2002
» The Mets beat the Pirates, 6–2, improving their record in openers to 26–15, the best record in the majors.

In the opener at Boston, the Blue Jays take an 8–3 lead against Pedro Martinez and hold on for a 12–11 win. Darrin Fletcher, with four RBIs, hits a sac fly in the 9th for the win.

A cow named Cinci Freedom, who jumped a six-foot fence to avoid slaughter and evaded capture for 10 days before being sent to a sanctuary by artist Peter Max and his wife Mary, is excused from scheduled participation in the Cincinnati Reds' opening day parade, because she is too skittish. Following the parade, Aaron Boone's 9th inning sac fly gives the Reds a 5–4 win over the Cubs.

2001
» The Blue Jays defeat the Rangers, 8-1, as the major league baseball season opens in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Former Ranger Esteban Loaiza gets the victory, striking out nine in seven innings while Shannon Stewart and Tony Batista slug home runs for Toronto. Alex Rodriguez gets two hits in his Texas debut but makes a critical error.

1999
» No joke. Enraged that P Hideki Irabu fails to cover 1B on a ground ball hit during an exhibition game, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner calls him a "fat pussy toad." Steinbrenner will later apologize to Irabu.

1998
» Seattle 1B David Segui homers from both sides of the plate in the Mariners 9–7 loss to Cleveland. Segui adds a double and drives in five runs.

The expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays win their first game in franchise history, beating the Tigers, 11–8. Fred McGriff has four RBIs on three hits.

The Angels put together a four run rally in the 4th to hand the Yankees a 4–1 opening day defeat. Matt Walbeck's two RBI triple was the big hit in the game. Chuck Finley earned the win as he gave up a run on four hits and six walks in seven IP, with seven K's. Chuck Knoblauch entered the record books as he played his 1000th game at 2B and set the American League record for highest career fielding percentage.

The Angels sign free agent pitcher Steve Sparks to a minor league contract. He'll go 0–8 in the minors, earning a promotion, where he'll go 9–4. The knuckler missed the entire 1997 season when he injured himself ripping a phone book in half following a spring training game.

1997
» The Padres score 11 runs in the 6th inning against the Mets, going on to win, 12-5. Three consecutive home runs -- by Chris Gomez, Rickey Henderson, and Quilvio Veras -- are the inning's big blows. The 11 runs ties a 3-year-old record for the most scored in an inning on Opening Day this century.

Albert Belle, Chicago's $55 million man, doubles in the 1st run and clocks a 2-run home run in the 8th to help the White Sox to a 6–5 10-inning win over Toronto. In the 10th, Ray Durham singles and comes around to score on a ball that eludes the SS for an error.

1996
» At Riverfront Stadium, umpire John McSherry calls time from behind the plate and collapses on the field with a massive heart attack and dies. The popular McSherry, a veteran of 21 seasons, had been suffering from a series of medical problems, aggravated by his weight of 328 pounds. The game, just seven pitches old between the Reds and Expos, is called, though owner Marge Schott feels otherwise: "Snow this morning and now this. I don't believe it. I feel cheated. This isn't supposed to happen to us, not in Cincinnati. This is our history, our tradition, our team. Nobody feels worse than me." Schott, who will later apologize, says it with flowers instead. But the Dayton Daily News will report on the 28th that the flowers she sends were given to her by television station covering the Reds.

The Athletics open the season in Las Vegas since renovations to the Oakland Coliseum are still not finished. The night game with the Blue Jays at Cashman Field, with a seating of 9,553, draws just 7,294 and the Jays take advantage of a 25-mile-an hour wind to hit three homers and win, 9–6. It is the first time since September 3, 1957 that major league teams have played in a minor league park.

The New York Mets spot the Cardinals six runs, then roar back for a 7–6 win, the biggest Opening Day comeback this century.

Snow postpones the Yankee opener in Cleveland.

1991
» Expos trade OF Otis Nixon and minor league 3B Sol Rodriguez to the Braves in exchange for C Jimmy Kremers and a player to be named later.

