Opening Day Trivia

[Gwreck]

Because it can’t get here soon enough.

7 players have made their major league debut in an opening day starting lineup for the Mets. Who are they?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Pete Alonso.

[Gwreck]

Correct. They get a fair bit harder from there.

[cal sharpie]

Brad Emaus.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Kelvin Chapman?

[Gwreck]

Both correct.

Pete Alonso, 1B, 2019
Brad Emaus, 2B, 2011
Kelvin Chapman, 2B, 1979

[metsmarathon]

Kaz matsui

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

shinjo?

[Gwreck]

Shinjo pinch-ran on opening day in 2001 (and scored on both of Ventura’s two homers that game) but wasn’t in the starting lineup. Matsui is correct.

Pete Alonso, 1B, 2019
Brad Emaus, 2B, 2011
Kaz Matsui, SS, 2004
Kelvin Chapman, 2B, 1979

[Frayed Knot]

Rey Rey!

[metirish]

Seaver ?

[Gwreck]

Ordonez correct. Seaver’s debut was in game #2 in 1967.

Two correct answers remain on the board.

Pete Alonso, 1B, 2019
Brad Emaus, 2B, 2011
Kaz Matsui, SS, 2004
Rey Ordonez, SS, 1996
Kelvin Chapman, 2B, 1979

[Bob Alpacadaca]

Emergency catcher Tim Spehr!

[Frayed Knot]

Pete Alonso, 1B, 2019
Brad Emaus, 2B, 2011
Kaz Matsui, SS, 2004
Rey Ordonez, SS, 1996
Kelvin Chapman, 2B, 1979


Two correct answers remain on the board.

Is it two or one? Your original post said six and five have been named.

[Gwreck]

Two. Just a typo earlier.

Spehr had a long career as a catcher before his unlikely appearance in the legendary 1998 opening day game.

[Channel9]

Ron Hunt

[Gwreck]

An excellent guess but Ron did not debut until 7 games into the 1963 season.

[Edgy MD]

Where there is Rey, Edgardo can't be too far behind.

[Benjamin Grimm]

The name Mike Howard pops into my head. I think he was in the Opening Day lineup in 1983, on the day Seaver returned. Could he be our guy?

[Gwreck]

Edgardo made his ML debut on opening day 1995, but as a pinch hitter.

Howard first played as a September callup in 1981.

Hint: the remaining correct answers are in the 1960s.

[cal sharpie]

I'll guess Ron Swoboda.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Dating Game legend Rod Gaspar.

[roger_that]

An excellent guess but Ron did not debut until 7 games into the 1963 season.

Famous (?) story about Hunt begging Stengel for a shot at the 2B slot after the pheeeeeenominal Larry Burright had spent a few days showing that he couldn't do the job

[Fman99]

Given enough time I would have come up with just Alonso (because it was fairly recently), Matsui (because he hit the HR) and Ordonez (throwing out someone from his knees up the left field line). And none of the rest, presumably.

[Edgy MD]

If we are working from the 1960s, then I will go with Wayne Garrett 1969, who was a regular from a pretty early point in the season, if not from Opening Day.

Ronald Wayne Garrett also joins George Thomas Seaver in the club of 1969 Mets who went by their middle names.