# 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

| Year | Each year is linked to an article about that particular Dodgers season. |
| W | Win |
| L | Loss |
| T | Tie Game; no decision to starting pitcher |
| ND (W) | No Decision by starting pitcher; Dodgers won game |
| ND (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 decision |
| (#) | Number of appearances as Opening Day starter |
| Location | Stadium in italics for home game |
| * | American Association champions |
| ** | National League champions |
| # | World Series Champions |

## Pitchers

| Year | Pitcher | Decision | Opponent | Location |
| 1884 | Sam Kimber | (L) | Washington Statesmen | Athletic Park |
| 1885 | John Harkins | (W) | Baltimore Orioles | Oriole Park |
| 1886 | John Harkins (2) | (L) | Baltimore Orioles | Oriole Park |
| 1887 | Henry Porter | (W) | New York Metropolitans | Washington Park |
| 1888 | Bob Caruthers | (W) | Cleveland Blues | Washington Park |
| 1889* | Mickey Hughes | (L) | Philadelphia Athletics | Jefferson Street Grounds or Gloucester Point Grounds |
| 1890** | Bob Caruthers (2) | (L) | Boston Beaneaters | Congress Street Grounds |
| 1891 | George Hemming | (W) | Philadelphia Phillies | Huntingdon Grounds |
| 1892 | Dave Foutz | (W) | Baltimore Orioles | Union Park |
| 1893 | Ed Stein | (L) | Philadelphia Phillies | Huntingdon Grounds |
| 1894 | Brickyard Kennedy | (L) | Boston Beaneaters | South End Grounds |
| 1895 | Brickyard Kennedy (2) | (W) | New York Giants | Polo Grounds |
| 1896 | Brickyard Kennedy (3) | (W) | Baltimore Orioles | Union Park |
| 1897 | Harley Payne | (W) | Washington Nationals | Boundary Field |
| 1898 | Brickyard Kennedy (4) | (W) | Philadelphia Phillies | Baker Bowl |
| 1899** | Brickyard Kennedy (5) | (L) | Boston Beaneaters | Washington Park |
| 1900** | Brickyard Kennedy (6) | (W) | New York Giants | Polo Grounds |
| 1901 | Bill Donovan | (W) | Philadelphia Phillies | Baker Bowl |
| 1902 | Bill Donovan (2) | (W) | Boston Beaneaters | Washington Park |
| 1903 | Henry Schmidt | (W) | New York Giants | Polo Grounds |
| 1904 | Oscar Jones | (L) | New York Giants | Washington Park |
| 1905 | Oscar Jones (2) | (L) | Philadelphia Phillies | Washington Park |
| 1906 | Harry McIntire | (L) | Boston Beaneaters | Washington Park |
| 1907 | Elmer Stricklett | (L) | Boston Doves | South End Grounds |
| 1908 | Nap Rucker | (L) | Boston Doves | 'Washington Park |
| 1909 | Kaiser Wilhelm | (W) | New York Giants | Polo Grounds |
| 1910 | Nap Rucker (2) | (W) | Philadelphia Phillies | Baker Bowl |
| 1911 | Cy Barger | L | Boston Rustlers | South End Grounds |
| 1912 | Nap Rucker (3) | L | New York Giants | Washington Park |
| 1913 | Nap Rucker (4) | (L) | Philadelphia Phillies | Ebbets Field |
| 1914 | Ed Reulbach | (W) | Boston Braves | Ebbets Field |
| 1915 | Jeff Pfeffer | (L) | New York Giants | Polo Grounds |
| 1916** | Larry Cheney | (L) | Boston Braves | Ebbets Field |
| 1917 | Wheezer Dell | (L) | Philadelphia Phillies | Ebbets Field |
| 1918 | Rube Marquard | L | New York Giants | Polo Grounds |
| 1919 | Leon Cadore | W | Boston Braves | Braves Field |
| 1920** | Leon Cadore (2) | W | Philadelphia Phillies | Ebbets Field |
| 1921 | Leon Cadore (3) | ND (W) | Boston Braves | Braves Field |
| 1922 | Dutch Ruether | W | New York Giants | Polo Grounds |
| 1923 | Dutch Ruether (2) | T | Philadelphia Phillies | Ebbets Field |
| 1924 | Dutch Ruether (3) | W | New York Giants | Polo Grounds |
| 1925 | Dazzy Vance | W | Philadelphia Phillies | Ebbets Field |
| 1926 | Jesse Petty | W | New York Giants | Polo Grounds |
| 1927 | Jesse Petty (2) | W | Boston Braves | Braves Field |
| 1928 | Jesse Petty (3) | L | Philadelphia Phillies | Ebbets Field |
| 1929 | Watty Clark | L | Boston Braves | Braves Field |
| 1930 | Watty Clark (2) | L | Philadelphia Phillies | Ebbets Field |
| 1931 | Jack Quinn | L | Boston Braves | Braves Field |
| 1932 | Waite Hoyt | L | Boston Braves | Ebbets Field |
| 1933 | Watty Clark (3) | W | Philadelphia Phillies | Baker Bowl |
| 1934 | Van Mungo | W | Boston Braves | Ebbets Field |
| 1935 | Van Mungo (2) | W | Philadelphia Phillies | Baker Bowl |
| 1936 | George Earnshaw | L | New York Giants | Ebbets Field |
| 1937 | Van Mungo (3) | L | New York Giants | Ebbets Field |
| 1938 | Van Mungo (4) | ND (W) | Philadelphia Phillies | Baker Bowl |
| 1939 | Red Evans | L | New York Giants | Ebbets Field |
| 1940 | Whit Wyatt | W | Boston Braves | Braves Field |
| 1941** | Whit Wyatt (2) | L | New York Giants | Ebbets Field |
| 1942 | Curt Davis | W | New York Giants | Polo Grounds |
| 1943 | Ed Head | W | New York Giants | Ebbets Field |
| 1944 | Hal Gregg | L | Philadelphia Phillies | Shibe Park |
| 1945 | Curt Davis (2) | W | Philadelphia Phillies | Ebbets Field |
| 1946 | Hal Gregg (2) | L | Boston Braves | Braves Field |
| 1947** | Joe Hatten | ND (W) | Boston Braves | Ebbets Field |
| 1948 | Rex Barney | ND (W) | New York Giants | Polo Grounds |
| 1949** | Joe Hatten (2) | W | New York Giants | Ebbets Field |
| 1950 | Don Newcombe | L | Philadelphia Phillies | Shibe Park |
| 1951 | Carl Erskine | L | Philadelphia Phillies | Ebbets Field |
| 1952** | Preacher Roe | W | Boston Braves | Braves Field |
| 1953** | Carl Erskine (2) | ND (W) | Pittsburgh Pirates | Ebbets Field |
| 1954 | Carl Erskine (3) | L | New York Giants | Polo Grounds |
| 1955# | Carl Erskine (4) | W | Pittsburgh Pirates | Ebbets Field |
| 1956** | Don Newcombe (2) | L | Philadelphia Phillies | Ebbets Field |
| 1957 | Don Newcombe (3) | ND (W) | Philadelphia Phillies | Connie Mack Stadium |