1981
» The Angels sign Rick Burleson to a 6-year, $4.2 million contract, making him the highest-paid SS in baseball history. Burleson was entering the last year of a 4-year contract that paid him $125,000 per year.

1969
» In addition to this year's lower mound and tightened strike zone, the majors try an experiment ball with 10% more resiliency for a spring training game between the Mets and Tigers in Lakeland. It has an all-rubber center instead of a cork and rubber core, and the seams are higher than the regular ball. The Mets' Don Cardwell surrenders three homers in the 4th to Dick McAuliffe, Norm Cash, and Gates Brown in the Tigers' 7-4 win. Tomorrow, in Phoenix, the same ball is used in the Giants 13–1 win over the Angels, with Bobby Bonds hitting the only two homers (off George Brunet). The players agree the ball is definitely livelier and sounded louder coming off the bat.

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

1954
» Newly acquired Bobby Thomson of the Braves breaks his ankle sliding into 2B under Woodie Held in an exhibition game with the Yankees at Al Lang Field. The injury, a trimalleor fracture, will keep Thomson out of action until July 14th, but it will open the way for Henry Aaron to start in the left field. Ironically, Aaron will suffer a fracture in September.

1953
» The NL weighs the offer by the Braves to move its franchise to Milwaukee.

Baltimore Mayor Tom D'Alesandro reports that negotiations with Veeck are underway to move the Browns to Maryland.

1943
» The major leagues approve an official ball, which will be made from reclaimed cork and balata in the interior, materials not needed in the war effort. Officials insist the ball will have the resiliency of the 1939 ball, but the players will express dismay that they cannot drive the new ball and point out the dearth of runs and homers in 1942 even with the old ball.

1937
» Lou Gehrig agrees to $38,000, plus a $750 bonus for signing. He'll play his first game March 20 driving in two runs as the Yanks beat the Bees, 5–3.

1915
» In an infamous exhibition at Daytona Beach, Brooklyn manager Wilbert Robinson is set to catch a baseball dropped from an airplane flying at an altitude of 525 feet. Aviatrix Ruth Law supposedly forgets to bring a baseball aloft and instead drops a grapefruit which splatters all over Robbie. Outfielder Casey Stengel is the assumed culprit of the switch.

1887
» After a week of conditioning in Macon, Georgia, the Detroit team begins a 6-week spring exhibition tour through the South and Midwest.

1886
» Via a transatlantic telegraph from Paris, 40-game winner Bob Caruthers agrees to terms with St. Louis Browns owner Von der Ahe. Caruther's well-publicized holdout will earn him the nickname "Parisian Bob."