List of Brooklyn Dodgers Opening Day starting pitchers

From their inception in 1884 through their last year in Brooklyn, 1957, the Brooklyn Dodgers (also known as the Trolley Dodgers, Grooms, Bridegrooms, Superbas, and Robins at various times in their history) used 41 different starting pitchers on Opening Day. Brickyard Kennedy made the most Opening Day starts for the Brooklyn Dodgers, with 6 such starts between 1894 and 1900. Nap Rucker made 5 such starts between 1907 and 1913. Carl Erskine made 4 Opening Day starts between 1951 and 1955 and Van Mungo also made 4 Opening Day starts between 1934 and 1938. Five Brooklyn pitchers made 3 Opening Day starts: Leon Cadore, Watty Clark, Don Newcombe, Jesse Petty, Dutch Ruether. The first game of the new baseball season for a team is played on Opening Day, and being named the Opening Day starter is an honor, which is often given to the player who is expected to lead the pitching staff that season, though there are various strategic reasons why a team's best pitcher might not start on Opening Day.

The Dodgers played in the modern World Series nine times before moving to Los Angeles, winning once in 1955, when Carl Esrkine was the Opening Day pitcher. Erskine was also the Opening Day pitcher in 1953 when they played in the World Series but lost to the New York Yankees. Joe Hatten also had two Opening Day starts in World Series years, 1947 and 1949. Other Opening Day starting pitchers in World Series years were Larry Cheney in 1916, Leon Cadore in 1920, Whit Wyatt in 1941, Preacher Roe in 1952, and Don Newcombe in 1956.

Prior to the existence of the modern World Series, the Dodgers won National League championships in 1890, 1899 and 1900. They also won an American Association championship in 1889, when the American Association was considered a Major League. They played in the 19th century version of the World Series in 1889 and 1890. Mickey Hughes was the Opening Day starting pitcher in 1889, Bob Caruthers was the Opening Day starting pitcher in 1890, and Kennedy was the Opening Day starting pitcher in 1899 and 1900.

Don Newcombe was the starting pitcher in 1956, the last Opening Day that the Dodgers played in their longtime home field, Ebbets Field. Newcombe was also the Opening Day starter on Opening Day of the 1957 season, the Dodgers last Opening Day before moving to Los Angeles. Nap Rucker was the Opening Day starting pitcher in the last Opening Day the team (then called the Trolley Dodgers) played at their previous home park, Washington Park, in 1912. Rucker was also the Opening Day pitcher in the first game at Ebbets Field in 1913.

Joe Hatten was the Opening Day starting pitcher in one of the most momentous games in baseball history. That was in 1947, the years of Jackie Robinson's first game in the Major Leagues, ending the racial segregation that had prevailed in Major League Baseball since before 1900. The Joe Hatten started and the Dodgers won Jackie Robinson's first major league game, beating the Boston Braves 5–3 at Ebbets Field.

Key

YearEach year is linked to an article about that particular Dodgers season.WWinLLossTTie Game; no decision to starting pitcherND (W)No Decision by starting pitcher; Dodgers won gameND (L)No Decision by starting pitcher; Dodgers lost game(W)Dodgers won game; no information on starting pitcher's decision(L)Dodgers lost game; no information on starting pitcher's decisionNumber of appearances as Opening Day starterLocationStadium in italics for home game*American Association champions**National League champions#World Series Champions

Pitchers

YearPitcherDecisionOpponentLocationReference1884(L)Washington StatesmenAthletic Park1885(W)Baltimore OriolesOriole Park1886 (L)Baltimore OriolesOriole Park1887(W)New York MetropolitansWashington Park1888(W)Cleveland BluesWashington Park1889*(L)Philadelphia AthleticsJefferson Street Grounds or Gloucester Point Grounds1890** (L)Boston BeaneatersCongress Street Grounds1891(W)Philadelphia PhilliesHuntingdon Grounds1892(W)Baltimore OriolesUnion Park1893(L)Philadelphia PhilliesHuntingdon Grounds1894(L)Boston BeaneatersSouth End Grounds1895 (W)New York GiantsPolo Grounds1896 (W)Baltimore OriolesUnion Park1897(W)Washington NationalsBoundary Field1898 (W)Philadelphia PhilliesBaker Bowl1899** (L)Boston BeaneatersWashington Park1900** (W)New York GiantsPolo Grounds1901(W)Philadelphia PhilliesBaker Bowl1902 (W)Boston BeaneatersWashington Park1903(W)New York GiantsPolo Grounds1904(L)New York GiantsWashington Park1905 (L)Philadelphia PhilliesWashington Park1906(L)Boston BeaneatersWashington Park1907(L)Boston DovesSouth End Grounds1908(L)Boston Doves'Washington Park1909(W)New York GiantsPolo Grounds1910 (W)Philadelphia PhilliesBaker Bowl1911LBoston RustlersSouth End Grounds1912 LNew York GiantsWashington Park1913 (L)Philadelphia PhilliesEbbets Field1914(W)Boston BravesEbbets Field1915(L)New York GiantsPolo Grounds1916**(L)Boston BravesEbbets Field1917(L)Philadelphia PhilliesEbbets Field1918LNew York GiantsPolo Grounds1919WBoston BravesBraves Field1920** WPhiladelphia PhilliesEbbets Field1921 ND (W)Boston BravesBraves Field1922WNew York GiantsPolo Grounds1923 TPhiladelphia PhilliesEbbets Field1924 WNew York GiantsPolo Grounds1925WPhiladelphia PhilliesEbbets Field1926WNew York GiantsPolo Grounds1927 WBoston BravesBraves Field1928 LPhiladelphia PhilliesEbbets Field1929LBoston BravesBraves Field1930 LPhiladelphia PhilliesEbbets Field1931LBoston BravesBraves Field1932LBoston BravesEbbets Field1933 WPhiladelphia PhilliesBaker Bowl1934WBoston BravesEbbets Field1935 WPhiladelphia PhilliesBaker Bowl1936LNew York GiantsEbbets Field1937 LNew York GiantsEbbets Field1938 ND (W)Philadelphia PhilliesBaker Bowl1939LNew York GiantsEbbets Field1940WBoston BravesBraves Field1941** LNew York GiantsEbbets Field1942WNew York GiantsPolo Grounds1943WNew York GiantsEbbets Field1944LPhiladelphia PhilliesShibe Park1945 WPhiladelphia PhilliesEbbets Field1946 LBoston BravesBraves Field1947**ND (W)Boston BravesEbbets Field1948ND (W)New York GiantsPolo Grounds1949** WNew York GiantsEbbets Field1950LPhiladelphia PhilliesShibe Park1951LPhiladelphia PhilliesEbbets Field1952**WBoston BravesBraves Field1953** ND (W)Pittsburgh PiratesEbbets Field1954 LNew York GiantsPolo Grounds1955# WPittsburgh PiratesEbbets Field1956** LPhiladelphia PhilliesEbbets Field1957 ND (W)Philadelphia PhilliesConnie Mack Stadium

References General Covers 1919 through 1957.

Specific