“Baseball Anniversaries: From the Birth of Boston Red Stockings to MLB Rejecting Tampa Bay Rays’ Split Season Plan”

In 1871, the inaugural franchise of the National Association of Professional Baseball Players was established with the birth of the Boston Red Stockings. Managed by Harry Wright, the team’s formation marked a significant moment in baseball history, especially considering Wright’s role in founding and managing the Cincinnati Red Stockings, the sport’s first professional team. Two months later, the National Association officially commenced operations, laying the groundwork for future franchises like the Braves in the National League.

In 1966, baseball legend Harry Wrights earned a well-deserved spot in the Hall of Fame, securing 282 out of 302 votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA). Similarly, in 1970, shortstop Lou Boudreau joined the ranks of baseball immortality when the BBWAA elected him to the Hall of Fame, with Boudreau garnering 232 out of 300 votes.

Fast forward to 1984, and the Montreal Expos made a notable move by signing 42-year-old free agent Pete Rose. Although Rose had a modest batting average of .245 in his last season with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1983, he would play a limited 95 games for the Expos before a trade sent him to the Cincinnati Reds, where he eventually became player-manager.

In 1998, veteran reliever Lee Smith and third baseman Terry Pendleton signed minor league contracts with the Kansas City Royals, earning invitations to spring training as non-roster players. Two years later, in 2000, Major League Baseball owners voted to transfer all internet rights to the Commissioner’s office, setting the stage for the creation of MLB.com. Commissioner Bud Selig ensured that profits from this venture would be distributed equally among all teams.

In 2022, Major League Baseball dealt a blow to the innovative proposal by Stephen Bronfman for the Tampa Bay Rays to split their season between St. Petersburg, FL, and Montreal, QC. The league firmly stated that such a move would never receive approval, citing a preference for a permanent solution to Tampa’s ongoing ballpark issues. The Players Association was also unlikely to endorse a plan that would force some players to maintain two separate in-season homes.