1987
» After testing positive for cocaine during spring training, Mets ace Dwight Gooden avoids suspension by agreeing to enter a drug rehabilitation program.

St. Louis sends highly regarded youngsters OF Andy Van Slyke, C Mike LaValliere, and P Mike Dunne to Pittsburgh in exchange for All-Star catcher Tony Pena.

1986
» In a purge of its pitching staff, Atlanta releases veterans Pascual Perez, Len Barker, Terry Forster, and Rick Camp.

1982
» The Mets ship popular OF Lee Mazzilli to the Rangers for minor league pitchers Ron Darling and Walt Terrell.

Surely you jest. The Cards trade P Bob Shirley to the Reds for minor league pitchers Jose Brito and Jeff Lahti. Brito won't make it but Lahti will have more than a cup of latte, going 17–11 in five years. After a season in Cincy, Shirley will go to the Yankees.

1981
» Houston trades P Ken Forsch to the Angels for INF Dickie Thon.

1980
» After failing to come up with a new collective bargaining agreement with the owners, the Executive Board of the Players' Association votes unanimously to cancel the 92 remaining exhibition games and to strike on May 22nd if a deal has not been reached by then. During spring training, the players had voted 971-1 in favor of a strike. The lone dissenter was Kansas City's Jerry Terrell, who voted no for religious reasons.

1978
» Starting off with a bang, Japanese star Sadaharu Oh hits a grand-slam home run on Opening Day. It is his 757th home run.

1970
» The Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club, headed by Bud Selig, purchases the Seattle Pilots for $10,800,000. Although negotiations were conducted over a period of months, it was not until March 13 when a federal bankruptcy referee declared the Pilots bankrupt. Brewers tickets go on sale tomorrow.

1969
» The Seattle Pilots trade minor league OF Lou Piniella to the Royals for OF Steve Whitaker and P John Gelnar.

1967
» Reds pitcher Joe Nuxhall retires and begins his career as the team's radio broadcaster. He will pitch batting practice when the team is on the road.

1964
» Cleveland manager Birdie Tebbetts suffers a heart attack and will be sidelined until July 5th. Coach George Strickland will manage the Indians in Tebbetts' absence.

1963
» The Mets bring Duke Snider back to New York, purchasing him from the Dodgers for $40,000.

1962
» University of Detroit basketball star Dave DeBusschere, also a pitcher, signs with the Chicago White Sox.

1951
» The Browns trade infielder George "Snuffy" Stirnweiss and SS Merrill Combs to Cleveland for 3B Fred Marsh and $35,000.

1950
» The Hollywood Stars (PCL) open their season clad in shorts and rayon shirts.

1947
» Branch Rickey deflects pressure on Jackie Robinson by keeping him in Montreal, although it is clear the contending Dodgers can use the 1946 International League batting king.

1944
» Gerald Juzek pitches 3 innings for Los Angeles in a PCL exhibition game less than 2 years after suffering a severe leg wound while fighting in Guadalcanal. Juzek was told he would never walk again.

1942
» The Sporting News raises its price to 15 cents a copy, $7 per year.

1937
» Babe Herman is sold by Cincinnati to Detroit.

1927
» Giants SS Travis Jackson has an appendicitis operation that puts him out of action for 6 weeks.

1914
» Future Hall of Famer Rube Waddell, weakened by a heroic effort to help contain a winter flood in Kentucky, dies at 37 of tuberculosis in a San Antonio sanitarium.

1911
» NL president Tom Lynch reveals he had asked all umpires to produce certificates as to their eyesight; tests showed all have perfect vision.

1910
» Johnny Kling, Cubs catcher on their 1906–08 pennant winners, is reinstated. Kling won the world pocket billiard title over the winter of 1908-09 and swapped a baseball bat for a pool cue. Kling, who played for a Chicago semipro team while holding out for the entire 1909 season, is fined $700, and required to play for the Cubs at his 1908 salary of $4,500.