BB On this Date ~ Events & Birthdays #2

1963 The Tigers claim Denny McLain on first-year waivers from the White Sox. The right-hander, the game's last 30-game winner, will win the American League Most Valuable Player and Cy Young Award in 1968, helping Detroit win its first World Series in 23 years.

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1963 In his first major league plate appearance, Pete Rose works out a walk-off Earl Francis in the Reds' 5-2 victory over Pittsburgh at Crosley Field. The eventual all-time hit leader will be held hitless, going 0-for-3, but does score his first major league run when Frank Robinson homers in the bottom of the first inning.

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1963 After being promised the Secretary of Labor would intervene to mediate their dispute, the striking food vendors do not appear at the ballpark, resulting in President Kennedy not having to cross a picket line before tossing out the ceremonial first pitch at D.C. Stadium. The Senators drop a 3-1 decision to the Orioles, and JFK's suggestion of playing Tom Brown doesn't pan out as the rookie first baseman fans three times.

1964 Five days before the start of the season, right-hander Jim Umbricht, the only pitcher to post a winning record in Houston's first two seasons, loses his well-publicized battle with cancer when he succumbs to malignant melanoma. The popular 33-year-old Colt .45's relief pitcher, whose uniform number 32 will be retired by Houston, underwent surgery to remove a tumor from his leg before the 1963 season, returning to the club to post a 4-3 record along with a 2.61 ERA in 35 games.

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1966 Thanks to the Monsanto chemical company's experimental nylon playing surface, the Astros and Dodgers play baseball's first game on synthetic grass. The original plan to play all-dirt field, necessitated by the need to paint the Astrodome's glass panes to reduce the glare, which prevented natural grass from growing, is alleviated by the use of 'AstroTurf.'

1969 In the first game in franchise history, Padres' right-hander Dick Selma collects two hits and strikes out a dozen batters, going the distance in the team's 2-1 victory over the Astros at San Diego Stadium. Ed Spiezio gets the club's first hit, a fifth-inning solo home run, and Ollie Brown's sixth-inning RBI double proves to be the difference.

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1969 Red Sox outfielder Tony Conigliaro, playing his first game since being severely injured, makes a dramatic comeback, connecting for a two-run homer in the tenth inning and scoring the eventual winning run in the top of the 12th in Boston's Opening Day's 5-4 victory. The 24-year-old Revere, Massachusetts native, known as the Pope of Kenmore Square, will experience moderate success during the next two seasons but will never fully recover from the damage sustained in his left retina after being hit by a pitch thrown by Jack Hamilton on August 18, 1967.

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1969 The Pilots make their major league debut, defeating the Angels at Anaheim Stadium, 4-3. Scoring all of their runs in the top of the first inning, Seattle's leadoff hitter Tommy Harper starts the game with the franchise's first hit and then crosses the plate with its first run when Mike Hegan, the next batter, hits the first homer in team history.

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1969 The Royals play their first game in franchise history and join the winner circle along with the other three new clubs making their debuts today. Reliever Moe Drabowsky picks up the win when Kansas City beats the Twins in 12 innings, 4-3.

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1970 As partial compensation for the loss of Curt Flood, who refuses to report to Philadelphia, the Cardinals send minor league prospect Willie Montanez to the Phillies. The former St. Louis outfielder had taken exception to the trade without his consent, ultimately leading to his unsuccessful challenge of the reserve clause to the U.S. Supreme Court.


1974 Braves outfielder Hank Aaron passes Babe Ruth as the all-time home run leader with his 715th, going deep in the fourth inning off Dodger hurler Al Downing in Atlanta's home opener. 'Hammerin' Hank' equaled the Bambino's mark on Opening Day in Cincinnati.

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1975 In the season opener at Fenway Park, Tony Conigliaro, who retired four years ago after being traded to the Angels in 1970, plays in the first game of his attempted comeback with the Red Sox. As a designated hitter, the 30-year-old Pope of Kenmore Square will collect only seven hits in 21 games, singling in his first at-bat in Boston's 5-2 victory over the Brewers.

