1918  After establishing a major league record with an 0-9 start, the Dodgers win their first game of the season defeating the Giants, 5-3.

1929  At the Baker Bowl, Clise Dudley becomes the first player to hit a home run on the first major league pitch thrown to him. The Brooklyn relief pitcher will hit a total of three home runs in his four-year career.

1932  Cardinal manager Gabby Street is fined for violating the National League policy which prohibits talking to spectators.

1944  In Boston, Jim Tobin not only tosses a no-hitter to defeat the Dodgers, 2-0, the Braves’ hurler also hits a home run.

1947  A crowd of 58,000, attending Babe Ruth Day at Yankee Stadium to honor the ailing legend, is treated to a pitching duel as the Senator hurler Sid Hudson edges Spud Chandler, 1-0.

1968  After almost being scratched due to a sore throat, Tom Phoebus no-hits the Red Sox, 6-0 after the 1:23 rain delay at start. The Orioles’ starter also leads the offense going 2-fo-4 at the plate as well as scoring and driving in a run at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium.

1973  At Tiger Stadium, Royal starter Steve Busby allows no hits beating Detroit, 3-0. It will be the first of two career no-hitters.

1981  Dodger rookie sensation Fernando Valenzuela pitches his fourth shutout in five starts as he beats the Giants, 5-0.

1983  Astros’ fireballer Nolan Ryan breaks Walter Johnson’s 56-year old record by whiffing Expo pinch-hitter Brad Mills on a 1-2 curveball in the eighth inning for his 3,509th career strikeout.

1983  Teammates Fred Lynn and Daryl Sconiers both hit a grand slam helping California to rout the Tigers, 13-3. This is the first two Angels have hit bases-loaded homers in the same game.

1988  With one out in the ninth, Phillies’ third baseman Mike Schmidt breaks up Nolan Ryan’s no-hitter.

1990  Pirates infielder Wally Bachman becomes the first national leaguer to get six hits (6 for 6) in one game in 15 years.

1994  Twin hurler Scott Erickson pitches Minnesota’s first no-hitter in 27 years beating the Brewers, 6-0.

1996  Barry Bonds, joins his father and godfather, becoming only the fourth major leaguer to hit 300 homers and swipe 300 bases as he homers for the Giants’ in a 6-3 victory over the Marlins. Bobby Bonds, Willie Mays and Andre Dawson are the only other 300-300 players.

2000  Sixteen players of the Tigers and White Sox are suspended for a total of 82 games for participating in two brawls at Comiskey Park five days ago making it the most severe punishment ever given for a bench-clearing incident. Both managers, Phil Garner and Jerry Manuel, are suspended for eight games each.

2000  Former Brewer Jose Valentin hits for the cycle helping his new team, the Chicago White Sox, defeat the Orioles, 13-4. In Milwaukee, Valentin’s home for the past eight seasons, a player is awarded a Harley-Davidson motorcycle for hitting for the cycle. (In exactly one month, he’ll miss being the first American League player to hit for the cycle twice in one season by not getting a single.)

2003  Needing only 108 pitches, Kevin Millwood becomes the ninth pitcher in Phillies’ history to throw a no-hitter as he keeps the NL-West leaders Giants hitless. The last no-no before Millwoods’ 1-0 masterpiece was thrown by Tommy Greene in 1991.

2003  Ozzy, the male osprey of a breeding pair that lived for years on a Jackie Robinson Ballpark’s left field light pole, dies at the Audubon Birds of Prey Center as a result being hit by a baseball being thrown trying to knock it off its perch he shared with his mate Harriet and a brood of chicks. Class A Daytona Cubs hurler Jae Kuk Ryu was charged with second-degree misdemeanor by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for harming a protected bird.

2004  At Dodger Stadium, Mike Piazza ties Carlton Fisk for the most career homers by a catcher as he hits Hideo Nomo’s sixth inning pitch into the stands for his 351st round tripper as a backstop. The homer, which was his 362nd overall, moves the Mets’ star past Yankees’ Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio on the all-time list.

