Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES, CA — Opening Day. There’s no day like it in the year.
Opening Day is baseball’s greatest promise—every team starts at 0-0, and every fan dares to dream. For the Dodgers, Opening Day has often been more than just the start of a new season. It’s been the launchpad for cultural change, unforgettable moments, and historic debuts that still echo through the franchise. Yes, I know. It’s not EXACTLY Opening Day for the Dodgers, but let’s face it, most of us were still asleep when the first pitch of 2025 was thrown over in Tokyo. So heck, as far as I’m concerned Thursday is the true Opening Day, with almost every team in action (a few don’t start until Friday). From Brooklyn to Los Angeles, here’s a look back at the most iconic Opening Days in Dodgers history.
1890 – Brooklyn Joins the Big Leagues
Before they were the Dodgers, they were the Brooklyn Bridegrooms, and they played their first National League game on April 19, 1890. After defecting from the American Association, the Bridegrooms lost 15–9 in Boston. But in their home debut a few days later, they crushed the Phillies 10–0. The team name came from a wave of player marriages in 1888—and yes, they really went by that.
1913 – The Doors Open at Ebbets Field
Built on dreams (and a near-empty bank account), Ebbets Field opened on April 9, 1913, thanks to team president Charles Ebbets and a last-minute partnership with the McKeever brothers. Though the Dodgers lost 1–0 to the Phillies, the park became sacred ground for decades of Dodger fans.
April 15, 1947 – Jackie Robinson Changes Baseball Forever
No Opening Day in MLB history matches the impact of this one. Jackie Robinson, batting second and playing first base, broke the color barrier and redefined the game. He went 0-for-3 with a run scored, but his presence shifted the course of history. Despite opposition from some teammates, manager Leo Durocher had made it clear: “I say he plays!” Robinson would go on to win Rookie of the Year, MVP, and a place in Cooperstown—and in the heart of a nation. Today, April 15 is celebrated across baseball as Jackie Robinson Day.
April 18, 1958 – The Dodgers Debut in L.A.
The Dodgers’ first game in Los Angeles was more than just a home opener—it was a rebirth. Playing the Giants in front of 78,672 fans at the Coliseum, the Dodgers took a 6–5 win in the first MLB game played west of Kansas City. Rookie Dick Gray hit the first Dodger homer in Los Angeles. The crowd was massive, the rivalry was heated, and baseball had officially gone Hollywood.
April 10, 1962 – Chavez Ravine Gets Its Crown Jewel
After four years at the cavernous Coliseum, the Dodgers finally opened Dodger Stadium, the first privately financed MLB park since Yankee Stadium in 1923. With 52,564 fans in attendance and Duke Snider recording the first Dodger hit in the stadium, the Reds spoiled the fun with a 6–3 win. But the story was the setting: a ballpark carved into a hillside that would become one of the game’s most iconic venues.
April 7, 1977 – Sinatra and Lasorda Sing a New Tune
For Tommy Lasorda’s first Opening Day as manager, he brought a special guest: Frank Sinatra, who sang the national anthem at Dodger Stadium. It was a Hollywood moment befitting the start of a new era. The Dodgers beat the Giants 5–1 behind a four-hit complete game from Don Sutton. Lasorda would go on to lead the team to two World Series titles and become one of the most beloved figures in franchise history.
April 9, 1981 – Fernandomania Is Born
With Jerry Reuss injured, 20-year-old Fernando Valenzuela was thrust into the Opening Day spotlight. The lefty from Sonora, Mexico dazzled Dodger Stadium with a five-hit shutout of the Astros. Fans fell in love with his screwball, his skyward glance, and his calm dominance. Valenzuela started 8–0 with an absurd 0.50 ERA, ultimately winning both Rookie of the Year and Cy Young honors—and leading the Dodgers to a World Series title. “Fernandomania” swept across L.A., igniting a generational bond with Latino fans that still exists today.
April 1, 2013 – Kershaw Does It All
On a day when Sandy Koufax threw out the ceremonial first pitch, Clayton Kershaw delivered a performance worthy of the legend himself. Locked in a scoreless battle with the Giants, Kershaw stunned everyone by blasting a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth—his first and only career home run. He then finished off a 4–0 shutout. It marked the first time since Don Drysdale in 1965 that a Dodger pitcher homered and threw a shutout on Opening Day.
March 28, 2019 – Eight Is Great
The Dodgers made fireworks on Opening Day 2019—literally. In a 12–5 rout of the Diamondbacks, they set a Major League record with eight home runs on Opening Day. Joc Pederson and Kiké Hernández each hit two, while Corey Seager, Austin Barnes, Max Muncy, and Cody Bellinger also went deep. Four of those blasts came off former Dodger Zack Greinke. It was a thunderous start to a season that would see the team break the NL record for homers with 279.
From Brooklyn to Blue Heaven
The Dodgers’ Opening Day history is more than just a series of wins and losses—it’s a timeline of transformation, filled with emotion, milestones, and moments that echo beyond the game. From Jackie Robinson’s courage to Fernando’s charisma, from Ebbets to Chavez Ravine, Opening Day has always been something special in Dodger blue.
And every spring, when the stadium lights flicker on and Vin Scully’s spirit still seems to hang in the air, fans know: something magical is about to begin.
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*Note — this report relies on great previous reporting by Juan Toribio, Mike DiGiovanna, and Dodger historian Mark Langill