1975 Frank Robinson becomes the first black manager in major league history when the Indians defeat the Yankees 5-3 at Cleveland Stadium. Batting second as the designated hitter, the Tribe's new player-manager hits a home run in his first at-bat off Doc Medich.

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1984 In the Mets' 3-1 victory over Houston at the Astrodome, Mike Torrez's pitch smashes Dickie Thon's face, compromising the promising 25-year-old Houston shortstop's career. The remorseful right-hander's fastball breaks the orbital bone around the left eye, ending the infielder's season and impacting his future as a major leaguer due to problems with depth perception as a result of the injury.


1986 Will Clark homers on his first swing in his first major league at-bat, facing future Hall of Fame right-hander Nolan Ryan. The 22-year-old Giants rookie first baseman's first-inning solo round-tripper contributes to the team's Opening Day 8-3 victory at the Astrodome.

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1986 Jim Presley hits two home runs, helping the Mariners beat the Angels, 8-4, in a dramatic extra-inning comeback Opening Day victory. The Seattle third baseman's two-run blast in the bottom of the ninth off Donnie Moore knots the game at four runs apiece, and his two-out grand slam off Ken Forsch in the following frame ends the Kingdome contest.

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1988 Gary Carter, celebrating his 34th birthday with a 3-for-3 day, including a home run, is doubled off second base after Howard Johnson lines out to right field to end the game on a bizarre play. Shortstop Juan Samuel, who had started throwing the relay from outfielder Chris James back to the mound, tags the Mets' catcher straying off the bag for the final out in the Phillies' 5-1 victory at Veterans Stadium.

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1989 In Anaheim, Olympic hero Jim Abbott makes his major league debut, losing to his childhood hero Mark Langston and the Mariners in an eventual 6-2 Angels defeat to Seattle. The 21-year-old southpaw, who never played in the minor leagues after being drafted in the first round by California of the amateur draft last year, pitches without the use of a right hand.

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1991 The Reds establish the record for consecutive Opening Day wins when the team beats the Astros at Riverfront Stadium, 6-2, their ninth straight, thanks to a solid outing from Tom Browning, who gives up five hits in 8.1 innings. Cincinnati surpasses the winning streak of eight consecutive lid lifters the Mets put together from 1971 through 1978.

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1991 In a 5-4 Opening Day loss to the Brewers at Arlington Stadium, future Hall of Famer Goose Gossage (2008) relieves in a game started by Rangers hurler Nolan Ryan (1999), also an eventual member of Hall of Fame. The matchup marks the first time in major league history that a 300-game winner appears in the same contest with a teammate who has 300 saves.

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1993 Contributing to the Indians' 15-5 rout of New York at Cleveland Stadium, Carlos Baerga becomes the first major leaguer to homer from both sides of the plate in the same inning. In the seventh, the Tribe's second baseman, batting right-handed, goes deep off Steve Howe and, later in the frame, connects with a pitch thrown by Steve Farr from the left side of the plate.

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1994 Kent Mercker, throwing his first major league complete game, no-hits the Dodgers, 6-0 at Chavez Ravine. The Braves left-hander was one of the three Atlanta pitchers, along with Mark Wohlers and Alejandro Pena, to throw a combined no-no against the Padres in 1991.


1994 Chan Ho Park becomes the first Korean to play in the major leagues when he makes his pitching debut at Chavez Ravine. In one inning of work, the 21-year-old Kongju City native gives up two runs on one hit, walking two and striking out two batters in the Dodgers' 6-0 loss to Atlanta.

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1997 In a 14-8 Mariners victory over the Indians at the Kingdome, M's pitcher Josias Manzanillo, who doesn't wear a protective cup, is hit in the groin by a Manny Ramirez 107 mph line drive. Now a firm believer in using protective gear, the 29-year-old reliever goes on the 15-day disabled list for the surgery needed to repair a tear in his testicles.

 

1999 After participating in 243 major league games, Jim Abbott finally gets his first at-bat, grounding out to third base in the Brewers' 9-4 loss to St. Louis at Busch Stadium. The 31-year-old southpaw, born without a right hand, signed with Milwaukee in the offseason after spending the first nine years of his career in the American League, where the designated hitter replaces the pitcher in the batter's box.


