Wikipedia

Opening Day

For the Twilight Zone episode, seeOpening Day (The Twilight Zone).

Opening Dayis the day on which professionalbaseballleagues begin theirregular season.ForMajor League Baseball(MLB) and most of the Americanminor leagues,this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent years it has occasionally fallen in the last week of March. InNippon Professional Baseball,this day typically falls during the last week of March.

Opening Day
2009 Opening Day atDodger StadiuminLos Angeles
Observed byUnited States,Canada
2024 dateMarch 28
Frequencyannual

For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writerThomas Boswellonce penned a book titled,Why Time Begins on Opening Day.[1]Many feel that the occasion is a moment to forget last season, in that all teams begin anew with0–0records.[1]Pre-seasonexhibition gamesare usually played in the month before Opening Day, duringspring training.Ahomeopener is a team's first game of the season on their home field.

Equivalents to Opening Day occur throughout the sport, including minor leagues,college baseball,high school, and youth leagues. Because MLB generally begins its season earlier than the other professional baseball leagues, its Opening Day is the one most commonly recognized by the general public. Most minor leagues start a few days later, but within the same week; theshort seasonClass A and Rookie leagues are exceptions, as they begin in June. College, high school and youth baseball seasons vary widely depending on location and weather conditions.

History

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TheFindlay MarketParade atFountain SquareinDowntown Cincinnatiin 2015. The parade has been held annually since1920to celebrate Opening Day in Cincinnati.

For generations, Opening Day has arrived amid pageantry. InCincinnati,home of the sport'sfirst openly all-professional team,the annualFindlay MarketParade marks an official "city holiday" with young and old alike taking the day off to cheer on theReds.For decades, the first pitch of every major league season officially took place in Cincinnati, and the Reds remain the only major league team to always open the season with a home game (the sole exceptions, since the beginning of the 20th century, being in 1966, when they started the season at Philadelphia after rain washed out the opening series in Cincinnati; 1990, when due to alockoutaffecting the schedule they opened the season at Houston; and 2022, when anotherlockoutled to their opening the season at Atlanta).[2]TheChicago Cubshave been the Reds' most frequent Opening Day opponent, visiting Cincinnati for 36 season openers, most recently in 2007. ThePittsburgh Pirates,against whom the current Reds organization played their first opener in 1882, are a close second with 32, most recently in 2023; no other team has more than 19 (by theSt. Louis Cardinals,most recently in 2014), largely due to the Cubs and Pirates rotating as the Opening Day opponents from 1899 to 1916, then the two teams and the Cardinals rotated from 1917 to 1952.[3]Following the then-Boston Bravesrelocation toMilwaukeeduring the 1953 spring training, the Braves swapped schedules with the Pirates and the Opening Day opponent for the Reds began to be rotated amongst the rest of theNational League.[4]Fittingly, the Reds were also the first team to host anInterleague gameon Opening Day when the team hosted theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheimin the first year of year-round Interleague play in 2013.[5]

Since 1994ESPNhas often televised a regular-season game the night before "Opening Day" and recent years have seen the staging of season-opening series inMexico,Puerto Rico,Japan, and Australia. While these are technically "opening games", Major League Baseball still reserves the title "Opening Day" for the first day in which multiple games are played. (For the first time ever, three televised games were played on Sunday, April 3, 2016, before the traditional "Opening Day" slate of games on Monday, April 4.)[6][7][8]

Opening Day introductions atMinute Maid Parkon April 2, 2007

Opening Day is a state of mind as well, with countless baseball fans known to recognize this unofficial holiday as a good reason to call in sick at work or betruantfrom school (as most teams typically play their home opener on a weekday afternoon) and go out to the ballpark for the first of 162 regular season games. Teams' home openers serve as the only regular season games during the year in which the entire rosters of both teams as well as coaches and clubhouse staff are introduced to the crowd prior to the games; for the rest of the year, ballparks only introduce the starting lineups and the teams'managers.Some teams, among them theNew York Mets,have had their broadcasters as the master of pre-game ceremonies for their home openers, which also typically feature appearances by retired players, local celebrities or media personalities, politicians, and other dignitaries.

