2002
» At the Superdome in New Orleans, a crowd of 27,673 -- a record for a college baseball game -- watch LSU beat Tulane, 9–5. Aaron Hill has four RBIs for LSU. The previous record was 24,859 at consecutive games at the CWS in 1999 in which Miami played Alabama and Rice played Oklahoma State.

2000
» The Rockies beat the Reds, 7-5, despite Ken Griffey Jr.'s 400th career home run. Griffey is the youngest in history to reach that milestone.

1999
» The Diamondbacks defeat the Braves, 8–3, as P Randy Johnson strikes out 15 batters, including six in a row, to set an Arizona record. SS Tony Batista strokes five hits for Arizona, including a home run, and brings home four runs. Batista's streak will reach 7, then he'll have 17 at bats without a hit.

During a rundown play, Seattle rookie IF Carlos Guillen tears a ligament in his right knee in the Mariners 11–4 loss to Oakland. He will require surgery and be out for the season.

1998
» The Dodgers Mike Piazza becomes the 5th National League player in history to hit grand slams in consecutive games by homering in the Dodgers 7–2 win over the Astros. Piazza also homered with the bags full, while driving in six runs, in last night's 7–2 win over Arizona. He'll hit another on April 24th to tie the major-league record for slams in a month.

Tino Martinez leads the Yankees to a historical 17–13 win over the A's. Martinez had three hits, including a double and home run, five RBI, and four runs. The teams combine for a Yankee Stadium record with 30 runs, topping the old record of 28 set on June 3, 1933. The Yankees' 17 runs are the most in a home opener since 1955.

Cubs' OF Henry Rodriguez gets five hits and drives home three runs in Chicago's 13–0 win over Montreal. Kevin Tapani limits the Expos to just three hits to gain the win.

Mo Vaughn of the Red Sox and Steve Finley of the Padres each hit game–ending grand slams, the first time two players accomplished the feat on the same day since 1982. Vaughn's gives Boston a 9–7 win over Seattle, while Finley's powers San Diego to a 6–4 victory over Arizona.

Down 7–2, the Red Sox jump on Seattle for seven runs in the last half of the 9th to defeat the Mariners, 9–7. Four Mariner relievers fail to get a single batter out in the frame, as Mo Vaughn's grand slam off Paul Spoljaric is the decisive hit.

1997
» Florida P Alex Fernandez hurls a 1-hit, 1-0 victory over the Cubs. Fernandez fans eight without walking a batter, and allows just a single to Dave Hansen with one out in the 9th inning.

1996
» In his major league debut, Cuban defector Osvaldo Fernandez allows just five hits and one run in eight innings as his Giants beat the Marlins, 5–1. Fernandez posted a fat 9.45 ERA in spring training.

1992
» San Diego's Dave Eiland becomes the 9th pitcher in history to homer in his 1st major league at bat. He connects against Bob Ojeda of the Dodgers in an 8–3 Padre win. Eiland does enter the trivia books as also he serves up a homer to the first batter he faces. Rookie pitcher Jim Bullinger will also homer on his 1st ML at bat this year. The winless Eiland will end the year on another trivia record note: he joins Buster Narum and Ed Hobaugh, both in 1963, as pitchers with more homers than wins in a year.

1991
» Scott Sanderson hurls eight no-hit innings against the Tigers in his first appearance as a Yankee. He surrenders a wind-blown double to Tony Phillips on his first pitch of the 9th, and is replaced by Greg Cadaret, who finishes the 1-hitter for a 4-0 NY victory.

Sixty-eight-year-old Minnie Minoso is denied a chance to appear in a professional game in his 6th consecutive decade by baseball Commissioner Fay Vincent. Minoso had been scheduled to suit up for the independent Miami Miracle of the Class A Florida State League in their April 13 game against the Ft. Lauderdale Yankees. Vincent refuses to allow Minoso to sign a contract, even for a single night.

1990
» Wade Boggs is intentionally walked three times in Boston's 4–2 win over Detroit, tying the major-league record for a 9-inning game.

In the home opener at Toronto, President George Bush, guest of Canadian PM Brian Mulroney, becomes the 1st US president to throw out a first pitch on foreign soil. Toronto then beats Texas, 2-1 in front of 49,673.

Rain washes out the Indians opener at home against the Yankees.

1989
» Dave Stieb pitches a one-hitter against the Yankees, giving him three one-hitters in his last four starts (dating back to last September). Jamie Quirk's 5th-inning single is the only hit off Stieb in the 8–0 Blue Jays' victory.

Ken Griffey Jr. hits his first ML home run, off Eric King, in Seattle's 6–5 win over the White Sox. He and his father, a reserve outfielder on the Reds, are the first father-and-son duo to play in the major leagues at the same time.

San Diego's Bruce Hurst pitches a one-hitter and collects his first ML hit in a 5–2 win over the Braves. Lonnie Smith's 2-run home run in the 3rd is the only hit.