2000 Blue Jay southpaw David Wells' nine-hit complete game 4-0 shutout against Texas at The Ballpark in Arlington snaps Kenny Rogers' 19-game home winning streak. The Gambler's accomplishment, compiled while hurling for the Yankees, A's, Mets, and Rangers, is the third-longest in major league history.

2003 At the home opener at PNC Park, Pittsburgh unveils a sculpture of Ralph Kiner. The Hall of Fame home run hitter, depicted in the bronze artwork gripping a Kiner-model Louisville Slugger bat, joins Willie Stargell, Honus Wagner, and Roberto Clemente as other former Pirates honored with a ballpark statue.


2003 At Wrigley Field, a few of the 29,138 patrons at the Cubs opener show their displeasure when the Canadian national anthem, "O' Canada," is performed before the game against the Expos. Their reaction comes from the "The Star-Spangled Banner" getting booed at the Islanders-Canadiens hockey match in Montreal by fans opposed to the U.S. war in Iraq.

2003 By going went 4-for-4 along with three walks, Rockies' first baseman Todd Helton sets a club record by reaching base in all seven plate appearances in Colorado's 15-12 loss at Coors Field. Chris Stynes also set a franchise mark for most plate appearances in a game with eight.

2003 In a frigid 35-degree home opener, with the fans chanting his name, Hideki Matsui hit his first major league home run, a grand slam into the right-field bleachers. After being greeted with a warm reception in the pregame ceremonies and a standing ovation after making a great defensive play, Godzilla receives thunderous applause and a curtain call from the sold-out Yankee Stadium crowd after his fifth-inning bases-full poke against the Twins.


2004 After showing a video tribute for him on the scoreboard, Jimmy Carter, a close friend of Padres owners John and Becky Moores, throws the ceremonial first pitch before the first major league game at Petco Field. During his one term in office, the 39th Chief Executive became the first president not to throw a ball on an Opening Day since the tradition started in 1910 with William Taft, but does the honors before Game 7 of the 1979 World Series at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium.

2004 In the first game at their new downtown ballpark, the Padres come from behind twice to beat the Giants in 10 innings at Petco Park, 4-3. After Trevor Hoffman blows the save in the ninth, San Diego scores in the bottom of the frame, knotting the score at 2-2, and then scores more two runs in the tenth after falling behind again in overtime.

2005 Not invited by the current administration to be part of the American delegation for today's funeral of Pope John Paul, Jimmy Carter attends the home opener at Turner Field. The former president and his wife Roslyn, who stayed for the entire game, enjoy watching the Braves beat the Mets, 3-1.

2008 An emotional Bill Buckner returns to Fenway Park for the first time in more than a decade to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Red Sox home opener. The beleaguered former Boston first baseman, best known for letting Mookie Wilson's grounder roll between his legs in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, receives a heartfelt standing ovation from the stunned crowd when he slowly walks from left field to the pitcher's mound.

2008 The Mets are beaten by a pitcher older than Shea Stadium when 46-year-old southpaw Jamie Moyer pitches six strong innings in the Phillies' 5-2 victory at the team's 45-year-old ballpark. With their loss, the Amazins finish their tenure in the aging Queen's venue with an excellent 29-16 (.644) won-loss record in home openers.

2008 At the Play Ball, Chicago! Event in the Windy City, the U.S. Postal Service unveils a stamp commemorating the 100th anniversary of the song Take Me Out to the Ball Game. The tune was written on a New York City train a century ago when songwriter Jack Norworth, who claimed never to have seen a major league game, wrote the lyrics after seeing a sign about a contest at the Polo Grounds, home of the New York Giants.

2008 On the last Opening Day in the Queens' ballpark, the Mets unveil a disc with William Shea's name, honoring the namesake of their stadium. The New York attorney played an instrumental role in bringing the National League back to the Big Apple following the Giants and Dodgers' departure after the 1957 season.

2009 Striking out twice in his first two at-bats against the Marlins at Land Shark Stadium, Daniel Cabrera establishes a dubious batting record when he strikes out 16 times in 16 consecutive at-bats. The Nationals' right-handed starter had shared the mark of 15 with Juan Eichelberger (Padres, 1980) and Mike Thurman (Expos, 1998).

