J.R. Richard holds up four baseballs, one for each of the four wins he racked up as a a five-time home opener starting pitcher for the Houston Astros from 1976 to 1980.
The following table is one we’ve worked tediously to present here as a strategic summary from the material available to all of us by the wonderful site that is Baseball Almanac. It show every Opening Day home game starter for the Astros over the entire 1962-2017 course of time to date – and also any Astros relief pitchers involved in these games as players who either picked up a decision or received credit for a “save”.
Further information on each of these games is available on the table we first included the other day as an excerpt from Baseball Almanac. This linked site will put you in touch with the box scores, plus the complete list of starters, relievers, and other players who appeared in each home Opening Day game for Houston each year through 2017.
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/opening_day/odschedule.php?t=HOU
By this time, we are about as certain as any researcher/writer/editor/same guy can be that everything is accurate, but, if you find something that’s not, please get in touch with me and we will correct it on our column site.
Have fun.
~ Bill McCurdy, The Pecan Park Eagle Multi-Tasker
Every Houston Home Opening Day Starter, 1962-2017
| YEAR | OD FOE | OUTCOME | STARTER | 1P | RELIEVER REC | IP |
| 1962 | CHI Cubs | W, 11-2 | Bobby Shantz, W | 9.0 | ||
| 1963 | SF Giants | L, 2-9 | Turk Farrell, L | 3.0 | ||
| 1964 | MIL Braves | L, 5-6 | Jim Owens | 4.0 | C Raymond, L | 3.0 |
| 1965 | PHI Phillies | L, O-2 | Bob Bruce, L | 7.0 | ||
| 1966 | LA Dodgers | L, 3-6 | Robin Roberts, L | 4.0 | ||
| 1967 | ATL Braves | W, 6-1 | Mike Cuellar, W | 9.0 | ||
| 1968 | PGH Pirates | W, 5-4 | Larry Dierker, W | 9.0 | ||
| 1969 | LA Dodgers | L, 3-9 | Denny LeMaster, L | 5.0 | ||
| 1970 | ATL Braves | L, 0-5 | Tom Griffin, L | 4.1 | ||
| 1971 | LA Dodgers | W, 5-2 | Larry Dierker, W | 9.0 | ||
| 1972 | SF Giants | L, 0-5 | Don Wilson, L | 7.1 | ||
| 1973 | LA Dodgers | W, 4-1 | Jerry Reuss, W | 9.0 | ||
| 1974 | LA Dodgers | W, 5-3 | Claude Osteen, W | 7.1 | Ken Forsch, Sv | 1.2 |
| 1975 | ATL Braves | W, 6-2 | Larry Dierker, W | 9.0 | ||
| 1976 | SF Giants | W, 5-0 | JR Richard, W | 5.2 | Ken Forsch, Sv | 2.0 |
| 1977 | Braves, 11 in | W, 3-2 | JR Richard | 9.0 | Ken Forsch, W | 2.0 |
| 1978 | SF Giants | W, 5-0 | JR Richard, W | 5.2 | Ken Forsch, Sv | 2.0 |
| 1979 | ATL Braves | W, 2-1 | JR Richard, W | 5.1 | J Andujar, Sv | 3.2 |
| 1980 | LA Dodgers | W, 3-2 | JR Richard, W | 8.0 | Joe Sambito, Sv | 1.0 |
| 1981 | Braves, 10 in | L, 1-2 | Bob Knepper | 8.2 | Joe Sambito, L | 1.0 |
