Due to the coronavirus crisis, we're going to have to wait a while longer before the Boston Red Sox can begin their 2020 campaign. The franchise's 120th season was supposed to get underway Thursday with a matchup against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Until we finally get to see the Red Sox and the rest of the league take the field for 2020 Opening Day, we'll have to settle on looking back at what's already been written in the history books. Here are five interesting stats from the history of Red Sox Opening Day.
1. Teddy Ballgame
Red Sox legend Ted Williams loved Opening Day. The six-time batting champ played on Opening Day 14 times in his career, and he notched a hit in all 14 of those games.
Here are Williams' career Opening Day stats:
AB: 49
HR: 3
RBI: 14
BA: .449
OBP: .550
SLG: .816
OPS: 1.366
2. Opening Day aces
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Here are the Red Sox' Opening Day pitching record-holders:
Games: Roger Clemens (8)
Games started: Roger Clemens (8)
Innings pitched: Roger Clemens (56.1)
Wins: Pedro Martinez/Roger Clemens/Babe Ruth/Wes Ferrell (3)
Losses: Cy Young/Bob Stanley/Howard Ehmke (3)
Walks: Roger Clemens (22)
Strikeouts: Pedro Martinez (52)
ERA (min. 10 IP): Lefty Grove (0.53)
WHIP (min. 10 IP: Lefty Grove (0.65)
3. How have Red Sox performed?
Here's how Boston has fared on Opening Day since 1904 (106 games).
4. Sold-out crowd
Largest attendance at home: April 4, 2010 – NYY @ BOS – 37,440 – W, 9-7
Largest attendance on the road: April 18, 1923 – BOS @ NYY – 74,200 (opening of Yankee Stadium) – L, 1-4
5. Franchise shortstop
When the 2020 Red Sox season does begin, Xander Bogaerts will make his seventh consecutive Opening Day start at shortstop.
No other player in the last 79 years has made seven consecutive Opening Day starts at short for Boston. The last to do so? Joe Cronin from 1935-41.
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