What happened today in team history?
1964 – Colts head to Florida for Spring Training
After years of Spring Training being held in Arizona, the Colt .45s move and start hosting their Spring Training in Cocoa, Florida. With this move came problems though. Hailed to be “state-of-the-art,” the facilities have problems including draining, snakes and poor dorms for the players. The Astros stayed in Florida despite the problems, still playing there today.
What else happened on this day?
1953
The US Court of Appeals officially makes a ruling that classifies baseball as a sport, rather than a business. This helps with a suit that was made by former owners who said that they did not make money from the previous seasons.
1966
The American League hires Emmett Ashford as a new umpire, making him the first African-American umpire in American League history.
1992
Popular animated show The Simpsons put out an episode titles, “Homer at the Bat,” which features MLB stars including Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, Ken Griffey Jr., Steve Sax, Ozzie Smith, Jose Canseco, Don Mattingly, and Mike Scioscia.
2015
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred announces more rule changes will be put in place in the effort of speeding up the game. Rules like a batter will need to keep at least one foot in the batter’s box at all times during an at-bat, and that the intermission between half innings will be strictly timed and a pitchers will be required to complete their warm-up pitches before there are only 30 seconds left before resumption of play, or risk forfeiting any unmade pitches.