In 1996: Roberto Alomar of the Orioles proved that yes, most professional baseball players are out-of-touch douche bags when he spit in the face of umpire John Hirschbeck following an argument over balls and strikes in Toronto. If that wasnt bad enough, Alomar remarked after the game, I used to respect him a lot. He had problems with his family when his son died (of a rare brain disease) — I know thats something real tough in life — but after that he just changed. He became real bitter. When hearing Alomars words the next day, Hirschbeck charged into the Orioles clubhouse and confronted Alomar, but was restrained. More controversy was created when acting commissioner Bud Selig allowed Alomar to play in the postseason and not have to serve a paltry five-game suspension until the beginning of the 1997 season. (baseball library.com)
In 1999: The Detroit Tigers played their final game at Tiger Stadium (also referred to as Griffin Stadium in the early days) with each player wearing the number of a retired great from Detroit. Gabe Kaplar represented Ty Cobb in centerfield and wore no number. The Tigers defeated the Royals 8-2. The stadium opened in 1912 in downtown Detroit and some great moments included the feats of Ty Cobb, Hank Greenberg, Denny McClains 31 pitching wins in 1968 and World Series titles in 1935, 1945, 1968 and 1984. (baseballlibrary.com)
In 1984: Jon Facenda, the legendary voice of NFL Films, died at the age of 72. Facenda, who also worked as a Philadelphia anchor, was there at the beginning, narrating the first NFL Films feature They Call It Pro Football. His deep, rich voice — revered as the Voice of God by football fans — was often mimicked by the likes of Chris Berman (who actually made up the frozen tundra — Facenda never said it). He was replaced by Harry Kalas. (wnbc.com)