March 311961 The Pacific Coast League proposal to use a designated hitter for the pitcher was rejected by the Professional Baseball Rules Committee by a vote of 8-1.1968 Seattle, the American League second new team, announced its nickname the Pilots. 1995 Major league baseball players end their strike when Federal judge Sonia Sotomayor of U.S. District Court in Manhattan rules against the owners in the labor dispute.1996 The Seattle Mariners beat the Chicago White Sox 3-2 in 12 innings in major league baseball season opener, the first major league game played in March.1998 The Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks looked like expansion teams in their first games. The Devil Rays fell behind 11-0 in an 11-6 loss to Detroit at Tropicana Field, and the Diamondbacks dropped a 9-2 decision to the Colorado Rockies at Bank One Ballpark. Milwaukee dropped a 2-1 decision at Atlanta in the Brewers first game since becoming the only team to switch leagues this century.2003 The Cincinnati Reds played their first regular season game at the Great American Ballpark. The Pittsburgh Pirates spoiled the day with a 10-1 win.2013 The Houston Astros, coming off consecutive 100-loss seasons, made an impressive debut in the American League, trouncing the Texas Rangers 8-2 in the major league opener. Having switched from the National League to the AL in the offseason, the Astros earned their first opening day victory since 2006 and the 4,000th regular-season win in franchise history.April 11931 Pitcher Virne Mitchell, 17, signed with the Chattanooga club of Tennessee, becoming the first woman to play for an otherwise all-male baseball team.1972 The first collective players strike in major league history began Mark Prior Jersey. The strike lasted 12 days and canceled 86 games.1996 Umpire John McSherry, 51, who planned to see doctors the next day about an irregular heart beat, collapsed seven pitches into Cincinnati opener and died at a hospital about an hour later.1970 An investment group headed by Bud Selig bought the Seattle pilots for $10.8 million.1989 A. Bartlett Giamatti took over as baseball commissioner.2001 The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Texas Rangers 8-1 when the major league baseball season opened in San Juan, Puerto Rico.2013 Bryce Harper homered in his first two at-bats, Stephen Strasburg retired 19 batters in a row and the defending NL East champion Washington Nationals opened the season with a 2-0 victory over the Miami Marlins. Harper, the reigning NL Rookie of the Year, hit solo shots over the out-of-town scoreboard in right-center field off Ricky Nolasco in the first and fourth innings.2013 Clayton Kershaw launched his first career home run to break a scoreless tie in the eighth inning https://www.ccfanstore.com/Mickey_Morandini_Jersey-81, then finished off a four-hitter that led the Los Angeles Dodgers over the San Francisco Giants 4-0 on opening day. Kershaw became the first pitcher in the majors to homer on opening day since Joe Magrane of St. Louis in 1988. He was the first pitcher to throw a shutout and hit a home run in an opener since Bob Lemon for Cleveland in 1953.April 21931 Virne BeatriceJackie Mitchell, the first woman in professional baseball, pitched against the New York Yankees in an exhibition game in Chattanooga. Babe Ruth waved wildly at the first two pitches and took a third strike. Lou Gehrig timed his swing to miss three straight pitches. Tony Lazzeri, after trying to bunt, walked and Mitchell left the game.1952 Hall of Fame outfielder Monte Irvin of the New York Giants broke his ankle in an exhibition game. Irvin played just 46 games that season.1984 The New York Mets lost to the Cincinnati Reds 8-1 for their first opening-day defeat in 10 years.1996 St. Francis of Illinois pummeled Robert Morris 71-1, with Robert Morris coach Gerald McNamara ending the after four innings.1997 For the first time, the salary of one player Albert Belle exceeded the payroll of an entire team the Pittsburgh Pirates. Belle, the game highest-paid player for 1997 at $10 million, made $928,333 more than the whole Pirates payroll of $9,071,667.2001 Roger Clemens became the AL strikeout king, getting five to pass Walter Johnson as the Yankees beat Kansas City 7-3 in