April 7, 1970: Opening Day swan song for Phillies at Connie Mack Stadium
The Philadelphia Phillies planned to open the 1970 season at…
June 23, 1971: Geneva’s Ken Flowers nabs only professional win on Opening Day
One professional season, one professional win.
In the pros,…
April 6, 1973: Cleon Jones belts 2 homers; Mets blank Phillies 3-0 on Opening Day
A World Series berth was 161 games and an NL playoff away.
Coming…
April 14, 1970: Prayers for Apollo 13 crew at Cubs’ home opener
What’s usually a day of terrific joy was also a day of grave…
April 8, 1969: Mike Hegan homers, sacrifices body for win in Seattle Pilots’ inaugural game
Change was in the air in the spring of 1969. As the turbulent…
April 6, 1973: Nolan Ryan whiffs 12 on Opening Day; Vietnam War POW throws out first ball
The Watergate investigation took a mammoth leap forward in March…
April 11, 1966: Emmett Ashford makes history as first Black umpire in American League
Opening Day on April 11, 1966, at D.C. Stadium in Washington…
April 15, 1972: After an uncertain spring, Red Sox drop Opening Day game in Detroit
It might be difficult to imagine in the modern era, with big-money…
April 18, 1972: Wilbur Wood tosses 3-hit shutout in White Sox’s first night opener
The Chicago White Sox were scheduled to open their season on…
April 15, 1972: Mets mourn Gil Hodges, win on Opening Day
On April 15, 1972, New York Mets fans filed into Shea Stadium…
April 21, 1965: Rocky Colavito returns to Cleveland for home opener
The largest Opening Day crowd in 1965 poured into cavernous Municipal…
April 8, 1969: Tony Conigliaro returns to Red Sox after near-fatal beaning
Greater Boston native son Tony Conigliaro was a star for the…
April 6, 1971: Billy Williams’s homer in 10th breaks up pitchers’ duel on Opening Day
After the Chicago Cubs finished second in their division in 1969…
April 8, 1969: San Diego Padres win inaugural major-league game
The 1969 Padres coaches gather around manager Preston Gomez…
April 15, 1972: Fingers blows late lead, but A’s rally to beat Twins on Opening Day
Before the Athletics relocated to Oakland in 1968, they hadn’t…
April 8, 1969: Baseball returns to Kansas City as Royals win debut
Senator William Stuart Symington of Missouri was a fighter.…
April 8, 1969: Cubs’ Willie Smith hits dramatic 2-run, 11th-inning home run to sink Phillies
Ironically, the Chicago Cubs got off to an auspicious start in…
April 6, 1973: Yankees’ Ron Blomberg makes debut as baseball’s first designated hitter
Luis Tiant had led the majors with a 1.91 ERA in 1972 but…
April 6, 1973: Don Baylor whacks 4 extra-base hits to lead Orioles’ Opening Day rout
The Orioles’ most one-sided Opening Day victory in Baltimore…
April 6, 1970: Ending one era on the brink of another: Reds begin final season at Crosley Field
On April 6, 1970, the Cincinnati Reds were a club transitioning…
April 12, 1965: Phillies win first regular-season game in the Astrodome
On April 9, 1965, the former Houston Colt .45s took the field…
April 12, 1967: Red Sox begin magical season with Opening Day win
“In other years, the cynics expected the Red Sox to go nowhere.…
April 8, 1969: Bienvenue to MLB: Montreal Expos win inaugural game
Montreal mayor Jean Drepeau with (from left) John Bateman, Jim…
April 7, 1969: Dodgers’ Bill Singer credited with first official save
A sellout crowd of 30,111 watched their hometown Cincinnati Reds…