The Chicago Cubs are a Major League Baseball franchise based in Chicago that plays in the National League Central division. In the history of the franchise, it has also played under the names Chicago White Stockings, Chicago Colts and Chicago Orphans. 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 Cubs have used 68 different starting pitchers on Opening Day since they first became a Major League team in 1876. The Cubs have a record of 74 wins, 60 losses and 2 ties in their Opening Day games.
The Cubs have played in seven different home ball parks. They have played at their current home, Wrigley Field, since 1916. They have a record of 22 wins, 21 losses and 1 tie in Opening Day games at Wrigley Field. They had an Opening Day record of six wins, one loss and one tie at their other home ball parks, for a total home record in Opening Day games of 28 wins, 22 losses and 2 ties. Their record in Opening Day away games is 46 wins and 38 losses.
Ferguson Jenkins holds the Cubs record for most Opening Day starts with seven, in which his record was two wins, two losses and three no decisions. Carlos Zambrano has made six Opening Day starts. Larry Corcoran, Clark Griffith, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Charlie Root and Rick Sutcliffe have each made five Opening Day starts for the Cubs. Orval Overall, Lon Warneke, Bob Rush, Larry Jackson and Rick Reuschel each made four Opening Day starts for the Cubs, and Bill Hutchison, Jon Lieber, Ray Burris, Claude Passeau, Jack Taylor and Hippo Vaughn each made three such starts.
Five Cubs' Opening Day starting pitchers have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame: Griffith, Alexander, Jenkins, Al Spalding and John Clarkson. In addition, 300–game winner Greg Maddux was the Cubs' Opening Day starting pitcher in 1992. The Cubs have won the modern World Series championship three times, in 1907, 1908 and 2016. Overall was the Cubs' Opening Day starting pitcher both seasons of 1907 and 1908 and the Cubs won both of those Opening Day games. Don Cardwell was the Cubs' Opening Day starting pitcher against the Houston Colt .45s on April 10, 1962, the first game in Houston's history. The Cubs lost the game by a score of 11–2.
Key SeasonEach year is linked to an article about that particular Cubs season.WWinLLossTTie gameND (W)No decision by starting pitcher; Cubs won gameND (L)No decision by starting pitcher; Cubs lost game(W)Cubs won game; no information on starting pitcher's decision(L)Cubs lost game; no information on starting pitcher's decisionFinal scoreGame score with Cubs runs listed first LocationStadium in italics for home gameNumber of appearances as Opening Day starter with the Cubs*Advanced to the post-season**National League Champions†World Series Champions
Pitchers
SeasonPitcherDecisionFinalscoreOpponentLocationRef(s)1876**(W)Louisville GraysLouisville Baseball Park1877(W)Hartford Dark Blues23rd Street Grounds1878(W)Indianapolis BluesSouth Street Park1879 (W)Syracuse StarsLake Front Park1880**(W)Cincinnati RedsBank Street Grounds1881** (W)Cleveland SpidersLake Front Park1882** LBuffalo BisonsRiverside Grounds1883(W)Detroit WolverinesRecreation Park1884 (L)New York GothamsPolo Grounds1885** LSt. Louis MaroonsUnion Grounds1886**(W)Kansas City CowboysAssociation Park1887 (L)Pittsburgh PiratesRecreation Park1888WIndianapolis HoosiersSeventh Street Park1889(L)Pittsburgh PiratesRecreation Park1890 (W)Cincinnati RedsLeague Park1891(W)Pittsburgh PiratesExposition Park1892(W)St. Louis BrownsSportsman's Park1893(L)Cincinnati RedsLeague Park1894 (L)Cincinnati RedsLeague Park1895(W)St. Louis BrownsRobison Field1896(W)Louisville ColonelsEclipse Park1897 LCincinnati RedsLeague Park1898 (W)St. Louis BrownsRobison Field1899 (W)Louisville ColonelsEclipse Park1900 (W)Cincinnati RedsLeague Park1901(W)St. Louis CardinalsRobison Field1902 WCincinnati RedsPalace of the Fans1903 LSt. Louis CardinalsRobison Field1904(L)Cincinnati RedsPalace of the Fans1905(W)St. Louis CardinalsRobison Field1906** (W)Cincinnati RedsPalace of the Fans1907†(W)St. Louis CardinalsWest Side Park II1908† (W)Cincinnati RedsPalace of the Fans1909 (W)St. Louis CardinalsWest Side Park II1910** (L)Cincinnati RedsPalace of the Fans1911TSt. Louis CardinalsWest Side Park II1912(L)Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field1913(L)St. Louis CardinalsWest Side Park II1914(L)Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field1915(W)St. Louis CardinalsWest Side Park II1916(W)Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field1917 (W)Pittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field1918**(L)St. Louis CardinalsRobison Field1919 (W)Pittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field1920 (L)Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field1921 WSt. Louis CardinalsWrigley Field1922 WCincinnati RedsCrosley Field1923LPittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field1924LSt. