» June 22, 1946: Bill Veeck heads a syndicate which purchases the Cleveland Indians. This launches Veeck on a long career as a lively promoter.

» November 1, 1946: The right foot of Cleveland owner Bill Veeck is amputated, a result of a war injury in the South Pacific 2 years before. Veeck has had a tremendous impact on promotion in a half season of ownership. A minor but typical change is the regular posting of NL scores on the Cleveland scoreboard, a departure from the long-standing practice of both leagues.

» January 21, 1947: Bob Feller signs for "more than $80,000," according to Cleveland owner Bill Veeck.

» March 1, 1947: In anticipation of the signing of the first black players, Bill Veeck, a resident of Phoenix, had set up a spring training camp there for the Cleveland Indians. Arizona was chosen because of its relatively tolerant racial climate. During the season, Veeck will sign the first AL black player, Larry Doby, who will train at the Arizona camp. The Giants also set up camp in Arizona, while the Dodgers moved their training camp from Florida to Havana.

» March 26, 1947: Cleveland manager Lou Boudreau orders Johnny Price off the train at San Diego after Price lets loose two five-foot long snakes on the train from Los Angeles. A coach full of women returning from the American Bowling Congress are extremely upset by the prank. When Tribe owner Bill Veeck says that, "either the snakes go or Price goes," the 35-year-old infielder's days are numbered.

» May 1, 1947: For the first time Cleveland will play all its games at Municipal Stadium, abandoning League Park, where most weekday games have been played. New owner Bill Veeck installs an inner fence to cut power alleys from 435 to 365 feet. A more celebrated attempt to fuel home runs is at Pittsburgh where the 30-foot reduction of the LF wall is dubbed Greenberg Gardens, for the Pirates' famous acquisition. Hank will hit only 25 home runs for the season, however, but sophomore Ralph Kiner will find the shortened distance more advantageous.

» July 7, 1948: The Indians stun the baseball world by signing Satchel Paige, fabulous veteran Negro League pitcher. The move is ridiculed by some as a Bill Veeck publicity stunt, and A.G. Spink in The Sporting News editorializes, "Veeck has gone too far in his quest for publicity. . . . To sign a hurler at Paige's age is to demean the standards of baseball in the big circuits." The 42-year-old Paige will answer the critics in tomorrow, getting a relief decision in a 8–6 win over New York in a DH sweep. He will finish at 6–1. Paige is the oldest player to debut in the majors, but not the first 40-year-old: Chuck Hostetler in 1944 was 40.

» July 16, 1948: Ordered by Bill Veeck to pass up the All-Star game, a well-rested Bob Feller is shelled from the mound with only one out in the first inning by the A's. The A's score first when Feller absent-mindedly goes into a windup with two on, and Coleman and McCosky pull a double steal. The Mackmen then jump on Bob Muncrief and roll to a 10–5 win over the American League-leading Indians. Lou Brissie wins his 4th straight. Joe Coleman will shut out the Tribe, 5–0, tomorrow to split the series.

» September 13, 1948: Cleveland P Don Black suffers a cerebral hemorrhage while at bat against the Browns. Black's life will hang in the balance for a week. Owner Bill Veeck of the Indians arranges a benefit game for Black on September 22, a contest that attracts 76,000, and $40,000 of the receipts are turned over to the pitcher.

» November 30, 1948: Player-manager Lou Boudreau is selected the AL MVP. Boudreau had almost been traded to the Browns earlier in the year, but protests by fans kept Lou in Cleveland. After the WS win, owner Bill Veeck commented, "Sometimes the best trades are the ones you never make."

» May 27, 1949: The Indians start so badly, 12–17, that owner Bill Veeck arranges a "2nd Opening Day." Behind Al Benton, the Indians make it a success, beating Chicago, 4–0. The Indians do rise to 2nd place, within two 1/2 games of the top, but they will finish 3rd, eight games back.

» May 31, 1949: Cleveland druggist Charley Lupica boldly climbs to a 20-foot platform atop a flagpole after announcing that he was staying there until the Indians repeat as pennant winners. The 7th-place Indians will move up to 4th by the time Lupica descends on September 25, but the disappointed druggist will be rewarded for his loyalty with a new car by Bill Veeck.

