Feller Had an Opener to Remember for Indians

Since 1876, there have been 222 no-hit games pitched in the major leagues.

Only one was achieved on opening day. It happened 59 years ago today, when Bob Feller did it in Chicago’s Comiskey Park, but it took a great defensive play to preserve Feller’s effort.

With two out in the ninth and 14,000 fans standing and cheering, Cleveland second baseman Ray Mack dived to knock down Taft Wright’s line drive and threw him out at first base by a step.

The previous hitter, Luke Appling, had hit four hard foul balls to right field before Feller walked him.

For Feller, it was the first of three no-hitters in his 18-season career. He also had 12 one-hitters.

He was 24-9 in 1939 and 27-11 in 1940.

Feller, with his parents and sister watching, struck out eight and walked four. From the fourth through the eighth innings, he retired 15 in a row.

On the same day, there was another opening-day gem.

The Boston Red Sox’s Lefty Grove, beginning his 15th season and pitching before President Franklin D. Roosevelt and 33,000 others, retired the first 21 Washington Senators before beating them, 1-0, with a two-hitter.

Feller, 21 at the time, finished his career in 1956 with a 266-162 record.

Grove, 40 during the 1940 season, would go 7-6 that year and 7-7 in 1941, retiring with a 300-141 record.

Also on this date: In 1967, the Angels’ Jim Fregosi spoiled a no-hit bid by Baltimore’s Steve Barber with a one-out double in the ninth inning. . . . On the same day, Wilt Chamberlain was named the NBA’s most valuable player and led the Philadelphia 76ers to a 126-95 playoff victory over San Francisco with 38 rebounds (26 in the first half), 10 assists, 10 blocked shots and 10 points. . . . Also on the same day, Arnold Palmer shot a final-round 64 but fell one stroke short of Frank Beard, who won the Tournament of Champions at Las Vegas.