IN THE NEWS: An exhibition game with the newly christened Yankees opens Ebbets Field; 25,000 are on hand to watch Nap Rucker beat the American Leaguers, 32. The first home run is hit by Brooklyn's Casey Stengel, who legs out an inside-the-parker in the 1st. Jake Daubert legs out another round tripper in the 2nd. The Yanks suffer a loss when Zack Wheat spikes starting SS Claud Derrick on his throwing hand. Derrick will play just seven games before New York ships him to Sacramento (PCL).
IN THE NEWS: With league approval, the Dodgers play their openerand first regular-season game at Ebbets Fielda day ahead of the rest of the league. Cold weather keeps the crowd down to about 12,000, and the Phils' knuckleballer Tom Seaton beats Nap Rucker, 10. Seaton will lead the NL in wins with 27.
IN THE NEWS: President Woodrow Wilson, who receives a gold pass from Ban Johnson, throws out the first ball at Washington's home opener at National Park. Under new manager Frank Chance, New York is playing its first official game as Yankees. New York starter George McConnell, 812 last year as a 35-year-old rookie, allows just six hits but loses to Walter Johnson 21. Danny Moeller drives in both Nat runs with a single. After giving up an unearned run in the first, Johnson begins a string of shutout innings that will reach a record 55 2/3 before the St. Louis Browns score in the 4th on May 14th. Johnson scatters eight hits today, including one by 1B Charlie Sterrett. Regular first sacker Hal Chase, though left-handed, fills in at second base for injured player/manager Frank Chance.
IN THE NEWS: At Chicago, pinch runner Wilbur Good swipes home in the 10th inning to give the Cubs a 54 win over Pittsburgh. Larry Cheney
takes the victory against Howie Camnitz.
IN THE NEWS: After two losses and four rainouts, the Giants finally register a victory, in Boston, winning 32 in 10 innings. Larry Doyle collects four of the five New York hits, including the game winner in the 10th off Bill James. Christy Mathewson is the winner, scattering nine hits.
Before 25,000 at the Polo Grounds, Washington mars the debut of new manager Frank Chance, but routing his Yankees, 93. The Yanks are renting the Polo Grounds on a temporary basis.
IN THE NEWS: The Pirates use eight hits in a row plus a sacrifice fly to score seven runs in the 8th inning in a come-from-behind victory over the Cardinals, 85.
IN THE NEWS: Christy Mathewson sets down the Phils 31, throwing just 67 pitches. He retires the side in the 6th on six pitches, and uses just five in the 9th inning. Ad Brennan takes the loss.
IN THE NEWS: Perennial spring training holdout Ty Cobb signs for the 1913 season.
The Superbas win the first of two at Brooklyn when Casey Stengel belts a two-run homer to lead Brooklyn to a 53 win over the Giants. In the 10th inning of the nitecap, Giants pinch-hitting specialist Moose McCormick is called upon to get a hit twice in one at bat. With the winning run on base, he singles to win the game. But umpire Bill Klem says his back was turned and he didn't see it, so McCormick has to try again. This time Moose hits into a double play. Darkness ends the scoreless game after 11 innings.
IN THE NEWS: After a game in St. Louis, the Reds' trainer forgets to load the uniforms on the train. In Chicago, the Cincy squad borrows White Sox uniforms and then loses to the Cubs 72, at the West Side Grounds.
At Ebbets Field, New York's Christy Mathewson beats Nap Rucker 60 in 13 innings and gives up no walks. He has thrown 22 innings without a pass; he will not walk a batter for 47 innings, then will top his own record later in the year. During his 2511 season, Matty will walk 21 and hit none.
IN THE NEWS: Chicago's Al Bridwell ends a drought of 3,246 at bats without a homer by slugging his first ML homer, off George Suggs. He'll hit another next year in the Federal League. Al's dry spell stretches back to 1905.
In Detroit, Ty Cobb is in the lineup for the first time following his holdout, but the White Sox prevail, 65, in 12 innings. Ty has a single and RBI.
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