroll.
2003 Major League Baseball returns to Brooklyn for a day when the Mets appear at KeySpan Park, the Coney Island home of the short-season single-A Cyclones, for the team's final preseason workout. Rain cancels the practice session, but fans enjoy meeting the players and collecting autographs, with charities in the NYC area serving children benefiting from beverage and other sales.
2006 As a result of the recently released book detailing Barry Bonds allegedly using performance-enhancing drugs, Bud Selig appoints George Mitchell to head an investigation into the use of steroids in baseball. The former Senate Majority Leader will have the authority to expand the probe, which will be made public before the Fall of 2002, covering a period when the substances became banned by major league baseball.
2012 Jamie Moyer becomes the oldest starting pitcher to make an Opening Day roster when the Rockies announce that the 49-year-old southpaw will face Houston in the second game of the season. Knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm was the same age as the Colorado left-hander when he opened the season in 1972, but 'Old Sarge' appeared strictly in relief for the Dodgers.
2016 Arizona State University announces the Sun Devils plan to wear retro uniforms with a commemorative patch on the sleeve to honor alum Rick Monday for his patriotic gesture in 1976. The ASU graduate, who led the school to the 1965 College World Series championship over Ohio State, saved the American flag from being burned by two protesters at Dodger Stadium during the American Bicentennial.
2019 Christian Yelich becomes the only Brewer player in franchise history to hit a home run in his team's first three games when he goes deep in the first inning of a 4-2 victory over St. Louis. The outfielder's trio of round-trippers has all come at Miller Park at the expense of the Cardinals.

16 Fact(s) Found