2004  At Milwaukee’s Miller Park, Chad Moeller becomes the first Brewer hit for the cycle at home. In the 9-8 victory over the Reds, against starter Cory Lidle, the back up catcher homers in the second inning ,doubles in the fourth, triples in the fifth and then singles in the seventh off reliever Ryan Wagner to complete the feat in front of 8,918 enthusiastic fans.

2005  At Busch Stadium, St. Louis second baseman Mark Grudzielanek becomes the 16th Cardinal to hit for the cycle and the third to accomplish the rare hitting event at home. The last Redbird to accomplish the feat was in 1996 by John Mabry.

1898 In a game against the Giants, Philadelphia Nationals’ pitcher Bill Duggelby hits a grand slam in his first major league at-bat. Bobby Bonds will hit one in his first game in his third at-bat, but Duggleby’s feat will not be accomplished again until August 31, 2005 when Jeremy Hermida of the marlins goes yard with the bases full.

1900 In a small wooden ballpark located at 39th and Princeton, the White Sox play their first game in franchise history losing to Milwaukee, 5-4.

1943 The Browns win their seventh consecutive Opening Day game in front of a reduced crowd of 4000 due to war-time travel restrictions.

1944 After hitting just one home run in 297 games, Browns’ outfielder Mike Kreevich hits two round-trippers to beat the White Sox, 5-3.

1946 Cleveland’s Frank Hayes plays the last of his 1,312th consecutive games as a catcher. The streak started as a player with the Browns on October 12, 1943.

1948 Returning after a one-year suspension, Dodger manager Leo Durocher uses 24 players in a 9-5 loss to the Giants.

1951 At Fenway Park, Senator Gil Coan hits two triples in the same inning.

1959 Cardinal Stan Musial breaks up Chicago’s pitcher Glen Hobbie no-hitter with a seventh inning double but Cubs still win, 1-0.

1961 The Minnesota Twins, formerly known as the Washington Senators, play their first home game in Minnesota at Metropolitan Stadium losing to the ‘new’ expansion Washington Senator.

2000 In Cincinnati, the Dodger/Red game is delayed for 27 minutes due to the umpires’ equipment being accidentally been shipped to New York. Replacement gear is secured from a downtown store but due to heavy traffic a police escort is needed to get the goods to Cinergy Field.

2002 Atlanta shortstop Rafael Furcal ties a major league record, which was most previously done by White Sox outfielder Lance Johnson in 1995, by hitting three triples in a game. The last time a Braves’ player hit three three-baggers in one contest was on June 13, 1956 when Danny O’Connell accomplished the feat.

1903 On Opening Day, before 8,376 fans at Huntington Ave Baseball Grounds, the Americans defeat the A’s in the morning game of Patriot’s Day twin bill, 9–4.Connie Mack’s Athletics win the matinee match-up featuring two future Hall of Fame hurlers, 10–7, as 27,658 spectators enjoy watching starters Eddie Plank and Cy Young oppose one another.

1910 Indian Addie Joss throws his second career no-hitter beating the White Sox, 1-0.

1912 After two days of rain, the first game ever is finally played at Fenway Park with a comeback eleven-inning Red Sox win over the New York Highlanders, 7-6.

1912 In Detroit, the Tigers play their first game in Tiger Stadium defeating the Indians, 6-5.

1916 In Chicago, the Cubs play their first game at Weeghman Park beating the Reds in 11 innings, 7-6. The ballpark will be renamed Wrigley Field in 1926.

1920 Phillies player-manager Gavvy Cravath pinch hits a three-run homer beating the Giants, 3-0. It will his last major league home run.

1939 In his first major league at-bat, Red Sox 20-year old rookie Ted Williams strikes out against Red Ruffing of the Yankees. The 6-4 skinny ‘Kid’, who won the Triple Crown last season in the American Association, will finish the day 1-for-4 with his first hit of 2654 during in his 19-year career being a 400-foot double in a 2-0 loss at Yankee Stadium.

1946 The Cubs are shut out by Cardinal southpaw Harry Brecheen in their home opener at Wrigley Field, 2-0. The game is the first in the club’s history be televised as ‘Whispering’ Joe Wilson does the play-by-play for WBKB.

