The 25 most memorable MLB Opening Day moments

Talk about making a grand first impression. On April 25, 1901, the Detroit Tigers played their first American League game at Bennett Park. However, as the contest went on, it appeared the day would be ruined for the Tigers and their fans. Detroit's opponent that day, the Milwaukee Brewers, led 13-4 entering the bottom of the ninth inning. But, as if the baseball gods had something special planned for the Tigers, they put together perhaps the greatest rally in baseball history. The Tigers roared back to get within a run at 13-12 with two on and two out. Then, "Pop" Dillon stepped to the plate and delivered a two-run, game-winning single that completed the remarkable comeback. 

The tradition of the sitting President of the United States throwing out the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day dates back to April 14, 1910, when William Howard Taft did the honors before the Washington Senators and Philadelphia Athletics took the field at D.C.'s old Griffith Park. Nearly every president that followed Taft has been part of this tradition, and several vice presidents as well. However, the last two U.S. presidents, Donald Trump and Joe Biden, have not done so while in office.

On April 18, 1923, that grand ballpark in the Bronx, Yankee Stadium, opened for business. On hand to see the inaugural game in the famed yard was a then-major league record 74,000 fans to watch the reigning American League champs face the rival Boston Red Sox. Of course, Babe Ruth was the star attraction. And, as any star would do on a such a grand stage, Ruth wowed the crowd with a three-run homer in the third inning to truly christen Yankee Stadium in style and help New York to a 4-1 victory.

Talk about a pitcher's duel. When the Philadelphia Athletics visited D.C. to take on the Washington Senators for Opening Day 1926, perhaps the greatest pitching showdown in MLB history was on display: Philadelphia knuckleballer Eddie Rommel against the 38-year-old legend Walter Johnson. In the end, it was Johnson and the Senators who outlasted Rommel and the Athletics 1-0 in 15 innings. The lines: Johnson -- 15 innings pitched, six hits, three walks and nine strikeouts. Rommel -- 14 1/3 innings, nine hits, six walks, one strikeout, and the game's only run, courtesy of Joe Harris' run-scoring hit.

To this day, the great Bob Feller is still the only major-leaguer to throw a no-hitter on Opening Day. That came on April 16, 1940, when the 22-year-old Feller began his fifth major-league season with Cleveland, and kicked it off in historic fashion. Sure, Feller walked five Chicago White Sox batters that day, but he alsostruck out eight in Cleveland's 1-0 road victory. It was the first of three career no-hitters for the Hall of Famer, who went on to win a career-high 27 games that season.

There are plenty of baseball historians who believe April 15, 1947, is the most important date in Major League Baseball history. That's when Jackie Robinson made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers — five days after signing with the club — against the Boston Braves at Ebbets Field, thus becoming the first black player to take the field in an official MLB game. Playing first base and batting second in the Dodgers lineup, Robinson went 0-for-3 while reaching on an error and scoring the go-ahead run in a 5-3 victory. However, the day will certainly be remembered for much more than the legend's game statistics. 

Longtime home to a Triple-A franchise (which Jackie Robinson once was on the roster), the city of Montreal was finally ready for the baseball big time. On April 8, 1969, the expansion Montreal Expos debuted as MLB's first international franchise. And, thanks to three hits from Maury Wills, a Rusty Staub homer and eight walks, the Expos outlasted Tom Seaver and the eventual World Series champion New York Mets for an 11-10 road victory. Montreal, which also won its first home game on April 14, went 51-110 during its inaugural season, but that opening victory remains one of the most important sports moments in the city's history.

Hank Aaron entered the 1974 season needing one homer to tie Babe Ruth's all-time record of 714. However, Aaron's Atlanta Braves opened the campaign on the road at Cincinnati, and there was talk he should sit out the opening series to tie and/or break the record during the opening home series against the Dodgers. Being the true gamer, Aaron stepped on the Riverfront Stadium field for Opening Day on April 4. In his first at-bat of the season, with two on in the top of the first inning, Aaron pounded a Jack Billingham pitch over the left-field wall to tie Ruth.