2010 Yovani Gallardo (13-12, 3.73) agrees to sign a five-year $30.1 contract to stay with Milwaukee in a deal that covers one season beyond his arbitration-eligible years. The 24-year-old Brewer right-hander, considered the staff's ace, was the team's second-round pick in 2004.

2011 After being informed by MLB that he faces a 100-game suspension for violating baseball's drug policy for the second time, Rays' outfielder/DH Manny Ramirez announces his retirement as an active player. The 12-time All-Star, best known for helping the Red Sox win two World Championships, ends his 19-year big league career with a .312 batting average and 555 home runs.

2013 On a controversial game-ending strike call by plate umpire Marty Foster, Joe Nathan retires second baseman Ben Zobrist on a pitch that is clearly out of the strike zone to earn his 300th career save when the Rangers beat Tampa Bay in Arlington, 6-5. The Texas right-handed reliever becomes the 24th major leaguer to reach the milestone.

2014 Ending the day with a .429 batting average (12-for-28), Yankee third baseman Yangervis Solarte becomes the first major leaguer to double six times in the first seven games of his career when he collects a pair of two-baggers in the team's 14-5 loss to the Orioles in the Bronx. The team will trade the 26-year-old rookie to the Padres with minor leaguer Rafael De Paula for Chase Headley and cash in July.

2015 Adrian Gonzalez becomes the first major league player to hit five home runs in the first three games of the season when he goes deep three times in the Dodgers' 7-4 victory over San Diego at Chavez Ravine. The Los Angeles first baseman joins Carl Furillo (1955) and Jimmy Wynn (1974) as the only players in franchise history to have homered in the first three games of a campaign.

2016 Trevor Story becomes the first player in major league history to homer six times in the first four games of a season when he goes deep twice in the Rockies' 13-6 loss to San Diego at Coors Field. The 23-year-old Colorado rookie shortstop is the fifth player to homer in four consecutive contests to start a season, and a feat also accomplished by Chris Davis (Orioles, 2013), Nelson Cruz (Rangers, 2011), Mark McGwire (Cardinals, 1998), and Willie Mays (Giants, 1971).

2016 The Cardinals establish a major league record with three pinch-hit home runs when the team rallies from a four-run deficit to beat the Braves at Turner Field, 7-4. Jeremy Hazelbaker, Aledmys Diaz, and Greg Garcia come off the bench to hit solo shots in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings, contributing to the 0-3 Redbirds' first victory of the season.

2017 Tommy Hansen, who did not hit a home run as a member of the freshman team last season, becomes the first high schooler in history to hit three consecutive grand slams in one game when he goes deep three times in Roncalli’s 12-1 win over Metamora Township (IL). Five other players in a high school game have also hit a trio of bases-full round-trippers in a high school contest, but none accomplished the feat in consecutive at-bats.

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2017 The Phillies, using nine hits, none of which is a homer, and four walks, score 12 first-frame runs en route to a 17-3 rout of the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. The dozen tallies mark the biggest first inning in franchise history.

2018 In his pitching debut in front of the home crowd, Shohei Ohtani retires the first 19 batters he faces, yielding one hit over seven shutout innings in the Angels' 6-1 victory over the A's. Marcus Semien's one-out single in the seventh inning breaks up the 23-year-old right-hander's bid for a perfect game.

2018 At Yankee Stadium, Giancarlo Stanton becomes the first major leaguer to strike out five times in a game twice in the same season, having accomplished the dubious feat in his home debut in New York five days ago. The final ring of his platinum sombrero ends the contest with two runners stranded on base in the 12th inning of the Yankees' 8-7 loss to the Orioles.

2019 Chris Davis breaks the record for the longest hitless streak in major league history at 0-for-47, surpassing Eugenio Velez's dubious mark with the Giants and Dodgers in 2010-11. The Baltimore fans, who had begun regularly booing the Orioles outfielder with the $161 million fully guaranteed contract, were very supportive when he lined out to deep left field in the fifth inning in the game against the A's to take his place in baseball infamy.

