Opening Day Jewel

April 16, 1940

On April 16, 1940, Bob Feller of the Indians pitched an amazing no-hit game to defeat the White Sox, 1 to 0, before 14,000 fans. It was the first opening day no-hit contest in modern major-league history. The game went 2 hours and 24 minutes.

Feller pitched three no-hitters and 12 one-hitters in an 18 year major-league career. He won 226 games and led the AL seven straight years in strikeouts while with the Indians. He lost nearly four full seasons at the peak of his career while earning 8 battle stars in WWII as an antiaircraft gunner aboard the battleship Alabama.

Much like Ted Williams, who gave up 5 1/2 years in the prime of his career to go fight in WWII AND the Korean War. If Teddy Ballgame had played during those years most people believe Babe Ruth's home run record would have fallen a lot sooner than it did.