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This Date in Baseball - Tampa Bay and Arizona look like expansion teams in their debuts with losses

Sat, Mar 30, 2024
MLB News (AP)

March 31

1961 - The Pacific Coast League's proposal to use a designated hitter for the pitcher was rejected by the Professional Baseball Rules Committee by a vote of 8-1.

1968 - Seattle, the American League's second new team, announced its nickname - the Pilots.

1994 - The Chicago White Sox assign NBA superstar Michael Jordan to the Double-A Birmingham Barons of the Southern League.

1995 - Major league baseball players end their strike when Federal judge Sonia Sotomayor of U.S. District Court in Manhattan rules against the owners in the labor dispute.

1996 - The Seattle Mariners beat the Chicago White Sox 3-2 in 12 innings in major league baseball's season opener, the first major league game played in March.

1998 - The Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks looked like expansion teams in their first games. The Devil Rays fell behind 11-0 in an 11-6 loss to Detroit at Tropicana Field, and the Diamondbacks dropped a 9-2 decision to the Colorado Rockies at Bank One Ballpark. Milwaukee dropped a 2-1 decision at Atlanta in the Brewers' first game since becoming the only team to switch leagues this century.

2001 - The Pittsburgh Pirates move into PNC Park, losing to the New York Mets, 4 - 3, in an exhibition game.

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2003 - The Cincinnati Reds played their first regular season game at the Great American Ballpark. The Pittsburgh Pirates spoiled the day with a 10-1 win.

2008 - The Chicago Cubs unveil a statue of Ernie Banks outside of Wrigley Field.

2009 - The Detroit Tigers cut DH Gary Sheffield, who is one home run shy of 500 for his career.

2013 - The Houston Astros, coming off consecutive 100-loss seasons, made an impressive debut in the American League, trouncing the Texas Rangers 8-2 in the major league opener. Having switched from the National League to the AL in the offseason, the Astros earned their first opening day victory since 2006 and the 4,000th regular-season win in franchise history.

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