Prior to Opening Day, the teams' managers have to decide the startingpitchersfor the game, an assignment typically given to theaceof each team's staff.[9]For a pitcher to start on Opening Day is considered an honor, regardless of whether they are on the home or visiting team.[10]Hall of Fame pitcherEarly Wynn,who played for theWashington Senators,Cleveland IndiansandChicago White Sox,once said: "An opener is not like any other game. There's that little extra excitement, a faster beating of the heart. You have that anxiety to get off to a good start, for yourself and for the team. You know that when you win the first one, you can't lose 'em all."[1]

In 2014,Ozzie Smith,with the support ofAnheuser-Busch,began a campaign using theWe the Peoplesite onWhiteHouse.govto petition the U.S. government to make Opening Day an officialnational holiday.[11][12]

Memorable moments

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PresidentWoodrow Wilsonthrows out the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day in 1916

In 1907, theNew York Giantsforfeited their game at thePolo Groundsto thePhiladelphia Phillies,9–0, after rowdy fans made and threw snowballs. Without police available to restore order, umpireBill Klemawarded the game to the Phillies.[13]

In 1940,Cleveland IndianspitcherBob Fellerthrew ano-hitterto open the season against theChicago White Sox.It remains the only no-hitter in Opening Day history.[14]

TwelveU.S. Presidentshave thrown theceremonial first pitchof the season. On April 14, 1910, baseball enthusiastWilliam Howard Taftattended theWashington Senators' home opener atNational Park,becoming the first U.S. President to open the season in this manner.[15]Harry S. Trumanthrew first pitches with both his right and left arm in 1950.[1]On April 4, 1994,Bill Clintoninaugurated theCleveland Indians' new ballpark, then known as Jacobs Field and now asProgressive Field,with the first pitch.[16]George W. Bushdid the honors to inaugurateNationals Parkfor theWashington Nationalson March 30, 2008.[17]

Ted Williamswas a.449hitterin openers, with threehome runsand fourteenruns batted induring fourteen such games and at least one hit in each game.[18]

On April 4, 1974,Hank Aaronof theAtlanta Braveshit his 714th career home run on Opening Day at Cincinnati'sRiverfront Stadium,tyingBabe Ruthon Major League Baseball's all-time list.[1]Aaron finished his career with 755 home runs.

In 14 season openers for theWashington Senators,Walter Johnsonpitched a record nine shutouts. Two of his more famous starts include a 3–0 victory over thePhiladelphia Athleticsin 1910 and a 1–0 marathon victory while battling the A'sEddie Rommelfor 15 innings.

On March 29, 2018,Matt Davidsonof theChicago White Soxhit three home runs in his team's opener against theKansas City Royalsat Kansas City'sKauffman Stadium.He became the fourth major leaguer with three home runs on Opening Day, following theToronto Blue Jays'George Bellin 1988,Chicago Cubs'Tuffy Rhodesin 1994 and theDetroit Tigers'Dmitri Youngin 2005.

TheSt. Louis Cardinalswere the first major league team to open their home season with anight game,beating thePittsburgh Pirates4–2 atSportsman's Parkon April 18, 1950.[19]

The firstinterleagueOpening Day game was played between theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim(AL) and theCincinnati Reds(NL) on April 1, 2013 at Cincinnati'sGreat American Ball Park.The Angels won the game in 13 innings, 3–1.[20]

The longest Opening Day game in major league history was played on April 5, 2012 between theCleveland IndiansandToronto Blue Jays.The game, played at Cleveland'sProgressive Field,ended with the Blue Jays beating the Indians, 7–4, in 16 innings.[21]The previous record for longest Opening Day game was on April 19, 1960, atCleveland Stadium.That game, lasting 15 innings, also saw the Indians in a losing effort, 4–2, versus theDetroit Tigers.ThePhiladelphia AthleticsandWashington Senatorsalso played a 15-inning season opener on April 13, 1926, with Washington winning, 1–0, at home.