their season opener. Clemens fanned Joe Randa for his 3,509th career strikeout.2003 Alex Rodriguez became the youngest player to hit 300 home runs, connecting for a three-run drive in the Texas Rangers 11-5 loss to the Anaheim Angels. Rodriguez at 27 years, 249 days old, surpassed Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx (27 years, 328 days).2003 The Detroit Tigers became the first team to have four pitchers make their major league debuts in the same game Jeremy Bonderman, Wilfredo Ledezma, Chris Spurling and Matt Roney. The Tigers lost 8-1 to the Minnesota Twins.2007 Tampa Bay Elijah Dukes homered in his first big league at-bat in a 9-5 loss to the New York Yankees.2011 Ian Kinsler of Texas became the first major leaguer with leadoff homers in each of his team first two games. Kinsler hit the first of four homers by the Rangers in a 12-5 victory over the Boston Red Sox.2012 Matt Cain and the San Francisco Giants agreed to a $127.5 million, six-year contract, the largest deal for a right-handed pitcher in baseball history.2017 Madison Bumgarner hit two homers but the Arizona Diamondbacks scored twice with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning off new San Francisco closer Mark Melancon to beat the Giants 6-5 in a wild season opener https://www.ccfanstore.com/Kyle_Hendricks_Jersey-72. Bumgarner retired his first 16 batters and became the first pitcher to hit two home runs on opening day. He struck out 11 with no walks in seven innings.April 31923 ExpelledBlack Sox players Happy Felsch and Swede Risberg sued their former club for back salary and $400,000 in damages. They were among eight members of the Chicago White Sox team charged with fixing the 1919 World Series.1966 The New York Mets won the right to sign Southern California pitcher Tom Seaver when Commissioner William Eckert pulled the team name out of a hat. Eckert had voided Seaver contract with Atlanta, when the Braves signed him during his college season. Cleveland and Philadelphia were the other two teams that had a chance, matching the Braves original $40,000 offer.1985 The Players Association agreed with the owners to expand the 1985 League Championship Series from best-of-five to best-of-seven.1994 The St https://www.ccfanstore.com/Nico_Hoerner_Jersey-85. Louis Cardinals beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-4 in the first Sunday night opener, sending baseball into a new era with three divisions and a new playoff format.1998 Milwaukee Jose Valentin hit three homers and drove in five runs to lead the Brewers to a 7-1 victory over the Florida Marlins.2000 Andres Galarraga made a triumphant return to Turner Field. Out all of last season because of a cancerous tumor in his back, Galarraga hit a tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning that lifted the Atlanta Braves over Colorado 2-0.2000 Savannah State baseball team set an NCAA record for consecutive victories. The Tigers beat Claflin 8-0 and 21-1, extending its streak to 42 and eclipsing the record of 40 by Marietta College of Ohio, a Division II school, last year.2001 Houston Craig Biggio had five hits to tie a major league record for a season opener, leading the Astros past the Milwaukee Brewers 11-3.2006 Seattle Kenji Johjima became the first Japanese catcher to start a major league game and also homered for his first hit in the Mariners 5-3 loss to Los Angeles.2008 Kansas City the Tigers 4-1 at Detroit to complete a season-opening three-game sweep. It was the first time the Royals started the year with a sweep on the road since 1977.2011 Ian Kinsler and Nelson Cruz became the first set of teammates to homer in each of the first three games in a season, and Matt Harrison pitched the Texas Rangers to a 5-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox.2015 Miami Marlins pitcher Jarred Cosart was fined an undisclosed amount for violating Major League Rule 21(d)(3) Kyle Schwarber Jersey, whichprohibits players from placing bets with illegal bookmakers or agents for illegal book makers.2015 Corey Hassel hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the 18th inning to lead Oklahoma State to a 6-3 victory over Texas in a game that ended after 6 hours https://www.ccfanstore.com/Jody_Davis_Jersey-57, 51 minutes.