1967 Mets’ rookie hurler Tom Seaver gets his first major-league win as New York beat the Cubs, 6-1. ‘Tom Terrific’ goes 7 2/3 innings giving up eight hits and one run.

1968 Jon Warden, the last man to make the team in spring training, makes his third appearance, and wins for the third time in relief, as Detroit beats the White Sox at Comiskey Park in 10 innings, 4-1. Due to a torn rotator cuff injury after being selected by the Royals in the expansion draft, the rookie sensation, who will be the only Tiger not to appear in the World Series, will pitch only one season finishing with a 4-1 win-loss record and a 3.62 ERA

1973 Four months after his death, Pirate great Roberto Clemente in a special election is inducted into the Hall of Fame .

1982 With a 4-2 win over the Reds, the Braves record their 12th consecutive victory to establish a major-league record for the most victories from the beginning of the season. The previous mark had been set a year earlier by the Oakland A’s.

1985 In South Meriden, Connecticut Little League action, Matt Panetta’s timely hitting and outstanding defensive play helps Katz defeat MIC, 6-2. The 11-year old is awarded the game ball as a result of his efforts.

1988 The Orioles set major league record for consecutive losses at the start of a season losing #14 to the Brewers, 8-6. The 1904 Senators and 1920 Tigers had previously shared the mark with 13.

1988 Claudell Washington hits the 10,000th home run in Yankee history.

1990 After retiring 26 consecutive A’s player, Mariner Brian Holman gives up a homer to Ken Phelps.

1997 In the second game of a doubleheader, the Cubs stop their season-opening losing skid at 14 games beating the Mets, 4-3. By losing the opener, Chicago set a National League record (0-13) for the most consecutive losses to start a season and has the second-worst record behind the Baltimore Orioles who lost 21 decisions before winning a game in 1988.

1997 Mark McGwire becomes the fourth major leaguer to hit a home run over the left field roof at Tiger Stadium. The A’s first baseman joins Harmon Killebrew (1962), Frank Howard (1968), and Cecil Fielder (1990) as the only players to accomplish the feat.

The answer is (A) Omar Vizquel with 9 Gold Gloves.

Here are some interesting facts about Omar:

* Currently plays for the San Francisco Giants; meaning he theoretically could pass Ozzie for the most Gold Gloves

* He is a skilled painter and sculptor.

* He is an inspired rock drummer, and a competent salsa percussionist.

* He designed his own house and has his own lines of designer clothing and nutritional food.

* He is a social activist in his community and donates his artworks to various arts education programs.

Ozzie Smith has won the most Rawling’s Gold Glove Awards as a shortstop (13). Which of these shortstops won the second most Gold Gloves (9)?

A. Omar Vizquel
B. Mark Belanger
C. Cal Ripken Jr.
D. Davey Concepcion

Answer will be posted Tuesday.

1928 Braves’ pitcher Charlie Robertson has his glove removed from the game by umpire Moran after the Brooklyn Robins complain the ball is acting strangely. The Boston hurler still manages to win, 3-2.

1929 Indian Earl Averill homers on an 0-2 pitch off Tigers’ hurler Earl Whitehill becoming the first American League player to hit a home run in his first major league at-bat.

1929 The Yankees become first team to wear numbers on uniforms.

1935 On snowy day and near freezing day as the band plays Jingle Bells at Boston’s Braves Field, Babe Ruth makes his National league debut as he homers and singles off Giants’ legend Carl Hubbell. Although the Braves beat New York,4-2, the team will go on to win only 37 more games this season.

1938 The Cardinals deal a declining Dizzy Dean to the Cubs for pitchers Curt Davis and Clyde Shoun and $200,000.

1940 On a cool day at Comiskey Park, the White Sox team batting average does not change as Indian fireballer Bob Feller hurls an Opening Day no-hitter beating Chicago, 1-0. Each South-sider started and ended the game with a .000 BA. Box Score

1940 On Opening Day, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s errant ceremonial first pitch smashes a Washington Post camera. The Chief Executive is not charged with a wild pitch as Red Sox hurler Lefty Grove blanks the Senators, 1-0.