On April 8, 1975, future Hall of Famer Frank Robinson debuted as Cleveland player-manager, becoming the first black man to manage in the majors. And, to truly give the milestone justice, Robinson parked a solo homer off the New York Yankees' Doc Meredith in the bottom of the first inning. Even better for Cleveland fans, the then-Indians beat the rival Yankees 5-3. The home run was Robinson's eighth on Opening Day for his career — still a major league record.

In 1978, veteran Milwaukee outfielder Sixto Lezcano clubbed a grand slam during the Brewers' 11-3 Opening Day victory over Baltimore. Two years later, Lezcano was at it again, and in even grander fashion. After clubbing a two-run homer in the fourth inning in the 1980 season opener against Boston, Lezcano sent the County Stadium faithful home happy with his ninth-inning, walk-off grand slam for a Brewers 9-5 victory — thus making Lezcano the only player in Major League Baseball history to hit a grand slam on two different Opening Days.

Red Sox fans don't need to be reminded how the 1986 season ended for the team. However, it certainly began with a bang. Or a dinger, to be more specifically. Leading off the season opener at Detroit, Evans sent the game's first pitch from Jack Morris over the left-center fence at Tiger Stadium to kick off the season in style. Interestingly enough, it also happened to be the first pitch of the entire '86 season, as the Red Sox-Tigers matchup was the first game to start that year.

Jim Presley was not a household name during an eight-year MLB run from 1984-91. However, Seattle Mariners fans certainly won't forget the man who hit at least 24 homers in three straight seasons from 1985-87, or for the All-Star's plate heroics during on Opening Day '86. With the Mariners trailing the Angels 4-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Presley belted a two-run homer off Donnie Moore to tie the game and force extra innings. Then in the 10th, Presley topped himself, hitting a walk-off grand slam off Ken Forsch to send Seattle to a seemingly improbable victory and etching his own name in the lore of Mariners baseball forever.

There have been four players to hit three home runs on Opening Day in Major League Baseball history. The first was Toronto slugger George Bell, against Kansas City on April 4, 1988, one season after he posted a career-high 47 homers. If that feat alone wasn't impressive enough, consider all three dingers came off two-time Cy Young Award winner Bret Saberhagen. Bell took the star right-hander deep with a solo shot in the second inning, a two-run drive in the fourth and a two-out solo bomb in the eighth of the Blue Jays' 5-3 victory.

On April 9, 1993, Nolan Ryan was already a legend when he took the mound with the Texas Rangers for the final Opening Day of his 27-year, Hall of Fame career. On this date, however, the ageless Ryan, at age 46, became the oldest major-league pitcher to start and win an Opening Day assignment. The right-hander yielded four hits, two walks and struck out five over six scoreless innings during a 3-1 home victory over the Boston Red Sox. Ryan pitched just 12 more times that season before calling it a brilliant career.

Karl "Tuffy" Rhodes hit 13 career major-league home runs in 225 games spanning parts of six seasons from 1990-95. Three of those came on Opening Day 1994 at Wrigley Field, while playing for the Chicago Cubs. The little-known, journeyman outfielder earned the starting center-fielder job and batted leadoff that day, and promptly took legendary New York Mets ace Dwight Gooden deep to lead off the bottom of the first. Gooden also served up solo long balls to Rhodes in the third and fifth inning for one of the most improbable individual performances in MLB history. However, the Mets got the last laugh in the form of a 12-8 victory.`

Coming off perhaps the darkest moment in the history of the game, Major League Baseball returned to action in 1995, following a 232-days players' strike that wiped out the World Series from 1994. MLB's return featured a shortened 144-game schedule that began with the Los Angeles Dodgers' 8-7 road win over the Florida Marlins on April 25. Of course, there were a healthy portion of baseball fans who weren't ready to welcome players back just yet. It would take some time to win over said fans from a stain that still remains tough to get out.

No doubt the saddest and most tragic Opening Day in MLB history came on April 1, 1996. Seven pitches into the game between Montreal and Cincinnati at Riverfront Stadium, popular umpire John McSherry collapsed behind home plate, and was later pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital. The cause of death was a massive heart attack, and the game was postponed and then replayed the next day. The 51-year-old McSherry was considered one of the most respected umpires in the game.

