After eight years with the California Angels, Nolan Ryan makes his debut with the Houston Astros. Ryan, who did not come to bat the previous seven seasons, hits a 3-run homer in the 4th inning. The Astros lose to the Dodgers in 17 innings, 6 – 5.
On April 12, 1976 Los Angeles Dodger first baseman Steve Garvey uses umbrella as he watches rain fall at Dodger Stadium. After a wait of 75 minutes the scheduled home opener with the San Diego Padres was postponed. “The rainout was the first for a regular-season game at Dodger Stadium since April 21, 1967, when…
1970- Astros blast five home runs to trounce Phil Niekro and the Braves, 8-3 . Jim Wynn has the most memorable shot, a rocket that doesn’t come to rest until it finds the gold (upper reserved) seats in the third inning (section 738C, row 6, seat 3) . That bested his blast into the purple seats in the first. Tommy Davis, Joe Pepitone and Doug Rader go yard as well, making an easy night for starter Larry Dierker.
On April 12, 1970, plaques honoring Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle are dedicated at Yankee Stadium. The plaques are located in center field and will eventually be moved to “Monument Park” beyond the left field fence when the stadium is renovated in the mid-1970s.
On Opening Day at Boston’s Fenway Park, the Red Sox draw only 8,324 to watch the team beat Chicago, 5-4. The eventual American League champs finished last season in ninth place with a 72-90 record.
On Opening Day, Jim Lonborg’s 13th-inning balk plates Bob Johnson with the deciding run in Baltimore’s 5-4 victory. The Red Sox reliever miscue on the mound occurs with two outs and the bases loaded at Fenway Park.
1966 – Before a crowd of 50,671 at Fulton County Stadium, the Braves play their first game in Atlanta after moving from Milwaukee. Joe Torre hits two home runs for the Braves, but Willie Stargell spoils the occasion with a two-run homer in the 13th inning to give the Pittsburgh Pirates a 3 – 2 victory.
Boston Red Sox 7, Washington Senators 2 April 12, 1965 In the season opener at DC Stadium the Boston Red Sox hit 5 homeruns to beat the Senators 7-2. The succes will be short lived, as they will lose 100 games. The Red Sox drew only 652,201 fans to Fenway Park in 65, seventh in…
In Cincinnati, Joe Torre hits two home runs in Milwaukee’s 4-2 Opening Day victory at Crosley Field. Next season on the same date, the Braves catcher will do it again, joining teammate Eddie Mathews as the only major leaguers to have hit two round-trippers twice in games played on Opening Day.
The A’s mascot Charlie-O the Mule, chosen to highlight the role the Missouri mules played in Allies victory in World War I by lugging ammunition and supplies through the mud and snow of France, makes his debut on Opening Night at Kansas City’s Municipal Stadium. In a pregame ceremony, Warren Hearnes, the governor of Missouri, presents the 1,400-pound animal to team owner Charlie O.Finley, who rides his namesake much to the delight of the 18,109 fans attending the game against the Tigers.
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