List of Boston and Milwaukee Braves Opening Day starting pitchers


The Braves are a Major League Baseball team that was originally based in Boston. They moved to Milwaukee in 1953 before moving to their current home, Atlanta in 1966. They played in the National League since its formation in 1876. At various points in the history in Boston, they were known as the Beaneaters, the Doves, the Rustlers and the Bees. During the 20th century until their move to Milwaukee, they played their home games primarily at two home ball parks – South End Grounds until 1914, and Braves Field from 1915 through 1952. They also played some home games at Fenway Park in 1914 and 1915, including Opening Day of 1915. Their home ball park in Milwaukee was County Stadium. 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 Braves used 40 different Opening Day starting pitchers in their 80 National League seasons they played prior to moving to Atlanta. The Braves won 46 of those games against 42 losses in those Opening Day starts. They also played two tie games.
Warren Spahn had the most Opening Day starts for the Boston and Milwaukee Braves with ten between 1952 and 1964. Kid Nichols made six Opening Day starts between 1893 and 1901. Jim Whitney and John Clarkson each had five Opening Day starts. Tommy Bond, Vic Willis, Dick Rudolph, Al Javery and Johnny Sain each made four Opening Day starts. Irv Young, Bob Smith and Ed Brandt each had three such starts. Other pitchers with multiple Opening Day starts for the Boston and Milwaukee Braves were Charles Radbourn, Jack Stivetts, Hub Perdue, Joe Oeschger, Joe Genewich, Danny MacFayden and Lew Burdette.
Prior to moving to Atlanta, the Braves played in the World Series four times. The played in the World Series as the Boston Braves in 1914 and 1948, and as the Milwaukee Braves in 1957 and 1959. They won the World Series in 1914 and 1957. Their Opening Day starting pitchers in World Series years were Lefty Tyler in 1914, Sain in 1948, and Spahn in 1957 and 1958. They lost their Opening Day game in 1914, 1948 and 1958, and won in 1957. In addition, the franchise won the National League championship eight times during the 19th century, prior to the existence of the modern World Series. Nichols was the team's Opening Day starting pitcher in three of those season, Clarkson and Bond in two of those seasons each, and Whitney was the Opening Day starting pitcher in one such season.
Jesse Barnes made an Opening Day start for the Braves against the New York Giants in 1925, after having made an Opening Day start for the Giants against the Braves in 1920. Spahn is the only pitcher to make an Opening Day start for both the Boston Braves and the Milwaukee Braves. Tony Cloninger, who made the last Opening Day start for the Milwaukee Braves in 1965 and the first for the Atlanta Braves in 1966, is the only pitcher to make an Opening Day start for both the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves.

Key

Pitchers

YearPitcherDecisionOpponentLocationReference
1876Philadelphia AthleticsJefferson Street Grounds
1877TBrooklyn HartfordsUnion Grounds
1878 WProvidence GraysMesser Street Grounds
1879 Buffalo BisonsRiverside Park
1880 Providence GraysMesser Street Grounds
1881Providence GraysMesser Street Grounds
1882 Worcester Ruby LegsSouth End Grounds
1883 New York GiantsPolo Grounds
1884 Buffalo BisonsSouth End Grounds
1885 New York GiantsPolo Grounds
1886New York GiantsPolo Grounds
1887 Washington NationalsSwampoodle Grounds
1888Philadelphia PhilliesHuntingdon Grounds
1889 New York GiantsOakland Park, New Jersey
1890 WBrooklyn BridegroomsSouth End Grounds
1891 New York GiantsPolo Grounds
1892 Washington NationalsBoundary Field
1893New York GiantsPolo Grounds
1894Brooklyn BridegroomsSouth End Grounds
1895 Washington NationalsSouth End Grounds
1896 Philadelphia PhilliesBaker Bowl
1897 Philadelphia PhilliesSouth End Grounds
1898 New York GiantsPolo Grounds
1899 Brooklyn SuperbasWashington Park
1900Philadelphia PhilliesSouth End Grounds
1901 New York GiantsSouth End Grounds
1902 Brooklyn DodgersWashington Park
1903 Philadelphia PhilliesBaker Bowl
1904 Philadelphia PhilliesBaker Bowl
1905New York GiantsPolo Grounds
1906Brooklyn DodgersWashington Park
1907 Brooklyn DodgersSouth End Grounds
1908 Brooklyn DodgersWashington Park
1909Philadelphia PhilliesSouth End Grounds
1910New York GiantsSouth End Grounds
1911WBrooklyn DodgersSouth End Grounds
1912Philadelphia PhilliesSouth End Grounds
1913 New York GiantsPolo Grounds
1914Brooklyn DodgersEbbets Field
1915Philadelphia PhilliesFenway Park
1916 Brooklyn DodgersEbbets Field
1917 New York GiantsBraves Field
1918LPhiladelphia PhilliesBaker Bowl
1919 LBrooklyn DodgersBraves Field
1920WNew York GiantsPolo Grounds
1921LBrooklyn DodgersBraves Field
1922 LPhiladelphia PhilliesBaker Bowl
1923LNew York GiantsBraves Field
1924TPhiladelphia PhilliesBaker Bowl
1925WNew York GiantsBraves Field
1926 LPhiladelphia PhilliesBaker Bowl
1927LBrooklyn DodgersBraves Field
1928 LNew York GiantsPolo Grounds
1929 WBrooklyn DodgersBraves Field
1930LNew York GiantsPolo Grounds
1931ND Brooklyn DodgersBraves Field
1932WBrooklyn DodgersEbbets Field
1933LPhiladelphia PhilliesBraves Field
1934 LBrooklyn DodgersEbbets Field
1935 WNew York GiantsBraves Field
1936LPhiladelphia PhilliesBaker Bowl
1937LPhiladelphia PhilliesBraves Field
1938 LNew York GiantsPolo Grounds
1939ND Philadelphia PhilliesBraves Field
1940LBrooklyn DodgersEbbets Field
1941LPhiladelphia PhilliesShibe Park
1942WPhiladelphia PhilliesShibe Park
1943 LNew York GiantsBraves Field
1944 LNew York GiantsPolo Grounds
1945 LNew York GiantsBraves Field
1946WBrooklyn DodgersBraves Field
1947 LBrooklyn DodgersEbbets Field
1948 LPhiladelphia PhilliesShibe Park
1949 LPhiladelphia PhilliesBraves Field
1950WNew York GiantsPolo Grounds
1951LNew York GiantsBraves Field
1952 LBrooklyn DodgersBraves Field
1953WCincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1954ND Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1955 WCincinnati RedsCounty Stadium
1956WChicago CubsCounty Stadium
1957 WChicago CubsWrigley Field
1958 ND Pittsburgh PiratesCounty Stadium
1959 WPittsburgh PiratesForbes Field
1960 ND Pittsburgh PiratesCounty Stadium
1961 LSt. Louis CardinalsCounty Stadium
1962 LSan Francisco GiantsCandlestick Park
1963 ND Pittsburgh PiratesForbes Field
1964 LSan Francisco GiantsCandlestick Park
1965WCincinnati RedsCrosley Field