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April 9 BASEBALL BIRTHDAYS
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1946 Nate Colbert first baseman (MLB All Star 1971, 72, 73; San Diego Padres, Houston Astros)


1961 Kirk McCaskill pitcher (Chicago White Sox)


1967 Graeme Lloyd pitcher (World Series 1996, 98 NY Yankees; Olympic silver 2004)


1981 Dennis Sarfate


1984 Adam Loewen


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This Day in Baseball History
April 9th​

1912 In the first game ever played at Fenway Park, the Red Sox beat Harvard, 2-0, in an abbreviated exhibition contest played on a cold and snowy afternoon in front of 3,000 hardy fans. Crimson third baseman and captain Dana Wingate, a sophomore from Winchester, Massachusetts, becomes the first batter in the Boston ballpark, taking the first pitch for ball one before being struck out on a fastball thrown by Casey Hageman.

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1913 In front of approximately 10,000 fans, who brave the frigid weather to witness the pitching duel, the Phillies beat the Dodgers, 1-0, spoiling the debut of Ebbets Field. Given special permission, Brooklyn opens the season a day early to properly inaugurate its new $75,000 Brooklyn ballpark, which took a year to build.

1916 Due to a salary dispute with Joe Lannin, the Red Sox president, Boston trades Tris Speaker to the Indians for Sam Jones, Fred Thomas, and approximately $55,000, the most ever paid for a ball player. The future Hall of Fame outfielder will spend half of his Hall of Fame career in Cleveland, compiling a .354 batting average during his 11 seasons playing for the Tribe after playing nine outstanding seasons in Boston.After helping the team capture its third World Series title, Tris Speaker, declining their request to take a pay cut, is traded by the Red Sox to the Indians for Sam Jones, Fred Thomas, and $55,000. Boston thinks the Grey Eagle's salary of $17,500 is exorbitant due to the future Hall of Fame outfielder's batting average dropping to .322 during the previous season.

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1947 Dodger skipper Leo Durocher, feuding with the Yankees, is suspended for one year by Happy Chandler for an assortment of actions deemed detrimental to baseball, including association with known gamblers. The commissioner fines Brooklyn and New York clubs $2,000 and orders the teams not to discuss the matter.

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1953 For the first time since 1901, big leaguers play baseball in Milwaukee. In the first game ever at County Stadium, the newly-arrived Braves take on their former crosstown rivals, the Boston Red Sox, in a preseason exhibition game, a contest washed out after two innings due to rain with the hometown team trailing, 3-0.

1959 Dr. Creighton Hale recommends Little League pitching mounds be moved back from home plate by 24 inches. The organization's vice president believes a ball thrown by a youngster at 70 mph from 46 feet would give the batter about the same amount of time to swing at a pitch, proportionately, as the major leaguers have.

1959 At Griffith Stadium, the Orioles become the first major league team to turn a triple play on Opening Day when Senators’ catcher Ed FitzGerald lines a Hoyt Wilhelm pitch into a 3-6-3 triple killing. Vice-President Richard Nixon, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch substituting for President Eisenhower, sees the hometown Senators post a 9-2 victory over Baltimore, behind a solid seven-hit, complete-game performance by Pedro Ramos.

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1962 Keeping a Laotian prince waiting in the White House, President Kennedy opens up Washington's new $23-million D.C. Stadium by tossing the ceremonial first pitch. JFK stays for the entire game despite a rain delay and enjoys seeing Mickey Vernon's Senators beat the Tigers, 4-1.

1963 As a favor to former Indians infielder Johnny Berardino, now known as John Beradino, who plays Dr. Steve Hardy on General Hospital, Yogi Berra makes a cameo appearance on the popular ABC soap opera. The Yankee legend, known for his paradoxical contradictions, plays the role of Dr. Lawrence Berra, a brain surgeon.

1964 Much to the chagrin of team executive Branch Rickey, the Cardinals trade Jimmie Coker and Gary Kolb to the Braves for catcher Bob Uecker. After introducing himself, the Redbirds' new backstop is quickly informed by Rickey, "I didn't want you. I wouldn't trade one Gary Kolb for a hundred Bob Ueckers."

