List of Chicago Cubs Opening Day starting pitchers


The Chicago Cubs are a Major League Baseball franchise based in Chicago that plays in the National League Central division. In the history of the franchise, it has also played under the names Chicago White Stockings, Chicago Colts and Chicago Orphans. 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 Cubs have used 68 different starting pitchers on Opening Day since they first became a Major League team in 1876. The Cubs have a record of 74 wins, 60 losses and 2 ties in their Opening Day games.
The Cubs have played in seven different home ball parks. They have played at their current home, Wrigley Field, since 1916. They have a record of 22 wins, 21 losses and 1 tie in Opening Day games at Wrigley Field. They had an Opening Day record of six wins, one loss and one tie at their other home ball parks, for a total home record in Opening Day games of 28 wins, 22 losses and 2 ties. Their record in Opening Day away games is 46 wins and 38 losses.
Ferguson Jenkins holds the Cubs record for most Opening Day starts with seven, in which his record was two wins, two losses and three no decisions. Carlos Zambrano has made six Opening Day starts. Larry Corcoran, Clark Griffith, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Charlie Root and Rick Sutcliffe have each made five Opening Day starts for the Cubs. Orval Overall, Lon Warneke, Bob Rush, Larry Jackson and Rick Reuschel each made four Opening Day starts for the Cubs, and Bill Hutchinson, Jon Lieber, Claude Passeau, Jack Taylor and Hippo Vaughn each made three such starts.
Five Cubs' Opening Day starting pitchers have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame: Griffith, Alexander, Jenkins, Al Spalding and John Clarkson. In addition, 300-game winner Greg Maddux was the Cubs' Opening Day starting pitcher in 1992. The Cubs have won the modern World Series championship twice, in 1907 and 1908. Overall was the Cubs' Opening Day starting pitcher both seasons, and the Cubs won both of those Opening Day games. Don Cardwell was the Cubs' Opening Day starting pitcher against the Houston Colt.45s on April 10, 1962, the first game in Houston's history. The Cubs lost the game by a score of 11-2.

