Elephant Rumblings: Reactions to idea of playing 2020 MLB season in Arizona

A’s Coverage:

• Slusser: A’s mailbag: How would starting an abbreviated season in Arizona work? ($)

Best of AN:

• Hall: Today in Oakland A’s history (4/7): Ernie Young starts triple play

MLB News:

• MLB issues statement on reports of playing 2020 season in Arizona (or see tweet below)

Baseball Interest Stories:

• Stephen: MLB’s reported Arizona plan has too many hurdles to work
• Hickey: MLB Gets Its Hopes Up for a May/June Return, but the Reality Remains Stark
• Castrovince: Here’s a lineup of the most underrated HOFers

Today in Baseball History:

• 1909 - While at spring training, Hal Chase of the New York Highlanders contracts smallpox. The entire team is vaccinated and quarantined while traveling north.
• 1934 - At Shibe Park, 15,000 fans witness the first legal baseball game between major league teams played on a Sunday in the city of Philadelphia. In a hometown exhibition game, the Phillies defeat the Athletics, 8 - 1.
• 1946 - Jim (Catfish) Hunter is born in Hertford, North Carolina. The pitching ace of three World Series champions in Oakland in the 1970s and a member of two other Championship-winners with the New York Yankees, Hunter will make his major league debut in 1965 and will win election to the Hall of Fame in 1987.
• 1968 - The major leagues decide to postpone Opening Day because of the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. With 11 black players on their roster, the Pittsburgh Pirates vote not to play games on Monday - the day of the scheduled opener - or Tuesday. The Pirates will open the season on Wednesday.
• 1969 - Four expansion teams make their debuts. The Kansas City Royals, Seattle Pilots, Montreal Expos and San Diego Padres all win their inaugural games.
• 1974 - Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves blasts a historic home run at Fulton County Stadium, breaking Babe Ruth’s career all-time record. The 715th home run of Aaron’s career comes against Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Al Downing and results in a game-delaying celebration. Aaron will finish his career with a total of 755 home runs.
• 1975 - Frank Robinson makes his debut as major league baseball’s first black manager. Rachel Robinson, the widow of Jackie Robinson, throws out the ceremonial first pitch before a crowd of 56,204. As the player-manager of the Cleveland Indians, Frank Robinson hits a home run in his first at-bat, helping Cleveland to a 5 - 3 victory over the New York Yankees. For Robinson, it is his eighth Opening Day home run, setting a major league record which will later be tied by Ken Griffey and Adam Dunn.
• 1993 - Carlos Baerga of the Cleveland Indians becomes the first player in major league history to switch-hit home runs in the same inning. In the 7th inning, Baerga connects against Yankees relievers Steve Howe and Steve Farr. Baerga’s outburst helps the Indians to a 15 - 5 win.
• 2009 - Nick Adenhart of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitches six scoreless innings against Oakland in his first start of the season; he will be tragically killed in a car crash a few hours after the game.

Best of Twitter:

MLB responds to Monday’s reports about potentially playing the season in Arizona.

Would the players even be onboard with spending that long away from home?

A second vote for “no”

Slusser brings up another interesting point

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Stay healthy and have a great Wednesday!