Eddie Murray hits his first National League home run, a grand slam in the top of the 9th inning that leads the Dodgers to a 7–4 win over the Giants. It is Murray's 15th career grand slam.

1982
» The Yankees trade relief pitcher Ron Davis and minor leaguers Paul Boris and Greg Gagne to the Twins for veteran IF Roy Smalley. Gagne hit .270 and .297 the past two seasons at Greensboro.

1981
» In his first game for the White Sox, Carlton Fisk belts a 3-run home run in the 8th inning to lead Chicago to a 5–3 win over his former Red Sox teammates at Fenway Park.

1980
» In front of a crowd of 53,313, Sixto Lezcano hits two homers — a 2-run shot in the 4th off Dennis Eckersley — and a grand slam with two outs in the 9th inning, to give Milwaukee a 9–5 win over Boston and Dick Drago. Lezcano also opened the 1978 season with a grand slam, the only player to do it twice in Openers. The game features seven homers, including Carl Yastrzemski and Butch Hobson going deep in the 9th off Jim Slaton.

At Arlington Stadium, Jon Matlack and the Yankees Ron Guidry both pitch shutout ball for nine innings before being lifted. In the 12th, Goose Gossage relieves with Mickey Rivers on 3rd and Richie Zisk at the plate. His first pitch is wild allowing Rivers to score the games on run. Gossage also lost the '78 Opener when Zisk took him deep in the 9th. Each team manages just four hits in the contest with Bob Watson and Jim Sundberg each collecting three of them.

The Orioles win their season opener, 5–3, over the White Sox. Jim Palmer outpitches Steve Trout.

Minnesota outlasts Oakland, 9–7, in 12 innings. Rick Sofield hits his first ML homer, a 3-run shot in the 12th, and Roy Smalley adds another in the frame -- both off Steve McCatty. Sofield has three hits and three runs in the game but will end his ML career in 1981 with a .207 average. He'll switch to football and become the starting quarterback for the University of South Carolina in 1983.

1979
» The White Sox lose their season opener 10–2 to the Blue Jays. Huffman pitches six innings for the win in his ML debut. The Sox play is so pathetic that Chicago owner Bill Veeck offers every fan at the game free admission to the Sox' next contest.

J.R. Richard throws a major-league record six wild pitches in the Astrodome against the Dodgers, but strikes out 13 and wins 2–1.

1977
» The Indians (13) and Red Sox (6) combine for 19 runs in the 8th inning to set a modern ML record. Cleveland wins 19–9.

1976
» The Braves sign free agent Andy Messersmith to a "lifetime contract" worth $1 million.

The Brewers trail 9–6 with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th inning at a full County Stadium. Because of crowd noise, Yankee relief P Dave Pagan does not hear the time-out called by 1B Chris Chambliss. Pagan pitches to Don Money, who hits a grand slam. Because of the time-out the home run is nullified. Money bats again, and hits a sacrifice ?y. The final score is 9–7 and the Brewers protest the game.

In the Opening Day 5–4 win at Pittsburgh, Dave Parker scores the winning run in a violent collision at the plate with Phils' C Johnny Oates. Oates will miss two months with a broken collar bone.

1975
» Oakland's Mike Norris shuts out Chicago, 9–0, in his ML debut.

The Reds come from behind again to beat the Dodgers, this time spotting LA a 5–0 lead before winning, 7–6. The Reds sweep the 3-game series.

1973
» Kansas City opens its new park, Royals Stadium, with a 12–1 rout of the Rangers. The game is attended by 39,464 fans braving 39-degree weather.

1971
» The Phillies debut in new $49.5 million Veterans Stadium, beating Montreal 4–1. Don Money connects for the park's first home run.

The Pirates drop a 5–4 decision in Atlanta despite getting three home runs from Willie Stargell.

1970
» The Cubs are down 1–0 with two out in 9th to Montreal when Ron Santo singles and Johnny Callison homers for the 2–1 win. The Cubs will lose tomorrow then win 11 straight to take over 1st place. During the streak, however, they will suffer the loss of Randy Hundley when he is rammed at home by the Cards Carl Taylor. Hundley will tear his knee and will be out month, then two more, until July 10, with surgery.

1969
» Bill Freehan smashes two homers—one with the sacks full—to lead the Tigers to a 12–3 win over the Indians. Mickey Lolich beats Sam McDowell.

Frank Howard bangs a pair of homers, giving him four in three games, in the Senators 9–6 win over the Yankees. Fritz Peterson gives 10 hits and six runs in taking the loss. For the Yanks, Fernandez hits a pair of homers, one a grand slam.

1968
» In Washington, Hubert Humphrey throws out the first ball to start the Senators–Twins game, while soldiers patrol the streets around D.C. Stadium to prevent rioting in the wake of the King funeral.

