Bill Veeck History: August 22, 1980 - Bill Veeck agrees to sell Chicago White Sox to Eddie DeBartolo Sr for $20,000,000, AL owners block the sale December 16, 1975 - Bill Veeck buys 80% of White Sox from John Allyn June 12, 1961 - An ailing Bill Veeck sells his interest in White Sox to Arthur Allyn April 12, 1960 - Bill Veeck and Chicago Comiskey Park debuts "Exploding Scoreboard" February 7, 1959 - Dorothy Rigney sells 54% of White Sox to Bill Veeck for a reported $27M October 7, 1953 - Bill Veeck tells Browns stockholders he faces bankruptcy unless they drop their suit to block his move to Baltimore, they comply March 16, 1953 - AL rejects Bill Veeck's request to move St. Louis Browns to Baltimore January 31, 1953 - New York, Cleveland, and Boston retaliate at Bill Veeck, forcing the Browns to play afternoon games to avoid sharing TV revenues August 24, 1951 - Bill Veeck's "Fans Managers' Night," Browns defeat A's 5-3; Browns coaches hold up placards for fans to vote on August 19, 1951 - Bill Veeck (Browns) sends Eddie Gaedel, a 3'7" midget, to pinch-hit July 2, 1951 - Bill Veeck buys St. Louis Browns from Bill and Charlie DeWitt November 21, 1949 - Bill Veeck sells Indians for $22 million September 23, 1949 - Indian owner Bill Veeck holds funeral services to bury 1948 pennant May 27, 1949 - Indians start 12-17, owner Bill Veeck arranges a "Second Opening Day" November 1, 1946 - Cleveland Indians owner Bill Veeck's right foot is amputated June 21, 1946 - Bill Veeck purchases the Cleveland Indians for $2.2 million August 22, 1933 - Bill Veeck, urges midsummer inter-league games and a split season February 9, 1914 - Bill Veeck, baseball club owner
More Notable Events on March 17:
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1969 Golda Meir becomes Israel's 4th PM
1966 U.S. submarine locates missing H-bomb in Mediterranean
1959 Dalai Lama flees Tibet for India