Opening Day – Page 7 – Society for American Baseball Research

April 6, 1970: Ending one era on the brink of another: Reds begin final season at Crosley Field

Chris Short (Trading Card DB)

April 7, 1970: Opening Day swan song for Phillies at Connie Mack Stadium

April 14, 1970: Prayers for Apollo 13 crew at Cubs’ home opener

April 6, 1971: Billy Williams’s homer in 10th breaks up pitchers’ duel on Opening Day

Ken Flowers (Geneva Times, June 24, 1971)

June 23, 1971: Geneva’s Ken Flowers nabs only professional win on Opening Day

April 15, 1972: After an uncertain spring, Red Sox drop Opening Day game in Detroit

April 15, 1972: Mets mourn Gil Hodges, win on Opening Day

April 15, 1972: Fingers blows late lead, but A’s rally to beat Twins on Opening Day

April 18, 1972: Wilbur Wood tosses 3-hit shutout in White Sox’s first night opener

April 6, 1973: Don Baylor whacks 4 extra-base hits to lead Orioles’ Opening Day rout

April 6, 1973: Yankees’ Ron Blomberg makes debut as baseball’s first designated hitter

Nolan Ryan (THE TOPPS COMPANY)

April 6, 1973: Nolan Ryan whiffs 12 on Opening Day; Vietnam War POW throws out first ball

Cleon Jones (Trading Card DB)

April 6, 1973: Cleon Jones belts 2 homers; Mets blank Phillies 3-0 on Opening Day

April 6, 1973: Something’s missing: No Clemente in right field for Pirates

Hank Aaron

April 4, 1974: Hank Aaron ties Babe Ruth’s home run record as Braves lose to Reds

Nolan Ryan (TRADING CARD DB)

April 5, 1974: Streaking, brawling Chicago fans overshadow Angels’ Opening Day win

YastrzemskiCarl

April 5, 1974: Yaz, Yount, sloppiness, and streaker make Opening Day memorable in Milwaukee

April 6, 1974: Mike Schmidt’s Opening Day homer lifts Carlton, Phillies over Seaver, Mets

April 8, 1974: Hank Aaron hammers historic 715th home run to break Babe Ruth’s record

April 7, 1975: Big Red Machine re-ignites on Opening Day

April 8, 1975: Frank Robinson debuts as first black manager in major leagues

April 8, 1975: Mets beat Phillies in Opening Day battle between Tom Seaver, Steve Carlton

Willie Stargell (Trading Card Database)

April 10, 1975: Willie Stargell returns to first base, homers twice in Pirates’ Opening Day win over Cubs

Nolan Ryan (Trading Card DB)

April 15, 1975: Ryan Express rolls past Twins in rowdy Minnesota opener