It happened on this day in:
1978: A trapeze artist delivers the year's first ball while hanging from a bar under a hovering helicopter. The Phils lose the game to St. Louis, 5-1.1986: Steve Carlton pitches his 14th opening day start for the Phillies -- a National League record. He's tagged with the loss as the Phillies fall to Cincinnati 7-4.
1995: Spring training camps officially open to major-leaguers following the end of the baseball players' strike.
1998: The Phanatic delivered the year's first ball after sliding down a wire from the upper deck of the Vet to the field.
2017: Vince Velasquez gets the start in the home opener and strikes out 10 Nationals in 4 innings. He also gave up 4 runs. Combined with the four relievers who followed him, the Phillies fanned 17 Nats in total. Their late surge came up short, though, in a 7-6 loss.
Phillies Transactions on this Day
1948: Traded Ralph LaPointe and $30,000 to St. Louis or Dick Sisler1969: Sent Bobby Wine to Montreal as replacement for Larry Jackson, who was selected in the expansion draft but retired
1980: Signed free agent Roger Freed
1983: Traded Ray Borucki to Detroit for Eddie Miller
1991: Signed free agent Dave LaPoint
1991: Traded Chuck McElroy and Bob Scanlan to Chicago (NL) for Mitch Williams
1994: Signed free agent Chuck Ricci
1995: Signed free agent Lenny Webster
1997: Signed free agent Darrin Winston
2010: Claimed Nelson Figueroa off waivers from the Mets