What happened today in team history?
1984 – Cabell makes a brief return
After spending a year in San Francisco and two in Detroit, popular Astros utility man Enos Cabell returns to the Astros where he spent six previous years (1975-1980). He went on to have a good season in 1984, hitting .310 with 17 doubles and eight bombs, before getting dealt to the Dodgers halfway through the next season.
2017 – Astros go to their new ballpark
With pitchers and catchers reporting for Spring Training, the Astros players head to their still unfinished new home in West Palm Beach, Florida, dubbed “The Ballpark of the Palm Beach”. The team would share this facility with the Washington Nationals as a new form of pair Spring Trainings.
What else happened on this day?
1887
In the first attempt at a new baseball league for African Americans, The National Colored Base Ball League is organized with eight teams. It would only last a couple of weeks though, getting shut down due to lack of attendance.
1911
A new cork-centered baseball is introduced around the league as the new ball for games. With this change, the league saw a major boost in both batting averages and ERAs.
2001
MLB implements a rule that allows umpires to throw pitchers out of the game without warning if the pitcher deliberately throws at another player’s head.
2006
After leaving broadcasting to work various front office positions around the league, ESPN brings back long-time favorite Orel Hershiser to be a studio analyst.