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1965 Houston begins playing in the 'Eighth Wonder of the World' when they host an exhibition game against the Yankees at the Astrodome, the first domed sports stadium. Twenty-four astronauts throw 24 ceremonial first pitches during the opening ceremonies as the Colt .45s become the Astros.


1966 After playing at Wrigley Field in 1961 and sharing Dodger Stadium from 1962-65 during their first five seasons in Los Angeles, the Angels move to nearby Anaheim into their own stadium. The team, now known as the California Angels, host the San Francisco Giants in a preseason exhibition game in the first contest ever played at Anaheim Stadium, a 9-3 loss before 40,735 fans.

 

1968 In Atlanta, Georgia, Bill Veeck, the former owner of the Browns, Indians, and White Sox, is among the crowd of marchers taking part in the funeral procession for civil rights leader Martin Luther King, slain five days ago in Memphis (TN). The WW II veteran, who spent 15 hours standing in line to pay his respect to JFK at the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in 1963, walks the entire three-and-a-half-mile route from Ebenezer Baptist Church to Morehouse College on his wooden leg without the aid of crutches.

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1969 Billy Williams hits four consecutive doubles, helping the Cubs beat Philadelphia at Wrigley Field, 11-3. The Chicago outfielder's quartet of two-baggers ties the major-league record for doubles, shared by 29 players, and last accomplished in 1963 by Detroit center fielder Billy Bruton.

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1970 "Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio, A nation turns its lonely eyes to you (Woo, woo, woo), What's that you say, Mrs. Robinson Joltin' Joe has left and gone away, (Hey, hey, hey...hey, hey, hey)." - PAUL SIMON, songwriter.
On the Dick Cavett Show, Paul Simon tells Mickey Mantle the lyrics to Mrs. Robinson would have been 'Where have you gone, Mickey Mantle' but explains to his favorite player, "It's about syllables, Mick. It's about how many beats there are." The songwriter's well-known lyrics become, "Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio, A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.

 

1976 Orioles' right-hander Jim Palmer and Boston's Ferguson Jenkins, both future members of the Hall of Fame, stage a classic pitching duel at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium on Opening Day. The Birds, behind the eight-inning, six-hit effort by 'Cakes,' beat the Red Sox and Fergie, who goes the distance, 1-0, thanks to an unearned run scored in the fourth inning.

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1976 The White Sox's owner Bill Veeck, known for his promotional genius, surprises the Comiskey Park crowd on Opening Day when he, Rudie Schaffer, and Paul Richards celebrate the nation's bicentennial wearing battered Continental Army uniforms. The trio, carrying a fife, drum, and flag, strike a pose in their tattered garb, reminiscent of Archibald MacNeal Willard's painting The Spirit of '76, a famous piece of art depicting Revolutionary War veterans displayed at Philadelphia's Centennial Exposition 100 years earlier.

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1977 In baseball, lower uniform numbers are generally reserved for stars, and for most of his career, Allen had worn No. 15. But upon arriving in Mesa, he was informed that this number had been taken by outfielder Claudell Washington.
“Sixty,” he instructed a surprised Vucinich, without hesitation. “For Wampum High School, Class of 1960.”
That wasn’t all. Allen didn’t want his name on the back. He wanted something else.

“Wampum.”
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1977
I have never seen such stupid ballplaying in my life." - RAY KROC, the Padres owner, addressing the fans on the PA system during the home opener at San Diego Stadium.
During the home opener against Houston at San Diego Stadium, Ray Kroc, the Padres' new owner, uses the ballpark's public address system to thank the fans and criticize the players for their poor play. At the start of the fast-food tycoon's eighth-inning tirade, a streaker jumps over the railing of the stands in left field and runs haphazardly across the outfield.

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1980 In the first minor league game played in Durham (NC) since 1972, the Bulls, a name last used in 1967, need to play the home opener wearing their powder blue road uniforms because their home jerseys go missing two days before the start of the season. Atlanta's minor league director, Hank Aaron, sends a set of used Braves uniforms to wear for away contests after the club decides to continue to wear the road uniforms for the Durham Athletic Park contests.