1946 On Opening Day at the Polo Grounds, Mel Ott goes deep for the final time of his career. The Giants’ legend hits his 511 career home run off Philadelphia A’s left-hander Oscar Judd.

1948 The future super station WGN-TV televises a baseball game for the first time. With Jack Brickhouse doing the play-by-play, the White Sox beat the Cubs 4-1 in the first game of the Windy City Classic played at Wrigley Field.

1961 Beginning his historic home run chase of the Babe, Roger Maris finally connects for his first round tripper in the twelfth game of the season. The fifth-inning solo shot is off Tiger pitcher Paul Fovtack.

1964 The Mets new home, Shea Stadium, is christened with Dodgers’ Holy Water from the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn and Giants’ Holy Water from the Harlem River at the location where it flowed passed the Polo Grounds.

1972 At Wrigley Field, Cub pitcher Burt Hooton no-hits the Phillies, 4-0.

1978 Cardinal Bob Forsch no-hits the Philadelphia Phillies 5-0. Less than a year later, Bob’s brother Ken of the Houston Astros will pitch a no-hitter against Atlanta making the siblings the only brothers to throw no-hitters in the big leagues.

1983 Setting a National League consecutive game-played record, Dodgers’ first baseman Steve Garvey appears in his 1,118th straight game.

1984 In his first three at-bats, A’s Dave Kingman hits three home runs, including a grand slam driving in eight runs against the Mariners in a 9-6 victory.

1990 Kelly Gruber becomes the first Blue Jay to hit for the cycle in a 15-8 win against the Royals. His teammates buy him a tricycle in recognition of the accomplishment.

1997 Extending their losing streak to 12 with a 4-0 loss to the Colorado Rockies, the Cubs set the record for worst start in league history surpassing the overall National League record of 0-11 established by the Detroit Wolverines in 1884.

1999 Beating the Padres, 6-4, Colorado skipper Jim Leyland becomes the 45th manager to win a 1,000 games.

2000 Indian starter Chuck Finley, who was already the only pitcher to strike out four batters in one inning twice, does it for the third time as the southpaw strikes out Tom Evans, Royce Clayton, Chad Curtis (who takes first on a passed ball) and Rafael Palmeiro in the third inning; Finley beats the Rangers 2-1 with the help of back-to-back ninth-inning homers from Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome.

1913 In a game which features President Woodrow Wilson throwing out the first pitch, Washington’s Walter Johnson gives up an unearned run in the first inning of the home opener but will not yield another for 56 innings. The Senators beat the Yankees, 2-1.

1947 During the sixth inning of an exhibition game against their minor league team at Ebbets Field, the Montreal Royals, Dodgers’ president Branch Rickey issues a two sentence statement to the press which will forever change the game. It reads “The Brooklyn Dodgers today purchased the contract of Jackie Roosevelt Robinson from the Montreal Royals. He will report immediately.”

1969 Met center fielder Tommy Agee hits a monster shot into the upper deck in left field making it the longest home run to reach the seats in Shea Stadium history; Disc commemorating Agee’s historic homer at Shea Stadium.

1977 At Fenway Park, the Indians (13) and the Red Sox (6) established a major league record for the most runs scored by both teams in one inning. The eighth inning barrage proves to be too much too much for Boston as Cleveland beats the home team, 19-9.

1985 Cal Ripken sprains his left ankle during a pick-off play in the third inning of a game (444 of the streak) against the Rangers. The ‘Iron man’ does not leave the game and X-rays taken later in the day will reveal no fractures.

2000 On his father’s 50th birthday, Ken Griffey Jr. becomes the youngest player (30 years, 141 days) to hit 400 career homers beating Jimmie Foxx’s previous mark (30 years, 248 days old).

2003 In a 7-6 victory over the Cardinals at Coors Field, the Rockies turned the first triple play in club history. With Scott Rolen on second base and Tino Martinez on first, Colorado’s first baseman Todd Helton catches Orlando Palmeiro’s soft liner for the first out and throws to shortstop Jose Hernandez who steps on second for the second out and then tags Matinez to complete the triple killing.