• LIFE

See the Greatest Vintage Photos of Baseball’s Opening Day

1 minute read

Some welcome springtime for its flowering trees, chirping birds and melting snow. For others, the season has one purpose, and that purpose is baseball. Every year around the beginning of April, the grass is groomed, the hot dog buns are replenished and the crowds return for another season of Major League Baseball.

Not only were heads of state and stars of Hollywood staples at the festivities—but so, too, were LIFE Magazine’s photographers. As anticipation builds for this year’s opening day on April 3, here are those photographers’ greatest images of the perennial excitement the season opener brings.

Liz Ronk, who edited this gallery, is the Photo Editor for LIFE.com. Follow her on Twitter @lizabethronk.

Chicago-Pittsburgh opening day, 1947.
Players huddle on Chicago-Pittsburgh opening day, 1947.George Skadding—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Chicago-Pittsburgh opening day, 1947.
Rapt attention from the crowd at Chicago-Pittsburgh opening day, 1947.George Skadding—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Baseball opening day, Cincinnati, 1957.
Throngs of fans at opening day in Cincinnati, 1957.Grey Villet—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Baseball opening day, Cincinnati, 1957.
Players sing the national anthem on opening day in Cincinnati, 1957.Grey Villet—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Baseball opening day, Cincinnati, 1957.
A young Cincinnati fan watches an exciting play, 1957.Grey Villet—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Fans at opening day of baseball, Milwaukee, 1957.
Fans at opening day of baseball, Milwaukee, 1957.Francis Miller—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Fans at opening day of baseball, Milwaukee, 1957.
Milwaukee fans react to a play on the field on opening day, 1957.Francis Miller—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Fans at Dodgers opening day, Los Angeles, 1958.
Fans at Dodgers opening day, Los Angeles, 1958.Leonard McCombe—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
San Francisco Giant Willie Mays on opening day, 1958.
San Francisco Giant Willie Mays on opening day, 1958.Leonard McCombe—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Opening day, Dodgers, Los Angeles, 1958.
A quiet moment during the Dodgers' opening day in 1958.Leonard McCombe—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
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TV actress Juli Reding talks with Dodger outfielder Elmer Valo on opening day, 1958.Leonard McCombe—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
President John F. Kennedy at the opening day of the Washington Baseball season at the new DC stadium. 1962.
President John F. Kennedy attends opening day at the new D.C. stadium. 1962.Art Rickerby—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Baseball opening day in Washington D.C. 1962.
Fans take cover under umbrellas on opening day in Washington, D.C., 1962.Art Rickerby—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Baseball opening day in Washington D.C. 1962.
Reactions in the crowd, opening day in Washington D.C., 1962.Art Rickerby—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
NY Yankees Roger Maris (2L), Mickey Mantle (5L) & Yogi Berra (9L) standing in line with other Yankees holding baseball caps over hear during playing of National Anthem on opening day. 1962.
New York Yankees Roger Maris (second from left), Mickey Mantle (fifth from left) and Yogi Berra (ninth from left) stand in line with other Yankees during the playing of the National Anthem on opening day, 1962.Bob Gomel—The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images
Owner of the Mets Mrs. Charles S. Paysom and player Duke Snider, on opening day at the Polo Grounds. 1963,
Owner of the Mets Joan Payson and player Duke Snider on opening day at the Polo Grounds, 1963.Herb Scharfman—The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images
Atlanta Braves opening day, 1966.
Pre-game at the Atlanta Braves' opening day, 1966.Art Rickerby—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Atlanta Braves opening day, 1966.
A message to the crowd at the Atlanta Braves' opening day, 1966.Art Rickerby—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Atlanta Braves opening day, 1966.
Excited Braves fans, 1966.Art Rickerby—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
President Richard Nixon throws out the first pitch as manager Ted Williams of the Washington Senators, the MLB Commisioner Bowie Kuhn and manager Ralph Houk of the New York Yankees look on before opening day on April 7, 1969 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.
President Richard Nixon throws out the first pitch as manager Ted Williams of the Washington Senators, Major League Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn and manager Ralph Houk of the New York Yankees look on before opening day on April 7, 1969 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. John Olson—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

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Write to Eliza Berman at eliza.berman@time.com