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1980 Opening Day starter Mike Parrott becomes the winning pitcher when the Mariners beat the Blue Jays at the Kingdome, 8-6. The 25-year-old Californian will not enjoy another victory for the rest of the season, finishing with a 1-16 record.

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1981 On Opening Day, Fernando Valenzuela, making his first major league start in place of scheduled starter Jerry Reuss, blanks Houston on five hits at Dodger Stadium, 2-0. During the strike-shortened season, the 20-year-old rookie from Mexico will lead the league in game starts (25), complete games (11), and shutouts (8).

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1985 The Mets' offseason acquisition of Gary Carter pays immediate dividends when he connects for a walk-off home run in the bottom of the tenth inning, giving his new team a 6-5 victory over St. Louis on Opening Day at Shea Stadium. The 31-year-old All-Star catcher is the first player to end his first contest with a New York team with a round-tripper.

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1985 Tom Seaver establishes a big-league record with his 15th Opening Day assignment, getting the win when the White Sox beat the Brewers at County Stadium, 4-2. The right-hander, who also got the first-day nods from the Mets (1968-77, 1983) and Reds (1978-79, 1981), will extend the mark previously held by Walter Johnson of the Washington Senators to 16 next season.

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1986 Inspired by the NFL's Champion Chicago Bears Super Bowl Shuffle, nine Mets players record Get Metsmerized, a rap boasting a title after the team plays just one regular season game. The album, not promoted by the organization, is widely panned by critics, selling only a few thousand copies when released in August.

1987 Phil Niekro records his 312th victory, with Steve Carlton's help, who pitches four shutout innings in relief in the Indians' 14-3 win over the Blue Jays at Toronto's Exhibition Stadium. The appearance of the two veteran hurlers marks the first time in modern MLB history two 300-game winners pitched for the same team in the same game.

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1989 On a frigid Sunday afternoon, Rick Sutcliffe adds to the wind chill, striking out 11 batters in the Cubs' 8-3 win over Pittsburgh. Despite a temperature of 33 degrees and a stiff breeze making it feel like eight above, 11,387 fans brave the elements to watch the right-hander's complete-game effort at Wrigley Field.

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1990 Keeping with the team's tradition of having a rookie select the music, Reds' freshman first baseman Hal Morris picks U Can't Touch This, following the Opening Day 8-4 extra-inning victory at the Astrodome. The iconic MC Hammer tune will become the team's mantra and the unofficial theme song for the eventual World Champs.

1990 Glenn Davis is hit by a pitch three times on Opening Day, tying a major league record shared by many major leaguers. The Houston first baseman's body blows do not lead to any runs in the team's 8-4 loss to Cincinnati at the Astrodome.

1990 Delino DeShields, the 21-year-old second baseman of the Expos, goes 4-for-6 to become only the second rookie to collect four hits in an Opening Day debut. Also a second baseman, Forrest Jacobs became the first major league rookie to accomplish the feat in his 1954 Opening Day debut with the Philadelphia A's.

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1990 Randy Myers, responding to reporters about the Astros being unhappy about Glenn Davis getting hit three times, replies if there is any retaliation, he and his teammates, Rob Dibble and Norm Charlton, clock at least ninety-five on the radar gun. When the Houston Chronicle beat reporter responds with, "that's pretty nasty," the left-hander counters, "Well, we're pretty nasty guys," giving rise to the trio of hard-throwing Reds relievers being called the 'Nasty Boys.'

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1993 Bo Knew," - Nike's full-page ad in tomorrow's USA Today In his first at-bat after eighteen months of rehab following his hip replacement surgery, Bo Jackson connects for a home run with his first swing of the season in the team's 11-6 Opening Day loss to New York at Comiskey Park. En route to being named the American League Comeback Player of the Year, the 1985 Heisman Trophy winner will hit 16 home runs and collect 45 RBIs in 85 games, contributing to the White Sox's divisional title.