Key

Pitchers

SeasonPitcherDecisionFinal
score		OpponentLocationRef
1876**Louisville GraysLouisville Baseball Park
1877Hartford Dark Blues23rd Street Grounds
1878Indianapolis BluesSouth Street Park
1879 Syracuse StarsLake Front Park
1880**Cincinnati RedsBank Street Grounds
1881** Cleveland SpidersLake Front Park
1882** LBuffalo BisonsRiverside Grounds
1883Detroit WolverinesRecreation Park
1884 New York GothamsPolo Grounds
1885** LSt. Louis MaroonsUnion Grounds
1886**Kansas City CowboysAssociation Park
1887 Pittsburgh PiratesRecreation Park
1888WIndianapolis HoosiersSeventh Street Park
1889Pittsburgh PiratesRecreation Park
1890 Cincinnati RedsLeague Park
1891Pittsburgh PiratesExposition Park
1892St. Louis BrownsSportsman's Park
1893Cincinnati RedsLeague Park
1894 Cincinnati RedsLeague Park
1895St. Louis BrownsRobison Field
1896Louisville ColonelsEclipse Park
1897 LCincinnati RedsLeague Park
1898 St. Louis BrownsRobison Field
1899 Louisville ColonelsEclipse Park
1900 Cincinnati RedsLeague Park
1901St. Louis CardinalsRobison Field
1902 WCincinnati RedsPalace of the Fans
1903 LSt. Louis CardinalsRobison Field
1904Cincinnati RedsPalace of the Fans
1905St. Louis CardinalsRobison Field
1906** Cincinnati RedsPalace of the Fans
1907†St. Louis CardinalsWest Side Park II
1908† Cincinnati RedsPalace of the Fans
1909 St. Louis CardinalsWest Side Park II
1910** Cincinnati RedsPalace of the Fans
1911TSt. Louis CardinalsWest Side Park II
1912Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1913St. Louis CardinalsWest Side Park II
1914Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1915St. Louis CardinalsWest Side Park II
1916Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1917 Pittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field
1918**St. Louis CardinalsRobison Field
1919 Pittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field
1920 Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1921 WSt. Louis CardinalsWrigley Field
1922 WCincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1923LPittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field
1924LSt. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park
1925 WPittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field
1926ND Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1927WSt. Louis CardinalsWrigley Field
1928 LCincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1929** LPittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field
1930WSt. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park
1931 WPittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field
1932** Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1933WSt. Louis CardinalsWrigley Field
1934 WCincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1935** WSt. Louis CardinalsWrigley Field
1936 WSt. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park
1937Pittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field
1938**ND Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1939WSt. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park
1940 Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1941WPittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field
1942 WSt. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park
1943Pittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field
1944WCincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1945** WSt. Louis CardinalsWrigley Field
1946 ND Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1947Pittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field
1948Pittsburgh PiratesForbes Field
1949Pittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field
1950ND Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1951ND Cincinnati RedsWrigley Field
1952ND Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1953WCincinnati RedsWrigley Field
1954 WSt. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park
1955 ND Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1956 LMilwaukee BravesCounty Stadium
1957 LMilwaukee BravesWrigley Field
1958WSt. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park
1959WLos Angeles DodgersWrigley Field
1960 ND Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum
1961LCincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1962LHouston Colt.45sColt Stadium
1963LLos Angeles DodgersWrigley Field
1964 WPittsburgh PiratesForbes Field
1965 TSt. Louis CardinalsWrigley Field
1966 LSan Francisco GiantsCandlestick Park
1967WPhiladelphia PhilliesWrigley Field
1968LCincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1969 ND Philadelphia PhilliesWrigley Field
1970 LPhiladelphia PhilliesConnie Mack Stadium
1971 WSt. Louis CardinalsWrigley Field
1972 ND Philadelphia PhilliesWrigley Field
1973 ND Montreal ExposWrigley Field
1974WPhiladelphia PhilliesWrigley Field
1975 ND Pittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field
1976LSt. Louis CardinalsBusch Stadium
1977 LNew York MetsWrigley Field
1978LPittsburgh PiratesThree Rivers Stadium
1979 LNew York MetsWrigley Field
1980 LNew York MetsShea Stadium
1981 LNew York MetsWrigley Field
1982WCincinnati RedsRiverfront Stadium
1983 LMontreal ExposWrigley Field
1984*WSan Francisco GiantsCandlestick Park
1985WPittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field
1986 LSt. Louis CardinalsBusch Stadium
1987 LSt. Louis CardinalsWrigley Field
1988 ND Atlanta BravesAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium
1989* WPhiladelphia PhilliesWrigley Field
1990ND Philadelphia PhilliesWrigley Field
1991LSt. Louis CardinalsWrigley Field
1992WPhiladelphia PhilliesVeterans Stadium
1993LAtlanta BravesWrigley Field
1994 LNew York MetsWrigley Field
1995WCincinnati RedsRiverfront Stadium
1996WSan Diego PadresWrigley Field
1997LFlorida MarlinsPro Player Stadium
1998*LFlorida MarlinsPro Player Stadium
1999LHouston AstrosAstrodome
2000WNew York MetsTokyo Dome
2001 ND Montreal ExposWrigley Field
2002 ND Cincinnati RedsCinergy Field
2003*WNew York MetsShea Stadium
2004 WCincinnati RedsGreat American Ball Park
2005ND Arizona DiamondbacksBank One Ballpark
2006 ND Cincinnati RedsGreat American Ball Park
2007* LCincinnati RedsGreat American Ball Park
2008* ND Milwaukee BrewersWrigley Field
2009 WHouston AstrosMinute Maid Park
2010 LAtlanta BravesTurner Field
2011LPittsburgh PiratesWrigley Field
2012 NDWashington NationalsWrigley Field
2013WPittsburgh PiratesPNC Park
2014 ND Pittsburgh PiratesPNC Park
2015*LSt. Louis CardinalsWrigley Field
2016†WLos Angeles Angels of AnaheimAngel Stadium
2017* ND St. Louis CardinalsBusch Stadium
2018 ND Miami MarlinsMarlins Park-
2019 ND Texas RangersGlobe Life Park in Arlington-