» November 21, 1949: Bill Veeck sells the Indians for $2.2 million to a local syndicate headed by Ellis Ryan. Hank Greenberg will be general manager.

» June 21, 1951: Bill Veeck gets an option to buy the St. Louis Browns from the DeWitts.

» June 28, 1951: The singer Helen Traubel sells her estimated 5,000 shares in the Browns to Bill Veeck and urges her fellow stock holders to do the same.

» July 2, 1951: Bill Veeck gets the necessary 75 percent of outstanding stock on the last day of his option to buy the St. Louis Browns from Bill and Charlie DeWitt.

» July 17, 1951: After pitching for Bill Veeck in Cleveland in 1948, Satchel Paige rejoins him with the St. Louis Browns.

» August 19, 1951: In his most interesting promotional stunt, Bill Veeck signs a 3'7" midget, Eddie Gaedel, who goes to bat wearing the number 1/8 in the first inning of the nightcap with the Tigers. Lefty Bob Cain laughingly walks him on four pitches. Jim Delsing then pinch runs, but the Tigers win, 6–2. Two days later the ML bars Eddie Gaedel from appearing in any more games.

» August 24, 1951: In another of Bill Veeck's legendary PR stunts, "Fans Managers' Night," the Browns defeat the Athletics 5–3. The Browns coaches hold up placards for 1115 fans, who vote "yes" or "no" on the options given them. Manager Zack Taylor sits in a box behind the dugout with two fans who monitor the voting. Adding to the festivities is Max Patkin, the clown prince of baseball, who coaches at 1B for several innings. Sherm Lollar voted in behind the plate instead of Matt Batts, has three hits including a homer, and Hank Arft, also voted in, knocks home two. Gus Zernial's 28th home run, off Garver, accounts for all the A's runs. When the stunt was announced on August 15th, A's GM Art Ehlers bitterly denounced it as "farcical."

» October 9, 1951: In New York, Browns owner Bill Veeck, Jr. hires Rogers Hornsby to a three-year contract to manage the Browns. The Rajah, who last managed in the majors in 1937 as skipper of the Browns, was fired by Bill Veeck, Sr. in 1932 when Hornsby managed the Cubs. Hornsby chooses the Browns offer over a similar one by the Cardinals, who just let Marty Marion go as manager.

» June 10, 1952: The St. Louis Browns fire manager Rogers Hornsby in Boston. The players present owner Bill Veeck with a trophy for freeing them from Rajah's tyranny. The stunt was actually the work of Veeck and team traveling secretary Bill Durney. The Browns name Marty Marion as their player-manager.

» January 8, 1953: The Cleveland Indians bar night games with the Browns due to St. Louis owner Bill Veeck's refusal to share receipts of the telecasts.

» January 31, 1953: New York, Cleveland, and Boston retaliate at Bill Veeck, forcing the Browns to play afternoon games. Veeck takes his plan to the American League office to make them pay. The plan is rejected.

» April 9, 1953: August Busch buys Sportsman's Park for $800,000 from Browns owner Bill Veeck. Busch gives a 5-year lease to the Browns, turning the tables in a manner of speaking, since the Cardinals had been tenants of the Browns since 1920. Busch initially renames Sportsman's Park, Budweiser Park, but in response to protests about the commercialization of his ballpark, Busch renames Budweiser Park, Busch Stadium. The following season his company comes out with a new beer, Busch Bavarian Beer.

» September 29, 1953: A Baltimore syndicate headed by Baltimore Mayor Tom D'Alesandro buys Bill Veeck's interest in the Browns for 2.475 million. The AL approves the shift of the Browns to Baltimore without Bill Veeck.

» October 1, 1953: Bill Veeck resigns as Browns president.

» October 7, 1953: Bill Veeck tells stockholders that he faces bankruptcy unless they drop their suit to block the move to Baltimore. The Browns stockholders will drop their suit against Veeck.

» October 17, 1953: Bill Veeck wastes no time getting a new job. He becomes a special adviser to Phil Wrigley of the Cubs.

» February 7, 1959: White Sox President Mrs. Dorothy Rigney agrees to sell the team to Bill Veeck for a reported $2.7 million. Chicago insurance broker Charles O. Finley allows that he can match the price. Charles Comiskey will try and stop Veeck from buying the Sox but will be unsuccessful.

