This day in baseball ● On this day
March 17
The record for March 17 in baseball history — 48 births and 29 deaths.
No milestones or firsts are on record for March 17 — but the players below were born and lost on it.
Born on this day
b. March 17, 1860 · Was the best fielding second baseman of the 1880s and wrote the first book on how to play the position.
b. March 17, 1863 · Pitcher across two clubs, 1883 to 1884.
b. March 17, 1867 · Pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, 1895 to 1895.
b. March 17, 1869 · Center fielder across two clubs, 1895 to 1901.
b. March 17, 1873 · Right fielder for the Chicago Orphans, 1901 to 1901.
b. March 17, 1876 · Left fielder for the Boston Beaneaters, 1901 to 1901.
b. March 17, 1883 · Caught 1,074 games and spent thirteen of his fourteen major-league seasons with Detroit.
b. March 17, 1885 · Catcher for the Cincinnati Reds, 1908 to 1909.
b. March 17, 1888 · Pitcher across four clubs, 1911 to 1919.
b. March 17, 1899 · Won more games for the Cubs than anyone else and threw the pitch Babe Ruth is said to have called.
b. March 17, 1906 · Pitcher across three clubs, 1935 to 1945.
b. March 17, 1912 · Pitcher for the Birmingham Black Barons, 1940 to 1940.
b. March 17, 1917 · Was the Most Valuable Player at thirty-five for a Cubs club that finished fifth.
b. March 17, 1944 · Center fielder who batted .256 across three clubs, 1967 to 1978.
b. March 17, 1959 · Second baseman who batted .220 for the Toronto Blue Jays, 1979 to 1981.
b. March 17, 1968 · First baseman for the Minnesota Twins, 1995 to 1995.
b. March 17, 1971 · Third baseman who batted .291 across four clubs, 1996 to 2006.
b. March 17, 1976 · Rebuilt his career in Toronto's bullpen and posted a 1.78 earned run average across 66 appearances in 2008.
b. March 17, 1982 · Pitcher for the Texas Rangers, 2007 to 2008.
b. March 17, 1985 · Pitcher across five clubs, 2010 to 2022.
b. March 17, 1986 · First baseman who batted .233 across two clubs, 2008 to 2020.
b. March 17, 1990 · Pitcher across four clubs, 2017 to 2025.
b. March 17, 1990 · Shortstop who batted .281 across six clubs, 2012 to 2023.
b. March 17, 2000 · Pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, 2024 to 2025.
48 players were born on March 17; these are the 24 best known.
Died on this day
d. March 17, 1872 · Right fielder for the Cleveland Forest Citys, 1871 to 1871.
d. March 17, 1923 · Right fielder across three clubs, 1884 to 1888.
d. March 17, 1936 · Pitcher for the Brooklyn Superbas, 1903 to 1904.
d. March 17, 1948 · Pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles, 1902 to 1902.
d. March 17, 1958 · Pitcher for the New York Giants, 1902 to 1902.
d. March 17, 1959 · Started the first game of the 1929 World Series out of nowhere and struck out thirteen.
d. March 17, 1960 · Pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, 1955 to 1955.
d. March 17, 1962 · Third baseman who batted .227 across three clubs, 1908 to 1914.
d. March 17, 1969 · Pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics, 1943 to 1943.
d. March 17, 1969 · Catcher who batted .304 across six clubs, 1921 to 1933.
d. March 17, 1975 · Pitcher across two clubs, 1929 to 1942.
d. March 17, 1980 · Pitcher across three clubs, 1950 to 1955.
d. March 17, 1981 · Catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics, 1913 to 1913.
d. March 17, 1981 · Pitcher across three clubs, 1934 to 1943.
d. March 17, 1982 · Second baseman for the St. Louis Giants, 1920 to 1920.
d. March 17, 1985 · Pitcher across two clubs, 1939 to 1948.
d. March 17, 1993 · Third baseman for the Cincinnati Reds, 1942 to 1942.
d. March 17, 1995 · Pitcher for the Washington Senators, 1926 to 1926.
d. March 17, 1998 · Third baseman for the Baltimore Elite Giants, 1947 to 1948.
d. March 17, 1998 · Pitcher across two clubs, 1943 to 1951.
d. March 17, 2009 · Was the runner on second base when Bobby Thomson hit the Shot Heard Round the World.
d. March 17, 2021 · Left fielder for the Cincinnati Reds, 1973 to 1977.
d. March 17, 2026 · Catcher who batted .199 across two clubs, 1960 to 1969.
d. March 17, 2026 · Left fielder who batted .232 across four clubs, 1964 to 1973.
29 players died on March 17; these are the 24 best known.