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1993 The Rockies defeat the Expos 11-4 for their first win, thanks to a four-run first inning sparked by Eric Young's leadoff home run. The crowd of 80,227 at Colorado's Mile High Stadium establishes a new major league Opening Day attendance record

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1993 At 46, Nolan Ryan becomes the oldest pitcher to start and win an Opening Day game when the Rangers win their home opener against the Red Sox, 3-1. Previously, Yankee southpaw Tommy John held the distinction, being 45 years old when he started and beat the Twins in the 1989 opener at the Metrodome.

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1997 In a 13-4 Rockies rout of the Reds, Ellis Burks hits two home runs at Coors Field. The homers give the Colorado outfielder four for the season, accounting for all the hits the .154 batter collected in the first eight games.

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1999 Just two days after celebrating his 80th birthday, former Orioles owner Jerold C. Hoffberger dies unexpectedly. The philanthropist enjoyed five American League pennants and two World Championships during his 14-year tenure before selling the club to Edward Bennett Williams after the 1979 season.

 

2000 Indians DH Jim Thome earns the platinum sombrero when he strikes out five times, tying a major league record. Cleveland still prevails in the Tropicana Field tilt, posting a 17-4 victory over Tampa Bay.

2000 Each team hit three consecutive home runs in the same game for the first time in major league history in the Twins' 13-7 victory over the Royals. Ron Coomer, Jacque Jones, and Matt Lecroy connect consecutively in the sixth for Minnesota, and Carlos Beltran, Jermaine Dye, and Hector Carrasco go back-to-back-to-back for Kansas City in the eighth frame of the Kauffman Stadium contest.

2001 Willie Stargell, the all-time Pirate career leader in home runs, RBIs, and extra-base hits, dies from kidney problems at 61. After leading the Bucs to the 1979 World Championship, 'Pops,' a career .282 hitter, became the oldest player (39) to win an MVP award, sharing the honor with Keith Hernandez.

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2001 Pittsburgh's PNC Park makes its major league debut as hometown product Sean Casey leads the visiting Reds past the Pirates, 8-2. After collecting the first hit at Miller Park three days ago, the Cincinnati first baseman again has the honor of recording the first knock in a major league park's opening game, making history with a two-run home run off Todd Ritchie.

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2004 The Yankees and Joe Torre agree to a three-year extension. The contract also includes an additional six-year deal in which the 62-year-old manager will serve as a team advisor through the 2013 season.

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2005 Juan Pierre's consecutive innings streak ends at 1700 when his name is not in the starting lineup, but his consecutive game streak stays intact at 340, entering the contest as an eighth-inning defensive replacement. The Marlins' center fielder joins Cal Ripken (Orioles, 1983-86) and Travis Fryman (Tigers, 1995) as the only big leaguers to play every inning for his team during a season.

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2006 Cory Sullivan becomes the 11th player in big-league history to hit two triples in the same inning and the first since Gil Coan of the Senators accomplished the feat in 1951. The Colorado leadoff hitter's two seventh-inning three-baggers contribute to the Rockies' 10-4 win over the Padres.

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2009 Just hours after pitching six shutout innings against the A's, Nick Adenhart dies in a hit-and-run car accident. In memory of the 22-year-old right-handed rookie, the Angels postpone tonight's game with Oakland.

2012 Joining Roy Oswalt, Barry Zito becomes only the second opposing pitcher to whitewash the Rockies at Coors Field, posting a 7-0 victory. The shutout is the Giants' left-hander's first in 274 starts, the longest span in major league history without one.

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2016 The Twins, suffering a 7-0 loss to Kansas City, start the season 0-5 for the first time in franchise history, including the three times the team was winless after four attempts when they played as the Washington Senators before the 1961 season. The eventual nine-game losing streak will be extended to 0-6 with a heartbreaking loss tomorrow when the Royals score two runs in the bottom of the ninth before securing a 4-3 walk-off victory in the tenth inning at Kauffman Stadium.

2017 At Angel Stadium, the Halos, trailing 9-3 going into the bottom of the ninth inning, stun Seattle by scoring seven times in their 10-9 victory in Anaheim. Cliff Pennington's single into right field scores Mike Trout with the winning run, resulting in the fans reacting to their team's incredible comeback with a deafening roar.

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