1945 in baseball

===March===

===March===

*March 6 – [[Harry O'Neill (catcher)|Harry O'Neill]], [[first lieutenant]], [[United States Marine Corps]], and a former catcher who appeared in one game for the [[Philadelphia Athletics]] in {{by|1939}}, is killed in the battle for [[Iwo Jima]]. He is 27.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bedingfield |first=Gary |date= |title=Harry O'Neill |url=https://baseballinwartime.com/player_biographies/oneill_harry.htm |website=baseballinwartime.com |location= |publisher= |access-date=}}</ref>

*March 6 – [[Harry O'Neill (catcher)|Harry O'Neill]], [[first lieutenant]], [[United States Marine Corps]], and a former catcher who appeared in one game for the [[Philadelphia Athletics]] in {{by|1939}}, is killed in the battle for [[Iwo Jima]]. He is 27.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bedingfield |first=Gary |date= |title=Harry O'Neill |url=https://baseballinwartime.com/player_biographies/oneill_harry.htm |website=baseballinwartime.com |location= |publisher= |access-date=}}</ref>

*March 12 – [[Thomas E. Dewey]], governor of [[New York (state)|New York]], signs the [[Ives–Quinn Act]] into law. Described as "the most comprehensive ban on racial and religious [employment] discrimination in the United States," it will provide a basis for [[Branch Rickey]], president of the [[Brooklyn Dodgers]], to accelerate his secret plan to [[racial integration|integrate]] all-white "[[Organized Baseball]]".<ref>{{cite web |last=Crook |first=Keith |date=2022 |title=Branch Rickey's Law: How New York State’s Ives–Quinn Act Opened the Door for Jackie Robinson. |url=https://dash.harvard.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/24de527d-cf60-4d1e-8d47-2718660bfeb8/content |website=nrs.harvard.edu |location= |publisher=Harvard University DASH (Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard |access-date=July 9, 2025}}</ref>

*March 12 – [[Thomas E. Dewey]], governor of [[New York (state)|New York]], signs the [[Ives–Quinn Act]] into law. Described as "the most comprehensive ban on racial and religious [employment] discrimination in the United States," it will provide a basis for [[Branch Rickey]], [[president (corporate title)| president]] of the [[Brooklyn Dodgers]], to accelerate his secret plan to [[racial integration|integrate]] all-white "[[Organized Baseball]]".<ref>{{cite web |last=Crook |first=Keith |date=2022 |title=Branch Rickey's Law: How New York State’s Ives–Quinn Act Opened the Door for Jackie Robinson. |url=https://dash.harvard.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/24de527d-cf60-4d1e-8d47-2718660bfeb8/content |website=nrs.harvard.edu |location= |publisher=Harvard University DASH (Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard |access-date=July 9, 2025}}</ref>

*March 28 – The [[Brooklyn Dodgers|Dodgers]] sell the contract of former pitching staff ace [[Whit Wyatt]] to the [[Philadelphia Phillies]]. Right-hander Wyatt, 37, had his last outstanding season for the [[1943 Brooklyn Dodgers season|1943 Dodgers]]. In {{by|1941}}, he won 22 games and led [[National League (baseball)|National League]] pitchers in [[bWAR]] (6.7).<ref>[https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wyattwh01.shtml "Whit Wyatt" at Baseball Reference.]</ref>

*March 28 – The [[Brooklyn Dodgers|Dodgers]] sell the contract of former pitching staff ace [[Whit Wyatt]] to the [[Philadelphia Phillies]]. Right-hander Wyatt, 37, had his last outstanding season for the [[1943 Brooklyn Dodgers season|1943 Dodgers]]. In {{by|1941}}, he won 22 games and led [[National League (baseball)|National League]] pitchers in [[bWAR]] (6.7).<ref>[https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wyattwh01.shtml "Whit Wyatt" at Baseball Reference.]</ref>

*March 31 – The [[Philadelphia Phillies|Phillies]] acquire outfielder [[Vince DiMaggio]] from the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] for southpaw hurler [[Al Gerheauser]]. Vince, 33, is the eldest of the three DiMaggio brothers.

*March 31 – The [[Philadelphia Phillies|Phillies]] acquire outfielder [[Vince DiMaggio]] from the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] for southpaw hurler [[Al Gerheauser]]. Vince, 33, is the eldest of the three DiMaggio brothers.