Opening Day - A Beginning for the Season

Except maybe watching your favorite team play in and win the World Series, there is no more exciting time in baseball than Opening Day. Not only does Opening Day’s arrival signal the approaching spring season, history is often made on that very special day.

On Opening Day in 1907, the New York Giants on that city’s Polo Grounds, were playing Philadelphia. With the Giants losing, their fans began pelting the field with the snowballs made from the residuals of a storm that had passed through the previous day. The umpire called the game and the Giants were forced to forfeit the game.

In 1910 President William Howard Taft initiated the tradition of the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day. Since that time every President during his years in office, except Jimmy Carter, has thrown at least one ceremonial first pitch for Opening Day, the All-Star Game or the World Series. Carter threw out the first ball in Game 7 of the 1979 World Series.

On Opening Day in 1912, with their team, the Brooklyn Dodgers, behind 18-3 to the New York Giants, Dodgers fans stormed the field delaying the game so long that it was eventually called in the sixth inning due to darkness.

Opening Day 1940 witnessed one of the most famous pitching events as Cleveland Indians’ Bob Feller and White Sox hurler Eddie Smith went head-to-head. Feller tossed the only Opening Day no-hitter in Major League history.

In 1946 Boston Braves fans arrived at Opening Day festivities only to sit on outfield bleachers that had been freshly painted and due to wet, humid weather were not fully dried. The angry fans stormed the Braves’ office demanding restitution for their cleaning bills. They got that as well as a public apology in the newspaper the next day.

Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier at Ebbetts Field in Brooklyn on Opening Day in 1947 becoming the first African-American to play in the Major Leagues. During his pre-hiring interview with Branch Rickey, President and General Manager of the Dodgers, Robinson asked, "Mr. Rickey, do you want a ballplayer who’s afraid to fight back?" To which Rickey responded, "What I want is a player with guts enough not to fight back." According to Rickey, no one would then have a reason to say that blacks should not be in the Major Leagues. Robinson made a promise not to fight back for three years.

Hank Aaron with the Atlanta Braves hit his 714^th home run on Opening Day 1974, tying Babe Ruth’s record for the most career home runs. Later that week Aaron topped the Babe’s count and reached 755 by the end of his career. His record was not surpassed until Barry Bonds hit his 756th in 2007.

Despite the freezing conditions that had White Sox radio announcer, Bill Mercer, dressed in gloves, an overcoat, and a hat up in the broadcasters’ booth on April 5, 1974, several streakers appeared on the field.

Hall of Famer Frank Robinson and Ken Griffey, Jr. share the record for most career home runs on the first day of the season with eight.

Hall of Fame pitcher Early Wynn, who played for the Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox, summed up the essence of Opening Day when he said, "An opener is not like any other game. There's that little extra excitement, a faster beating of the heart. You have that anxiety to get off to a good start, for yourself and for the team. You know that when you win the first one, you can't lose 'em all."