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park1925 WPittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field1926ND (L)Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field1927WSt. Louis CardinalsWrigley Field1928 LCincinnati RedsCrosley Field1929** LPittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field1930WSt. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park1931 WPittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field1932** (L)Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field1933WSt. Louis CardinalsWrigley Field1934 WCincinnati RedsCrosley Field1935** WSt. Louis CardinalsWrigley Field1936 WSt. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park1937(L)Pittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field1938**ND (W)Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field1939WSt. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park1940 (L)Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field1941WPittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field1942 WSt. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park1943(L)Pittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field1944WCincinnati RedsCrosley Field1945** WSt. Louis CardinalsWrigley Field1946 ND (W)Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field1947(L)Pittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field1948(L)Pittsburgh PiratesForbes Field1949(L)Pittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field1950ND (W)Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field1951ND (W)Cincinnati RedsWrigley Field1952ND (W)Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field1953WCincinnati RedsWrigley Field1954 WSt. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park1955 ND (W)Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field1956 LMilwaukee BravesCounty Stadium1957 LMilwaukee BravesWrigley Field1958WSt. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park1959WLos Angeles DodgersWrigley Field1960 ND (L)Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum1961LCincinnati RedsCrosley Field1962LHouston Colt .45sColt Stadium1963LLos Angeles DodgersWrigley Field1964 WPittsburgh PiratesForbes Field1965 TSt. Louis CardinalsWrigley Field1966 LSan Francisco GiantsCandlestick Park1967WPhiladelphia PhilliesWrigley Field1968LCincinnati RedsCrosley Field1969 ND (W)Philadelphia PhilliesWrigley Field1970 LPhiladelphia PhilliesConnie Mack Stadium1971 WSt. Louis CardinalsWrigley Field1972 ND (L)Philadelphia PhilliesWrigley Field1973 ND (W)Montreal ExposWrigley Field1974WPhiladelphia PhilliesWrigley Field1975 ND (L)Pittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field1976LSt. Louis CardinalsBusch Stadium1977 LNew York MetsWrigley Field1978LPittsburgh PiratesThree Rivers Stadium1979 LNew York MetsWrigley Field1980 LNew York MetsShea Stadium1981 LNew York MetsWrigley Field1982WCincinnati RedsRiverfront Stadium1983 LMontreal ExposWrigley Field1984*WSan Francisco GiantsCandlestick Park1985WPittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field1986 LSt. Louis CardinalsBusch Stadium1987 LSt. Louis CardinalsWrigley Field1988 ND (W)Atlanta BravesAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium1989* WPhiladelphia PhilliesWrigley Field1990ND (W)Philadelphia PhilliesWrigley Field1991LSt. Louis CardinalsWrigley Field1992WPhiladelphia PhilliesVeterans Stadium1993LAtlanta BravesWrigley Field1994 LNew York MetsWrigley Field1995WCincinnati RedsRiverfront Stadium1996WSan Diego PadresWrigley Field1997LFlorida MarlinsPro Player Stadium1998*LFlorida MarlinsPro Player Stadium1999LHouston AstrosAstrodome2000WNew York MetsTokyo Dome2001 ND (L)Montreal ExposWrigley Field2002 ND (L)Cincinnati RedsCinergy Field2003*WNew York MetsShea Stadium2004 WCincinnati RedsGreat American Ball Park2005ND (W)Arizona DiamondbacksBank One Ballpark2006 ND (W)Cincinnati RedsGreat American Ball Park2007* LCincinnati RedsGreat American Ball Park2008* ND (L)Milwaukee BrewersWrigley Field2009 WHouston AstrosMinute Maid Park2010 LAtlanta BravesTurner Field2011LPittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field2012 NDWashington NationalsWrigley Field2013 W Pittsburgh Pirates PNC Park2014 ND (L) Pittsburgh Pirates PNC Park2015* L St. Louis Cardinals Wrigley Field2016† W Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Angel Stadium2017* ND (L) St. Louis Cardinals Busch Stadium2018* ND (W)Miami MarlinsMarlins Park2019 W Texas Rangers Globe Life Park in Arlington2020* W Milwaukee Brewers Wrigley Field2021 LPittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field2022 ND (W)Milwaukee BrewersWrigley Field2023 W Milwaukee BrewersWrigley Field 2024 ND (L) Texas RangersGlobe Life Field 2025* ND (L) Los Angeles DodgersTokyo Dome 2026 L Washington NationalsWrigley Field
References General
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