On rare occasions, predominantly in the early 20th century, a team would open its home season with adoubleheader.The first of these came when theBoston Americanshosted thePhiladelphia Athleticsfor two games on April 20, 1903, with Boston winning the first game, 9–4, and Philadelphia taking the second game, 10–7.[22]The most recent Opening Day doubleheader in the major leagues came on April 7, 1971, with theChicago White Soxdefeating the hostOakland Athleticsin both games (6–5 and 12–4, respectively).[23]

In 1968,Greg Washburn,a pitcher in theCalifornia Angelsorganization, pitched two Opening Day games in the same year—first for theSan Jose Beesof theCalifornia League,and then for theQuad City Angelsof theMidwest League.Washburn won both openers 2–0. This is the only record of a pitcher pitching two openers in the same year in professional baseball.

Hall of FamerTom Seaverholds the record among major league pitchers for the most Opening Day starts, doing the honors 16 times in his career with theNew York Mets,Cincinnati Reds,andChicago White Sox.[24]

The record for most consecutive victories on Opening Day by a team in history is ten, shared by theBoston Beaneaters(1887–1896) and theHouston Astros(2013–2022).[25]

Recent Opening Days

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Major League Baseball had most of its teams open the 2011 season on a Thursday (March 31) or Friday (April 1) rather than the traditional Monday, in order to prevent the World Series from extending into November.[26]Similarly, most teams opened the 2012 season on Thursday (April 5) or Friday (April 6). However, subsequent seasons through 2017 returned to Monday openers for most teams. For the 2018 season, all 30 teams were scheduled to open the season on Thursday, March 29 (the earliest domestic start for a regular season in MLB history, and the first time since 1968 that all major league teams were scheduled to start the season on the same day, although two games were subsequently rained out and postponed to Friday, March 30).[27]In 2019, MLB scheduled an even earlier opening day for most teams on Thursday, March 28; this excludes a two-game series on March 20 and 21 between theSeattle MarinersandOakland Athleticsat theTokyo Domein Japan.[28]The opening of the 2020 season was originally scheduled for Thursday, March 26, but was rescheduled to Thursday, July 23 and Friday, July 24 due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[29]The 2021 season opened on Thursday, April 1.[30]The opening of the 2022 season, originally scheduled for Thursday, March 31, was delayed to Thursday, April 7 due to the2021–22 lockout.[31][32] The 2023 Major League Baseball season opened on Thursday, March 30. It was the first time since 1968 that all major league teams played and the first opening day that 30 teams played as there were only 20 teams in 1968. The opening of the 2024 season occurred on Thursday, March 28th; 28 of the 30 teams played their first game of the season, with theLos Angeles DodgersandSan Diego Padreshaving played their opening game March 20 at theGocheok Sky DomeinSouth Korea.

International Opening Games

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Season City Venue Guest Team Score Home Team Ref
1999 Monterrey Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey Colorado Rockies 8–2 San Diego Padres [33]
2000 Tokyo Tokyo Dome Chicago Cubs 5–3 New York Mets [34]
New York Mets 5–1 Chicago Cubs [35]
2001 San Juan Hiram Bithorn Stadium Texas Rangers 1–8 Toronto Blue Jays [36]
2004 Tokyo Tokyo Dome New York Yankees 3–8 Tampa Bay Devil Rays [37]
New York Yankees 12–1 Tampa Bay Devil Rays [38]
2008 Tokyo Tokyo Dome Boston Red Sox 6–5 Oakland Athletics [39]
Boston Red Sox 1–5 Oakland Athletics [40]
2012 Tokyo Tokyo Dome Seattle Mariners 3–1 Oakland Athletics [41]
Seattle Mariners 1–4 Oakland Athletics [42]
2014 Sydney Sydney Cricket Ground Los Angeles Dodgers 3–1 Arizona Diamondbacks [43]
Los Angeles Dodgers 7–5 Arizona Diamondbacks [44]
2019 Tokyo Tokyo Dome Seattle Mariners 9–7 Oakland Athletics [45]
Seattle Mariners 5–4(12) Oakland Athletics [46]
2024 Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome Los Angeles Dodgers 5–2 San Diego Padres [47]
San Diego Padres 15–11 Los Angeles Dodgers [48]

Quotes

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In the beginning, there was no baseball. But ever since, there have been few beginnings as good as the start of a new baseball season. It is the most splendid time in sport, in part because baseball is about the only sport left—now that football players report to training camp before the Fourth of July, and hockey players start skating in Indian summer—that still has a time and is true to it.