In New York, just 15,744 show up for the opener at the Stadium between the Yanks and California. Poet Marian Moore tosses out the first ball and rookie catcher Frank Fernandez catches it. Fernandez then belts a home run off George Brunet and Mel Stottlemyre wins, 1–0. Fernandez has one of three hits off Brunet, while Stottlemyre allows just four hits. This is one of four shutouts (out of ten games) pitched on Opening Day.

1967
» At D.C. Stadium, LBJ tosses out the first ball to open the season. But the Senators manage just two hits off Mel Stottlemyre as the Yankees win, 8–0. New York jumps on starter Pete Richert for seven runs in the 3rd inning, collecting six straight hits, to put it away.

1964
» Demolition begins on the Polo Grounds to clear the way for a housing project.

1963
» The Yankees follow a 8–2 opening day victory yesterday with a 5–3 victory today at Kansas City. The 45-degree weather takes its toll, as Yankee starter Bill Stafford leaves in the 7th inning with a twinge in his right arm, and will never be quite the same. Mickey Mantle homers but pulls a muscle in his last at bat, that he will re-injure on the 13th, sidelining him for two weeks.

1962
» The Houston Colt 45s begin play before 25,271 fans at Colt Stadium, a temporary facility, adjacent to the land for the Astrodome. Roman Mejias hits two 3-run home runs, and Bobby Shantz pitches Houston to an 11–2 win over the Cubs.

Dodger Stadium, the first ML arena privately financed since Yankee Stadium in 1922-23, opens in Chavez Ravine. With 52,564 fans on hand, the Dodgers inaugurate the $22 million facility with a 6–3 loss to the Reds. Wally Post hits the first homer in the new stadium, a 3-run shot over the CF fence in the 7th.

At Yankee Stadium, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, and Bill Skowron, the three Yankees who combined for 143 homers last season, hit Opening Day homers to lead New York to a come-from-behind 7–6 win over Baltimore. Moose's is a 2-run shot to dead center that he legs out for an inside-the -park homer, while Mantle hits his in the 8th inning to tie the game, Maris hits a 3-run shot in the 5th. Johnny Temple, in his first game for the O's, has three hits, including a home run. Starters Billy Hoeft and Whitey Ford are gone after six innings, and the win goes to Ralph Terry, while Skinny Brown takes the loss.

1961
» After President John F. Kennedy throws out the first ball, the new Washington team loses its first regular-season game, 4–3, to the White Sox. Former Sox pitcher Dick Donovan, picked up in the expansion draft, is the loser, though he will end the season with a league-leading 2.40 ERA.

1959
» Chicago 2B Nellie Fox gets five hits in seven at bats on Opening Day in a 14-inning 9–7 win in Detroit. His 5th hit is a 2-run homer, off Don Mossi, to win the game: Nellie went homerless last season in 623 at bats. Nellie's five hits in an opener ties a record that won't be matched in the next 40 years.

In St. Louis, the Cards lose their opener 6–5 to the Giants. Jackie Brandt drives home the winner in the 9th for SF.

Phils 2B Sparky Anderson drives in the winning run in his first major league game, as Philadelphia beats the Reds, 2–1.

1950
» Based on his 22 wins for Baltimore (IL) in 1949, St. Louis Browns P Al Widmar quits the team. He threatens a suit against baseball unless the team grants him a pay raise. He will sign within the week.

1947
» During the 6th inning of the Dodgers-Royals exhibition game at Ebbets Field, the Dodgers announce that they have purchased the contract of Jackie Robinson from Montreal and that "he will report immediately." Rickey says after the game that he reached a definite decision just five minutes before he made the announcement.

1928
» The Senators open a day ahead of the other teams as President Calvin Coolidge throws out the first ball. The Red Sox win 7-5.

1917
» The U.S. entry into World War I and a cold, wet spring combine to put a damper on the start of the season; 48 NL games will be postponed in the first month. Half the ML clubs will show losses this year, and eight of the 20 minor leagues will fold before the season is over. The AL gets the Army to assign drill sergeants to each team for daily pregame drills. A final contest will be held for a $500 prize. The St. Louis Browns will take the money.

1915
» In the final of the city series in Philadelphia, the Phillies beat the A's, 5–3, when Gavvy Cravath belts a 3-run homer off Bob Shawkey in the 8th. The series, which began in Jacksonville, ends at three wins apiece, and a tie.

In Cincinnati, the Reds beat Babe Ruth and the Red Sox, 3–1. Boston will prevail tomorrow, 2–1.

1913
» 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, 8–12 last year as a 35-year-old rookie, allows just six hits but loses to Walter Johnson 2–1. 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.

1906
» Promising Reds' rookie John Siegle breaks a small bone directly above his left ankle while sliding into second base in a spring training game. He won't appear in a game until June 23 (a fruitless pinch-hitting effort, in which he supposedly stepped up to the plate with the aid of a cane), or return to the lineup until July 10. After limping to a .118 average in 22 games, Siegle will disappear from the majors for good. (as noted by Bill Deane)

1905
» A New York magistrate rules Sunday baseball legal, but the battle will continue in the courts.