Fansided

Top 25 Opening Day performances of all time

By Joshua Sadlock

Apr 11, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies fans enjoy festivities outside the ballpark before a game between the Phillies and the San Diego Padres on Opening Day at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 11, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies fans enjoy festivities outside the ballpark before a game between the Phillies and the San Diego Padres on Opening Day at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports /
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Cleveland, OH – AUGUST, 23, 1936: Bob Feller takes his warm up tosses, Cleveland vs. the St Louis Browns at League Park. The seventeen year old Feller struck out 15 batters, beating the Browns 4-1 in his Major League debut as a starter. (Photo by Louis Van Oeyen/Western Reserve Historical Society/Getty Images)
Cleveland, OH – AUGUST, 23, 1936: Bob Feller takes his warm up tosses, Cleveland vs. the St Louis Browns at League Park. The seventeen year old Feller struck out 15 batters, beating the Browns 4-1 in his Major League debut as a starter. (Photo by Louis Van Oeyen/Western Reserve Historical Society/Getty Images) /

1. Bob Feller tosses a no-hitter

There has still only been one no-no tossed on Opening Day. Hall of Famer Bob Feller did the honors all the way back in 1940 for the Cleveland Indians. Feller shut down the Chicago White Sox even though he did not have his best stuff that day. He issued five walks, but struck out eight. Feller retired 15 straight from the fourth inning to the eighth inning.

"From the Plain Dealer: “As cool in the club house after the game as he was on the mound, Feller said: ‘I wasn’t sure I had it until Ray Mack threw out that last man. That [Taft Wright’s smashing grounder to Cleveland’s rookie second baseman] was the hardest ball hit at me all day. It really was hit.”"

Throwing a no-hitter in April can be difficult. The cold weather makes it just as hard for pitchers to grip the ball and command their secondary pitches. It isn’t that surprising that there has only been one no-hitter on Opening Day in MLB history. Feller was a good candidate to throw one because he threw hard, and could get by with just his fastball. Max Scherzer has flirted with an Opening Day no-no, but will not get the ball this year while working through a finger injury.

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If anyone around the league is going to match Feller on Opening Day this year, Clayton Kershaw is as good a candidate as ever. Noah Syndergaard always has no-hit stuff and velocity as well. With pitchers throwing harder than ever, it may be time for a second no-hitter on Opening Day, but don’t bet on it.

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