First Games Back – Society for American Baseball Research

Find all articles from our First Games Back project on this page. Click here to read the introduction, written by Alan Cohen in July 2020.

October 30, 1871: Berkenstock returns after 4-year absence to help Philadelphia win first league championship

May 1, 1883: Philadelphia returns to National League for first game in Phillies franchise history

April 20, 1886: The triumphant return of Tony Mullane

Jack Stivetts (NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME LIBRARY)

July 20, 1894: Beaneaters blast Giants in first game at South End Grounds after fire

Amos Rusie (NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME LIBRARY)

April 27, 1897: Amos Rusie returns from a year away with dominant start for Giants

June 28, 1911: Mathewson shuts out Boston in Giants’ first game at new Polo Grounds

Boston Globe, April 20, 1919

April 19, 1919: Baseball resumes after World War I on Patriots Day in Boston

Grover Cleveland Alexander with the Chicago Cubs (CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM, CHICAGO DAILY NEWS, SDN-064431)

May 9, 1919: Pete Alexander’s return from World War I spoiled by Ray Fisher, Reds

April 21, 1921: A cloud over Chicago as White Sox return for home opener after World Series scandal

Gabby Street (TRADING CARD DB)

September 20, 1931: Cardinals’ Gabby Street returns to field after 19 seasons

An all services honor guard with President Franklin D. Roosevelt's casket in the East Room of the White House, April 14, 1945. (FDR LIBRARY)

April 20, 1945: Baseball and a nation mourn its beloved leader after President Roosevelt’s death

July 1, 1945: Tigers’ Hank Greenberg returns to baseball

Bob Feller (TRADING CARD DB)

August 24, 1945: Bob Feller returns to baseball after World War II

Paul Schreiber (TRADING CARD DB)

September 4, 1945: Yankees’ Paul Schreiber returns to play after 22-year absence

Ted Williams (TRADING CARD DB)

April 16, 1946: Ted Williams returns to Red Sox after World War II

Ted Williams (NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME LIBRARY)

July 9, 1946: Ted Williams, American League dominant in first All-Star Game after World War II

September 28, 1947: Dizzy Dean comes out of Browns’ broadcast booth to prove his point

June 28, 1949: Joe DiMaggio returns to Yankees after missing first 65 games

April 18, 1950: Sal Maglie returns to Giants after four-season suspension hiatus

April 18, 1950: From deathbed to first base: Eddie Waitkus returns after near-fatal shooting

Connie Johnson (THE TOPPS COMPANY)

April 17, 1953: Two Black pitchers square off for first time in White major leagues

1951-Giants-researchbox-Mays-readbios

April 13, 1954: Willie Mays returns to Giants after service in Army

1954 Baltimore Orioles program (COURTESY OF THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES)

April 15, 1954: Orioles return to Baltimore after 52 years

April 15, 1958: Indians’ Herb Score returns for Opening Day start but falls to A’s, Ned Garver