Editor’s note: Throughout this year Press Room Pass will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1969 baseball season with a variety of stories from the covering personal accomplishments, unique moments, major league expansion and the amazing New York Mets. This is the latest installment of that series.
The 1969 season marked the third time that major league baseball expanded its ranks as four new teams joined and changed the game.
The Kansas City Royals, Montreal Expos, San Diego Padres and Seattle Pilots each began play on April 8.
In what would probably considered an odd part of baseball history, all four teams posted one-run victories in their very first games.
Up to that point on the Los Angeles Angels in 1961 took their opener, while the new Washington Senators, Houston Colt 45s and New York Mets all dropped their intital contests.
Since 1969, the league has grown by adding six more teams. The Toronto Blue Jays (1977) and Flordia Marlins (1993) are the only others to win their first games. The Seattle Mariners (1977), Colorado Rockies (1993), Arizona Diamondbacks (1998) and Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998) all fell in their franchise openers.
1969 Expansion Teams Opening Day Highlights
Montreal Expos 11, New York Mets 10
In what was certainly the wildest contest of the day, the Expos nearly blew the game by allowing four runs in the bottom of the ninth to the Mets.
Montreal had three homers in the contest as pitcher Dan McGinn and and Rusty Staub both hit solo shots.
Coco Laboy followed Staub’s eighth inning long ball with what turned out to be a three-run game-winning blast.
Mudcat Grant started on the mound for the Expos, but couldn’t get out of the second inning as McGinn took over.
Despite giving up four runs in the ninth with three coming on a homer by Duffy Dyer, Don Shaw was the winning pitcher. Carroll Sembera allowed two base runners getting the final out and the save.
Maury Wills led the Expos with three hits.
San Diego Padres 2, Houston Astros 1
Dick Selma was the only starter on an expansion team in 1969 to throw a complete game his team’s opener.
Selma allowed just five hits and a run in the first inning, while fanning a dozen Astros.
Ed Spiezio tied the game with a homer off Houston starter Don Wilson in the fifth inning.
In the sixth, Ollie Brown‘s RBI double proved to be the difference in the contest.
Seattle Pilots 4, California Angels 3
With four runs in the first inning, the Pilots had all of the offense they would need.
After Tommy Harper doubled off California starter Jim McGlothlin to begin the game, Tommy Harper homered to give the Pilots a 2-0 advantage.
Jerry McNertney‘s two-run single sent McGlothlin to the showers and the Pilots led by four runs.
Marty Pattin worked five innings to get the win for Seattle, while Diego Segui went three frames before Jack Aker retired all three batters he faced in the ninth to earn a save. On a side note, Segui was also the starter for the Seattle Mariners first game in 1977.
Kansas City Royals 4, Minnesota Twins 3 (12 innings)
Joe Keough‘s walk-off run-scoring single off Dick Woodson in the bottom of the 12th gave the Royals the victory.
Wally Bunker started for Kansas City, but Moe Drabowsky earned the first win for the Royals as he pitched a perfect 12th.
Lou Piniella led the Royals with four hits, while he, Jerry Adair and Jim Campanis each drove in a run.