» March 6, 1959: Charlie Comiskey loses his bid to stop the sale of the White Sox to Bill Veeck.

» March 10, 1959: Dorothy Comiskey Rigney, granddaughter of the Old Roman, sells her 54 percent ownership in the White Sox to Bill Veeck's syndicate for $2.7 million. Brother Chuck fails in his attempt to match or improve the bid. Comiskey control of the franchise ends after 60 years.

» January 14, 1960: Charles Comiskey, Jr., says Bill Veeck has turned down his offer to buy the White Sox.

» January 29, 1960: The Illinois Appellate Court says Dorothy Rigney, sister of Charles Comiskey, Jr., was entitled to sell her mother's shares of White Sox stock to Bill Veeck. Her brother brought suit in an effort to gain control of the club.

» March 13, 1960: The White Sox unveil new road uniforms with the players' names above the number on the back, another innovation by Bill Veeck.

» June 17, 1960: In Chicago, Bill Veeck's new $300,000 exploding scoreboard is silent as no Sox players hit homers. However, when Clete Boyer bangs one in the 2nd inning, all the Yankees light sparklers and greet the third baseman on the dugout steps. Berra leads the sparklers in the bullpen. Mickey Mantle's 8th inning homer prompts another round of sparklers as the Yanks win, 4–2.

» November 2, 1960: Hank Greenberg asks for AL dates at the Los Angeles Coliseum, home of the National League Dodgers. Greenberg and Bill Veeck are expected to run the new LA club in the AL.

» June 12, 1961: An ailing Bill Veeck sells his interest in the White Sox to Arthur Allyn, a minority partner. Allyn also buys Hank Greenberg's stock to acquire a controlling interest. Greenberg remains as GM.

» December 9, 1975: The colorful Bill Veeck returns. A group headed by him buys 80 percent of the White Sox from John Allyn.

» December 10, 1975: Bill Veeck and assistant Roland Hemonds set up shop in the hotel lobby at the winter meetings with a sign saying "open for business" and start dealing, making seven trades in two days. First to go is pitcher Jim Kaat and SS Mike Buskey to the Phillies. The Sox receive pitchers Dick Ruthven and Roy Thomas along with OF/INF Alan Bannister.

» March 1, 1976: White Sox owner Bill Veeck opens training camp in Sarasota, Florida, but participation is limited to nonroster players.

» August 8, 1976: The White Sox suit up in shorts for the first game of a doubleheader with the Royals—the idea of maverick owner Bill Veeck. The shorts split, the Sox taking the opener 5–2 and losing the nightcap 7–1.

» June 7, 1977: The White Sox select Harold Baines with the number-one pick in the draft. Bill Veeck had first seen Baines play Little League ball and had followed his career. P Bill Gullickson was taken with the 2nd pick by the Expos, and Milwaukee takes University of Minnesota infielder Paul Molitor with the 3rd pick. Danny Ainge, a potential pro basketball player, is picked in the 15th round. The Reds come up empty with the 8th pick in round 1, picking prep 3B Ted Venger.

» April 10, 1979: The White Sox lose their season opener 10–2 to the Blue Jays. Huffman pitches six innings for the win in his ML debut. The Sox play is so pathetic that Chicago owner Bill Veeck offers every fan at the game free admission to the Sox' next contest.

» August 22, 1980: Admitting that he can no longer compete financially in baseball's inflated economy, colorful owner Bill Veeck agrees to sell the Chicago White Sox to Youngstown, Ohio, shopping-mall magnate Eddie DeBartolo, Sr. for a reported $20 million. The sale will fall through, however, when American League owners twice fail to give Veeck the 10 votes needed for approval.

» February 26, 1991: Former Yankee 2B Tony Lazzeri and former major league owner Bill Veeck are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veteran's Committee.

» June 6, 1997: Less than 24 hours after announcing one of the stranger promotions for Father's Day, Charleston RiverDogs (Class A) owner Mike Veeck cancels plans to give free vasectomies on June 13th. Catholic Bishop David Thompson, a season ticket holder, led the complaints about the promotion. Veeck, who bought the RiverDogs this season, is the son of the legendary Bill Veeck.