— B. J. Phillips[49]

There is no sports event like Opening Day of baseball, the sense of beating back the forces of darkness and the National Football League.

— George Vecsey[1]

You always get a special kick on Opening Day, no matter how many you go through. You look forward to it like a birthday party when you're a kid. You think something wonderful is going to happen.

— Joe DiMaggio[50]

A home opener is always exciting, no matter if it's home or on the road.

— Yogi Berra[51]

References

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  1. ^abcdef"Baseball-almanac.com/opening_day/opening_day.shtml".Baseball-almanac.com.RetrievedFebruary 26,2014.
  2. ^Clark, Dave (March 11, 2022)."Reds to open MLB season on road for third time since joining National League in 1890".Cincinnati Enquirer.RetrievedApril 7,2022.
  3. ^Cincinnati Reds Opening Day HistoryBaseball Almanac
  4. ^"Boston Braves go to Milwaukee".Pittsburgh Press.United Press. March 18, 1953. p. 1.
  5. ^Choo does his part, but bats stifled as Reds fall in 13[dead link]MLB.com (04/01/2013)
  6. ^Newman, Mark."3 Opening Day games to be played on first Sunday".MLB.com.RetrievedMarch 28,2016.
  7. ^Hyber, Josh."Opening day 2016: Schedule for all 30 MLB teams".SportingNews.com.RetrievedMarch 28,2016.
  8. ^Fehr, Israel."MLB announces tweaks to 2016 opening day schedule".Sports.Yahoo.com.RetrievedMarch 28,2016.
  9. ^"Red Sox lefty Jon Lester will start second straight Opening Day".Boston Red Sox. Archived fromthe originalon February 1, 2013.RetrievedMarch 2,2013.
  10. ^"Strasburg calls Opening Day start 'huge honor'".FOX Sports.AP. April 3, 2012.Archivedfrom the original on October 26, 2020.RetrievedMarch 12,2022.
  11. ^"Ozzie Smith leads holiday campaign".ESPN. January 1, 2008.RetrievedFebruary 26,2014.
  12. ^"Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith trying to make Opening Day a national holiday | MLB.com: News".Major League Baseball. May 24, 2013.RetrievedFebruary 26,2014.
  13. ^Mackin, Bob,The Unofficial Guide to Baseball's Most Unusual Records,Greystone Books, 2004.
  14. ^"Bob Feller throws no-hitter — History.com This Day in History — 4/16/1940".History.com.RetrievedMarch 2,2013.
  15. ^"National politics – chicagotribune.com".Swamppolitics.com. January 1, 2012.RetrievedMarch 2,2013.
  16. ^"President Bill Clinton Baseball Game Attendance Log".Baseball-almanac.com.RetrievedMarch 2,2013.
  17. ^Brick, Michael (March 31, 2008)."A Stadium, and With It a Season, Opens With Fanfare in Washington".The New York Times.
  18. ^"Opening Day History by Baseball Almanac".Baseball-almanac.com.RetrievedMarch 2,2013.
  19. ^"Famous First Night Games by Baseball Almanac".Baseball-almanac.com.RetrievedMarch 2,2013.
  20. ^Nightengale, Bob (April 1, 2013)."Interleague opening day odd, indeed".USA Today.
  21. ^Chisholm, Greg (April 5, 2012)."Arencibia's homer in 16th wins historic opener".mlb.com.RetrievedApril 5,2012.
  22. ^"1903 Boston Americans schedule".Baseball Almanac.
  23. ^"1971 Oakland Athletics schedule".Baseball Almanac.
  24. ^"Most Opening Day starts in majors".StarTribune.com. April 1, 2011.RetrievedMarch 2,2013.
  25. ^@SlangsOnSports (April 8, 2022)."The Astros have won 10 straight Opening Day games, tied for the longest streak in history with the 1887-96 Boston B…"(Tweet) – viaTwitter.
