TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY courtesy of National Pastime
1907 – The Giants lose their home opener to the Phillies when some of the Polo Grounds fans, growing tired of the team’s lackadaisical performance, begin throwing snowballs onto the playing field, disrupting the game. After he is hit by a frozen sphere, Bill Klem, the home plate umpire, decides enough is enough and forfeits the game to Philadelphia.
1993 – When Brewer catcher Dave Nilsson catches for Graeme Lloyd, they become the first all-Australian battery in major league history. The 23 year-old backstop hails from Brisbane, Queensland with his rookie battery mate calling Geelong, Victoria home.
2006 – Bob Sheppard misses his first Yankee Stadium home opener since 1951 after sustaining a hip injury at his home yesterday. The long-time public address announcer will return to the microphone during the team’s next homestand.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHMh54YLjXE]And finally…in 2010, Mike Leake becomes the first pitcher since Ariel Pieto in 1995 to make his big league debut without ever spending a day in the minor leagues. The 22 year-old Reds’ right-handed starter gives up four hits in 6.2 innings, getting a no-decision in the Reds’ eventual 3-1 victory over Chicago at the Great American Ball Park.
STAT OF THE DAY provided by @HighHeatStats
Today in 1959, Don Drysdale homered on Opening Day. He did it again in 1965 and remains the only pitcher to do that twice. The last three pitchers to hit a single Opening Day homer were Clayton Kershaw in 2013, Joe Magrane in 1988 and Rick Rhoden in 1982.
PLAYERS BORN TODAY
Bret Saberhagen (1964), Jason Varitek (1972), Trot Nixon (1974), Mark Teixeira (1980) and Alejandro De Aza (1984)
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