Today in baseball history: March 23

In the major leagues' 100+ year history, just over 23,000 players have appeared in an official game. If every one of them were in the league’s smallest stadium, it would be barely two-thirds full.

Just 53 of those players were born on March 23.

Impressively, 13 of that group exceeded 10+ WAR in their career:

• Mark Buehrle, left-handed pitcher, 59.1

• Elmer Smith, outfielder/left-handed pitcher, 42.6

• George Scott, infielder, 36.6

• Johnny Logan, shortstop, 33.2

• Gavy Cravath, outfielder, 32.9

• Lee May, first baseman/outfielder, 27.4

• Ray Kremer, right-handed pitcher, 25.2

• Isiah Kiner-Falefa, infielder, 13.6

• Bo Díaz, catcher, 11.5

• Johnny Moore, outfielder, 11.3

• Dellin Betances, right-handed pitcher, 11.1

• Homer Smoot, outfielder, 11.1

• Mike Remlinger, left-handed pitcher, 10.6

Also born today, my girlfriend’s mom. Happy birthday Carol! 🙂 

Some highlights and events that took place on this day:

1951: The Brooklyn Dodgers sign a 21-year lease in Vero Beach, Florida to hold spring training there. The Dodgers would call Dodgertown their spring home until 2009.

1962: William DeWitt purchases the Cincinnati Reds for a total of $4.62 million.

1978: The New York Mets trade shortstop Bud Harrelson, a fan favorite, to the Philadelphia Phillies for minor leaguer Fred Andrews.

1990: Howard Spira is arrested for extorting money from Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. Steinbrenner would eventually be suspended by the league for his relationship with Spira, which centered around a failed attempt to discredit Yankees outfielder Dave Winfield.

2000: The St. Louis Cardinals acquire center fielder Jim Edmonds from the Los Angeles Angels for pitcher Kent Bottenfield and second baseman Adam Kennedy.

2009: Japan wins the World Baseball Classic, their second title in the event.

2013: The Los Angeles Dodgers complete a two-game sweep over the Arizona Diamondbacks to open the season in Sydney, Australia.

2024: Peter Angelos, principal owner of the Baltimore Orioles, passes away at age 94. The Angelos Family had reached a preliminary agreement to sell the franchise in January. Peter’s passing allowed the sale to David Rubenstein to proceed.