On April 4, 1994, The Cleveland Indians inaugurate Jacobs Field with a 4 – 3 victory over the Seattle Mariners. Eddie Murray hits a home run for the Indians, who played their last game at Cleveland Stadium in 1993. Murray becomes baseball’s all-time leader in games played at first base, manning the position in 2,369…
On April 4, 1994, journeyman outfielder Karl “Tuffy” Rhodes of the Chicago Cubs blasts three home runs on Opening Day. Victimizing New York Mets right-hander Dwight Gooden, Rhodes becomes the first player in history to hit home runs in his first three at-bats of the season. In spite of Rhodes’ unexpected home run barrage, the Cubs lose the game, 12-8…
At Riverfront Stadium, in a game that is not embraced by the local fans or Cincinnati owner Marge Schott, the new season begins with the first Sunday night opener ever played in major league history. On a frigid Easter Sunday evening, the Cardinals beat the Reds in the controversial contest, 6-4, in front of the smallest opening day crowd in the ballpark’s 24-year history.
At Mile High Stadium, the Colorado Rockies beat the Montreal Expos, 11 – 4, for their first victory ever and set a National League record for attendance in their home debut. The crowd of 80,227 breaks the NL record of 78,672 set on April 18, 1958, by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
On Opening Day in front of a full house at Seattle’s Kingdome, the Rangers score nine runs in the top of the eighth inning and hold on to beat the Mariners, 12-10. Texas had been trailing 8-3 before the late-inning barrage.
At the SkyDome in Toronto, George Bush becomes the first U.S. president to throw the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day in Canada. After the international toss, the Blue Jays beat the visiting Rangers, 2-1.
Keeping with the team’s tradition of having a rookie select the music, Reds freshman first baseman Hal Morris picks U Can’t Touch This, following the Opening Day 8-4 extra-inning victory at the Astrodome. The iconic MC Hammer tune will become the team’s mantra and the unofficial theme song for the eventual world champs.
Delino DeShields, the 21 year-old second baseman of the Expos, goes 4-for-6 to become only the second rookie to collect four hits in an Opening Day debut. Forrest Jacobs, also a second baseman, became the first major league rookie to accomplish the feat in his 1954 Opening Day debut with the Philadelphia A’s.
At Shea Stadium, the New York Mets win their 11th consecutive home opener, an 8 – 4 decision over the St. Louis Cardinals. The Mets have now won on Opening Day in 18 of the last 20 seasons.
On April 4, 1988, George Bell of the Toronto Blue Jays becomes the first major leaguer to hit three home runs on Opening Day. Bell’s home runs, all coming against Kansas City Royals ace Bret Saberhagen, help the Jays to a 5-3 win…