1967 – Eddie Mathews beats his old Atlanta teammates in a 6-1 Opening Day victory. The Braves had traded their aging star to Houston that winter and he responds with two hits including a triple off Dick Kelley to key a six-run sixth inning. Mike Cuellar picks up the win.
On April 11, 1966, Emmett Ashford becomes the first black umpire in major league history. Ashford, who had started his professional career 15 years earlier in the low minor leagues, makes his big league debut on Opening Day at D.C Stadium in Washington…
Former Houston right-hander Jim Umbricht’s ashes are privately scattered from a small plane over Colt Stadium, his home ballpark with the Colt .45’s for the past two seasons. The popular 33 year-old reliever, the only pitcher to post a winning record during the expansion team’s first two seasons, lost his well-publicized battle to a malignant melanoma three days ago.
On April 11, 1963, Warren Spahn of the Milwaukee Braves becomes the all-time winningest left-hander in major league history. Spahn’s 6-1 victory over the New York Mets gives him 328 career wins, moving him ahead of Eddie Plank on the all-time list…
On April 11, 1962, the New York Mets play their first game-an 11-4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. Gil Hodges and Charlie Neal provide bright spots for the Mets, hitting the first two home runs in the new franchise’s history…
1962 – Hal Woodeshick and Dick Farrell combine for Houston’s first shutout, 2-0 over the Cubs. Hal Smith’s first-inning single plated the game’s only runs. This game also featured the franchise’s first rain delay – one hour and seven minutes.
Don Leppert, who went deep on the first pitch he saw in the major leagues playing for Pittsburgh, hits three homers in the Senators’ 8-0 victory over Boston at D.C. Stadium. The catcher’s solo shot in the fourth inning, three-run blast two frames later, and bases-empty blast in the eighth will account for twenty percent of his four-year career total of 15 round-trippers.
Red Sox rookie Carl Yastrzemski, in his major league debut, singles off Kansas City’s Ray Herbert in the team’s 5-2 Opening Day loss at Fenway Park. The 21 year-old left fielder from Bridgehampton, New York, will amass 3,419 hits during his 23-year Hall of Fame career with Boston..
Robin Roberts, in his twelfth-straight Opening Day start, is tagged with the loss when the Phillies lose to the Dodgers in the LA Memorial Coliseum, 6-2. The right-hander’s effort ties Grover Cleveland Alexander’s National League record for consecutive season openers.
The Los Angeles Angels play the first game in franchise history, defeating a strong Baltimore Orioles team, 7 – 2. For the Angels, Ted Kluszewski hits two home runs and Eli Grba pitches a complete game.
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