  26. ^Newman, Mark (September 14, 2010)."2011 MLB slate packed with exciting matchups".MLB.com.RetrievedSeptember 15,2010.
  27. ^"MLB's schedule opens March 29, earliest regular start".USA Today.Associated Press. September 12, 2017.RetrievedMarch 27,2018.
  28. ^"MLB slate includes regular-season games in Tokyo, London and Mexico".ESPN. August 22, 2018.RetrievedFebruary 25,2019.
  29. ^Kepner, Tyler (March 12, 2020)."M.L.B. Pushes Back Opening Day Over Coronavirus Concerns".The New York Times.
  30. ^Simon, Andrew (April 1, 2021)."Opening Day! Your guide to today's games".MLB.com.RetrievedMarch 1,2022.
  31. ^Diamond, Jared (March 1, 2022)."Baseball's Opening Day Will Be Delayed as MLB Owners, Players Fail to Agree on New Contract".The Wall Street Journal.RetrievedMarch 1,2022.
  32. ^Rosenthal, Ken; Drellich, Evan (March 11, 2022)."MLB, Players Association agree to CBA; Opening Day set for April 7".The Athletic.RetrievedMarch 12,2022.
  33. ^"April 4, 1999 Colorado Rockies at San Diego Padres Boxscore".Baseball-Reference.com. April 4, 1999.RetrievedSeptember 27,2014.
  34. ^"March 29, 2000 Chicago Cubs at New York Mets Boxscore".Baseball-Reference.com. March 29, 2000.RetrievedSeptember 27,2014.
  35. ^"March 30, 2000 New York Mets at Chicago Cubs Boxscore".Baseball-Reference.com. March 30, 2000.RetrievedSeptember 27,2014.
  36. ^"April 1, 2001 Texas Rangers at Toronto Blue Jays Boxscore".Baseball-Reference.com. April 1, 2001.RetrievedSeptember 27,2014.
  37. ^"March 30, 2004 New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Devil Rays Boxscore".Baseball-Reference.com. March 30, 2004.RetrievedSeptember 27,2014.
  38. ^"March 31, 2004 New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Devil Rays Boxscore".Baseball-Reference.com. March 31, 2004.RetrievedSeptember 27,2014.
  39. ^"March 25, 2008 Boston Red Sox at Oakland Athletics Boxscore".Baseball-Reference.com. March 25, 2008.RetrievedSeptember 27,2014.
  40. ^"March 26, 2008 Boston Red Sox at Oakland Athletics Boxscore".Baseball-Reference.com. March 26, 2008.RetrievedSeptember 27,2014.
  41. ^"March 28, 2012 Seattle Mariners at Oakland Athletics Boxscore".Baseball-Reference.com. March 28, 2012.RetrievedSeptember 27,2014.
  42. ^"March 29, 2012 Seattle Mariners at Oakland Athletics Boxscore".Baseball-Reference.com. March 29, 2012.RetrievedSeptember 27,2014.
  43. ^"March 22, 2014 Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks Boxscore".Baseball-Reference.com. March 22, 2014.RetrievedSeptember 27,2014.
  44. ^"March 23, 2014 Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks Boxscore".Baseball-Reference.com. March 23, 2014.RetrievedSeptember 27,2014.
  45. ^"Seattle Mariners (1-0) 9, Oakland Athletics (0-1) 7".MLB.com.March 20, 2019.RetrievedMarch 28,2019.
  46. ^"Seattle Mariners (2-0) 5, Oakland Athletics (0-2) 4".MLB.com.March 21, 2019.RetrievedMarch 28,2019.
  47. ^"Los Angeles Dodgers (1-0) 5, San Diego Padres (0-1) 2".MLB.com.March 20, 2024.RetrievedMarch 20,2024.
  48. ^"San Diego Padres (1-1) 15, Los Angeles Dodgers (1-1) 11".MLB.com.March 21, 2024.RetrievedMarch 21,2024.
  49. ^Phillips, B.J. (May 11, 1981)."Happy Playing Billyball".Time.RetrievedMarch 23,2016.
  50. ^"Joe DiMaggio Quotes".Baseball-almanac.com.RetrievedMarch 2,2013.
  51. ^"Yogi Berra Quotes".Archived fromthe originalon October 16, 2004.
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