To hit a walk-off World Series winning home run is what baseball dreams are made of. Tom Cheek was right on when he said: “Touch ‘em all Joe, you’ll never hit a bigger home run in your life.” Very rarely does a player find himself in the position Joe Carter was in. A rare opportunity and an even more scarce result has vaulted Joe Carter into baseball immortality. Never can that moment be taken from him.

Opening day, besides a World Series game seven, is the most exciting day on the baseball calendar. Hope springs eternal. Every team, at least until we see them play, has hopes of World Series glory. A walk-off home run on opening day in front of hometown fans can set the stage for the coming summer.

Last year Mark Trumbo of the Baltimore Orioles hit a walk-off homer off of Blue Jays Jason Grili. Before that, it had been three years since Neil Walker took Carlos Villenueva deep sending Pittsburgh’s opening day crowd into a frenzy.

All total there has been 44 opening day walk-off home runs. None bigger than when future Hall of Famer and Cubs outfielder Billy Williams took Cardinals future Hall of Famer Bob Gibson yard for the opening day game winner at Wrigley in 1971.

Below is a list of opening day walk-off home runs sorted by league and listed oldest to most recent. Who will be next to add their name to this list?

Published by Dave Franks

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