Opening Day – Page 4 – Society for American Baseball Research

May 10, 1939: Olean beats Bradford on New York-Penn League’s first day

April 16, 1940: Bob Feller’s no-hitter on Opening Day propels Cleveland to 1-0 win over White Sox

Phil Rizzuto (Trading Card Database)

April 14, 1941: FDR deals and Phil Rizzuto debuts for Yankees as the drumbeats of war grow louder

April 17, 1945: Sandlock shines in Dodgers’ Opening Day victory over Phillies

April 17, 1945: Pete Gray, one-armed outfielder, makes major-league debut for St. Louis Browns

Ted Williams (TRADING CARD DB)

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

April 16, 1946: The ‘wearing of the green’ at Braves’ Opening Day

Bob Feller (TRADING CARD DB)

April 16, 1946: Cleveland’s Bob Feller hurls 3-hitter against White Sox on Opening Day

April 18, 1946: Jackie Robinson leads Montreal Royals’ romp in regular-season debut

May 5, 1946: Leon Day throws Opening Day no-hitter for Newark Eagles

April 15, 1947: Jackie Robinson’s major league debut

May 9, 1948: Springfield Sallies drop inaugural game as AAGPBL’s overhand pitching era begins

April 19, 1949: Jackie Robinson has 3 hits with a home run on Opening Day

Rip Sewell (Trading Card DB)

April 19, 1949: Pirates’ Rip Sewell outduels Cubs’ Dutch Leonard in first Opening Day matchup of starters in their 40s

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

April 18, 1950: Exit Ken Keltner, enter Al Rosen as Detroit defeats Cleveland on Opening Day

April 18, 1950: Yankees storm back from 9-run deficit to beat Red Sox on Opening Day

April 18, 1950: Robin Roberts wins first Opening Day start for Phillies

Willie Mays with the Minneapolis Millers in 1951 (SABR-Rucker Archive)

May 1, 1951: Willie Mays has 3 hits, makes spectacular catch in Millers’ home opener

Clyde Vollmer (TRADING CARD DB)

April 18, 1952: ‘Dutch the Clutch’ Vollmer sparks first Red Sox home opener win in 5 years

April 14, 1953: Milwaukee Braves christen County Stadium with ceremonies, civic pride, and Hollywood-style extra-inning victory

April 13, 1954: Tom Alston makes Cardinals history as first Black player to take the field

1951-Giants-researchbox-Mays-readbios

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

Courtesy of Trading Card Database

April 13, 1954: Athletics prevail on final Opening Day in Philadelphia