| 1982 | SL Cardinals | L, 3-14 | Nolan Ryan, L | 3.0 | ||
| 1983 | LA Dodgers | L. 7-16 | Joe Niekro | 3.0 | Frank LaCorte, L | 2.1 |
| 1984 | MON Expos | L, 2-4 | Joe Niekro, L | 7.0 | ||
| 1985 | LA Dodgers | W, 2-1 | Nolan Ryan, W | 7-0 | Frank, DiPino, Sv | 2.0 |
| 1986 | SF Giants | L, 3-8 | Nolan Ryan, L | 6.1 | ||
| 1987 | LA Dodgers | W, 4-3 | Mike Scott, W | 7.0 | Dave Smith, Sv | 2.0 |
| 1988 | SD Padres | W, 6-3 | Mike Scott, W | 8.0 | Dave Smith, Sv | 1.0 |
| 1989 | ATL Braves | W, 10-3 | Mike Scott, W | 7.0 | ||
| 1990 | CIN Reds | L, 4-8 | Mike Scott | 5.2 | Charlie Kerfeld, L | 0.2 |
| 1991 | SF Giants | W, 3-2 | Mark Portugal, W | 7.0 | Dwayn Henry, Sv | 2.0 |
| 1992 | ATL Braves | L, 0-2 | Pete Harnisch, L | 7.2 | ||
| 1993 | PHI Phillies | L, 1-3 | Doug Drabek, L | 8.0 | ||
| 1994 | MON Expos | W, 6-5 | Pete Harnisch | 7.0 | Tom Edens, W | 0.1 |
| 1995 | COL Rockies | L, 1-2 | Darryl Kile, L | 6.0 | ||
| 1996 | LA Dodgers | L, 3-4 | Shane Reynolds, L | 5.0 | ||
| 1997 | ATL Braves | W, 2-1 | ShaneReynolds, W | 8.0 | Billy Wagner, Sv | 1.0 |
| 1998 | SF Giants | L, 4-9 | Shane Reynolds | 6.0 | CJ Nitkowski, L | 1.2 |
| 1999 | CHI Cubs | W, 4-2 | ShaneReynolds, W | 6.0 | Billy Wagner, Sv | 1.0 |
| 2000 | PHI Phillies | L, 1-4 | Octavio Dotel, L | 6.0 | ||
| 2001 | MIL Brewers | W, 11-3 | Scott Elarton, W | 6.0 | ||
| 2002 | MIL Brewers | L, 3-9 | Wade Miller, L | 4.0 | ||
| 2003 | COL Rockies | W, 10-4 | Roy Oswalt, W | 7.0 | ||
| 2004 | SF Giants | L, 4-5 | Roy Oswalt | 7.1 | Octavio Dotel, L | 1.0 |
| 2005 | SL Cardinals | L, 3-7 | Roy Oswalt, L | 6.0 | ||
| 2006 | FLA Marlins | W, 1-0 | Roy Oswalt, W | 8.0 | Brad Lidge, Sv | 1.0 |
| 2007 | PGH Pirates | L, 2-4 | Roy Oswalt | 7.2 | Chad Qualls, L | 1.0 |
| 2008 | SL Cardinals | W. 5-3 | Wandy Rodriguez | 7.1 | Jose Valverde, W | 1.0 |
| 2009 | CHI Cubs | L, 2-4 | Roy Oswalt, L | 7.0 | ||
| 2010 | SF Giants | L, 2-5 | Roy Oswalt, L | 6.0 | ||
| 2011 | FLA Marlins | L. 3-4 | Wandy Rodriguez | 7.0 | Wilton Lopez, L | 1.0 |
| 2012 | COL Rockies | L, 3-5 | Wandy Rodriguez | 6.1 | F Rodriguez, L | 1.2 |
| 2013 | TEX Rangers | W, 8-2 | Bud Norris, W | 5.2 | Eric Bedard, Sv | 3.1 |
| 2014 | NY Yankees | W, 6-2 | Scott Feldman, W | 6.2 | ||
| 2015 | CLE Indians | W, 2-0 | Dallas Keuchel, W | 7.0 | L Gregerson, Sv | 1.0 |
| 2016 | KC Royals | W, 8-2 | Collin McHugh, W | 7.0 | ||
| 2017 | Sea Mariners | W, 3-0 | Dallas Keuchel, W | 7.0 | Ken Giles, Sv |
Bold Type Above: Complete Game Pitcher.
********************
Bill McCurdy
Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher
The Pecan Park Eagle
Houston, Baseball, & Other Musings.
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