Johnny Groth hits home runs in two of his first three at bats at Tiger Stadium

Opening Day

On April 19, 1949 — In front of 53,000 fans on Opening Day, Johnny Groth hits home runs in two of his first three at bats at Tiger Stadium. The 22 year-old rookie’s performance enables Hal Newhowser and Detroit Tigers to beat Chicago White Sox, 5-1.

 

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Detroit Tigers 5, Chicago White Sox 1

Game Played on Tuesday, April 19, 1949 (D) at Briggs Stadium

CHI A 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 - 1 3 1 
DET A 0 2 0 0 1 0 1 1 x - 5 7 0
BOX+PBP
WP: Newhouser (1-0)
LP: Gettel (0-1)
HR: Robinson (1), Groth 2 (2)

Play by Play

  

WHITE SOX 1ST: Baker lined; Philley out on an unknown play;
Appling out on an unknown play; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  White Sox
0, Tigers 0.

TIGERS 1ST: Berry out on an unknown play; Lipon singled; Kell
grounded into a double play (third to second to first) [Lipon
out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  White Sox 0, Tigers 0.

WHITE SOX 2ND: Zernial struck out; Seerey walked; Michaels
grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first)
[Seerey out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  White Sox 0,
Tigers 0.

TIGERS 2ND: Wertz flied out on an unknown play; Evers walked;
Robinson homered [Evers scored]; Groth flied out on an unknown
play; Vico out on an unknown play; 2 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  White
Sox 0, Tigers 2.

WHITE SOX 3RD: Souchock popped out on an unknown play; Tipton
out on an unknown play; Gettel flied out on an unknown play; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  White Sox 0, Tigers 2.

TIGERS 3RD: Newhouser out on an unknown play; Berry lined; Lipon
lined; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  White Sox 0, Tigers 2.

WHITE SOX 4TH: Baker walked; Philley struck out; Appling singled
to left [Baker to third]; Zernial singled to center [Baker
scored, Appling to second]; Seerey flied out on an unknown play;
Michaels flied out on an unknown play; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. 
White Sox 1, Tigers 2.

TIGERS 4TH: Kell popped out on an unknown play; Wertz lined;
Evers struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  White Sox 1, Tigers 2.

WHITE SOX 5TH: Souchock struck out; Tipton lined; Gettel flied
out on an unknown play; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  White Sox 1,
Tigers 2.

TIGERS 5TH: Robinson struck out; Groth hit an inside the park
homer to right; Pat Seerey changed direction to avoid the
concrete wall as the ball landed fair by inches; Cass Michaels
got to the ball before Seerey; Vico flied out on an unknown
play; Newhouser reached on an error by Baker; Berry flied out on
an unknown play; 1 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  White Sox 1, Tigers 3.

WHITE SOX 6TH: Baker out on an unknown play; Philley out on an
unknown play; Appling flied out on an unknown play; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  White Sox 1, Tigers 3.

TIGERS 6TH: Lipon out on an unknown play; Kell popped out on an
unknown play; Wertz lined; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  White Sox 1,
Tigers 3.

WHITE SOX 7TH: Zernial doubled to center; Seerey popped to
first; Michaels flied to right; Souchock grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  White Sox 1, Tigers 3.

TIGERS 7TH: Evers singled; Robinson grounded into a double play
(second to shortstop to first) [Evers out at second]; Groth
homered; Vico struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  White Sox 1,
Tigers 4.

WHITE SOX 8TH: Tipton popped out on an unknown play; KOLLOWAY
BATTED FOR GETTEL; Kolloway out on an unknown play; Baker popped
out on an unknown play; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  White Sox 1,
Tigers 4.

TIGERS 8TH: SURKONT REPLACED KOLLOWAY (PITCHING); Newhouser
walked; Berry out on a sacrifice bunt [Newhouser to second];
Lipon flied to left; Kell singled to right [Newhouser scored];
Wertz singled [Kell to second]; Evers forced Kell (third
unassisted); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  White Sox 1, Tigers 5.

WHITE SOX 9TH: Philley out on an unknown play; Appling lined;
Zernial out on an unknown play; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  White Sox
1, Tigers 5.

Final Totals      R   H   E  LOB
 White Sox        1   3   1    3
 Tigers           5   7   0    3