This Day in MLB History: February 9

MLB History

1884 - The Cincinnati Outlaw Reds’ home field is flooded with over 20 feet of water from the Ohio River. It will cost $3,000 to rebuild the fallen pavilions, fences and to restore the field.

1886 - The Kansas City Cowboys are admitted to the National League on a one-year trial basis.

1887 - The Kansas City Cowboys go out of business and sell their players to the league for $6,000. They will be replaced by Pittsburgh.

1895 - Giants owner Andrew Freedman institutes reserved grandstand seating in hopes of attracting businessmen to games.

1916 - The National League celebrates its 40th anniversary.

1916 - A proposal by the Giants, Braves and Cubs would increase the club player limit from 21 to 22 is voted down by the National League.

1920 - The Joint Rules Committee bans foreign substances or other alterations to the ball by pitchers. A pitcher caught cheating will be suspended for 10 days.

1922 - Judge Landis cracks down on fake player deals. He fines the Cardinals and the Tigers $150 each, and three minor league clubs a total of $1,400 for violating waiver rules. He will fine the Giants $1,764 in March for “improper transfer of a player.”

1961 - Willie Mays agrees to an $85,000 contract which is currently the biggest in Major League Baseball

1971 - Satchel Paige is nominated for the Hall of Fame by the Special Committee on the Negro Leagues.

1976 - Oscar Charleston is elected to the Hall of Fame by the Special Committee on the Negro Leagues.

1981 - Joe Morgan signs a one-year deal with the San Francisco Giants.

1984 - The Dodgers waive Dusty Baker who had vetoed a trade to Oakland during the winter meetings.

1988 - The A’s sign free agent Don Baylor to a one-year deal.

1995 - Darryl Strawberry pleads guilty to income tax evasion and will spend three months in prison.

2000 - The Reds acquire outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for pitcher Brett Took, outfielder Mike Cameron and two minor leaguers. The Reds and Griffey agree to a nine-year, $116.5 million contract.

2001 - Derek Jeter and the Yankees finalize a 10-year, $189 million contract making him the second highest paid player in the sport behind future teammate Alex Rodriguez.

2009 - Alex Rodriguez admits publicly to steroid use from 2001 to 2003 while a member of the Texas Rangers.

2017 - Major League Baseball announces that it will begin testing placing a runner at second base to start extra innings in the Gulf Coast League and the Arizona League.

2020 - The Mookie Betts deal, which had been held up after concerns about the health of Twins pitcher Brusdar Graterol, is finally completed. Graterol will land with the Dodgers with Jeter Downs and Connor Wong heading back to Boston.

Information for this article was found via Baseball Reference, NationalPastime.com and Today in Baseball History.