There are countless special individual performances on Opening Day. Too many to count, even. However, perhaps nobody foresaw the day that little-known, but versatile Emilio Bonifacio had to open the 2009 campaign. Leading off and playing third base for the then-Florida Marlins, Bonifacio went 4-for-5 with four runs scored, two RBI and his first career home run — and only one of 2009. That game was a springboard for Bonifacio, who played nine more seasons in the majors and proved to be quite serviceable. 

After nine seasons away, Ken Griffey Jr. returned to Seattle — where he's arguably the most recognizable and celebrated baseball player in Mariners history — after starring there from 1989-99. And, fitting for a made-for-TV moment (since this was late in Junior's MLB career), Griffey belted a solo homer in the fifth inning at Minnesota on Opening Day 2009. It was career homer No. 612 and his 399th as a Mariner. He also tied the aforementioned Frank Robinson with a record eight Opening Day home runs. 

This list is filled with plenty of worthy offensive Opening Day moments. But when it comes to the greatest Opening Day defensive play in MLB history, Mark Buehrle's remarkable gem against Cleveland on April 5, 2010 is hard to beat. With Chicago ahead 4-0 in the top of the fifth inning, Cleveland's Lou Marson hit a comebacker that deflected off Buehrle's leg, then hopped into foul territory ahead of first base. However, Buehrle made a beeline for the ball, then delivered a backhanded glove flip through his legs and into the hand of teammate Paul Konerko before Marson reached the base. The left-hander was a four-time Gold Glove Award winner, and this was the crowinng jewel of his fielding legacy.

A highly touted, five-tool prospect, Atlanta Braves fans couldn't wait for Jason Heyward to live up to the hype and give the franchise their next superstar. Now, Heyward will never be branded a "superstar," but he's a five-time Gold Glover, an All-Star and a World Series champion who began his 15th MLB season in 2024. However, his rousing 2010 major-league debut is still talked about. In his first at-bat, facing Chicago Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano, Heyward clubbed a three-run homer well over the right-field wall to highlight a six-run bottom of the first inning. Heyward finished 2-for-5 with four RBI for one of the great debuts in baseball history.

Nothing better than some free baseball on Opening Day. That's what baseball fans in Cleveland got on April 5, 2012, when Toronto visited the then-Indians and two teams proceeded to play 16 innings, making this the longest Opening Day game in MLB history. It featured 14 pitchers and 28 strikeouts, but just four innings that featured a run scored. Cleveland led 4-0 after two innings, and appeared in good shape to appease the home fans with a 4-1 lead entering the ninth. However, the Blue Jays scored three times in the top of the frame against Chris Perez. Then in the 16th, J.P. Arencibia, who was 0-for-6 with three strikeouts entering this at-bat, belted a three-run homer that ultimately gave Toronto a 7-4 triumph.

A four-time All-Star and twice an 18-game winner, Madison Bumgarner is one of the great pitchers of the century. However, he could also swing the bat, and was a two-time Silver Slugger Award recipient. Bumgarner also hit 19 home runs during a brilliant career that spanned nearly 15 years. Two of those homers came to open the 2017 season for visiting San Francisco against the Arizona Diamondbacks, including a tie-breaking solo shot in the seventh. Though the Giants fell 6-5 that day, Bumgarner became the first pitcher to homer twice on Opening Day.

There were plenty of notable moments from Opening Day 2019 — Bryce Harper's debut with the Phillies, Lorenzo Cain's game-saving catch in Milwaukee and Detroit's Jordan Zimmermann flirting with perfection. However, the day might be most remembered for the record 48 homers hit across the majors on March 28, 2019, when every team was in action. The Los Angeles Dodgers set a major-league Opening Day record — and franchise-tying mark — with eight home runs during a 12-5 home win over Arizona. Joc Pederson and Kiké Hernandez each hit two for the Dodgers, who went deep an NL-leading 279 times in 2019.

The 2023 season proved to be a major disappointment for Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees. However, it started so promising for the club and their fan base. One season removed from Aaron Judge setting the AL record with 62 home runs in 2022, the Yankees superstar thrilled the home faithful when, in fitting fashion, he sent an 0-1 Logan Webb pitch over the center-field wall in his first at-bat of 2023. That, plus 11 strikeouts over six strong innings from Gerrit Cole, just might have been the highlight on New York's 82-80 campaign.