1909: Neal Ball, a Grand Haven native playing for the Cleveland Naps, made history with MLB's first recorded unassisted triple play and his debut home run in the same game. 1838: Michigan Governor Stevens T. Mason initiated a canal project to connect Mt. Clemens to the Kalamazoo River, aiming to bypass the Great Lakes and the Straits of Mackinac. The ambitious project was abandoned five years later, with only 10% completed.