From Booklist
The main body of the work is composed of two sections, one for the American League and one for the National League. Within each section, the teams are treated in alphabetical order. For every team, the reader will find the opponent, final score, starting pitcher, and home runs hit by the team. This is followed by a set of opening day records for the team as a whole and individuals for hitting, pitching, and fielding. Every team has a section, even the Kansas City Cowboys, New York Mutuals, Philadelphia Athletics, Seattle Pilots, and Syracuse Stars, all of whom only existed for a single season before moving on to a different city. At the end of each league's section, opening day individual and team records are given for the league as a whole.
Three valuable appendixes follow the two main sections. The first appendix lists all 23 grand slams hit on opening day, first by team, then chronologically. The second appendix gives individual and team records for opening day for all of Major League Baseball. The final appendix gives all the final scores for every opening day, year by year. A brief bibliography is followed by a comprehensive index that lists every player mentioned in the body of the work.
As a contribution to the statistical mania that feeds baseball fanatics, this volume is valuable and fun. A useful addition to the book would be a franchise history for each team. Only seasoned fans will know that the Washington Senators moved on to become the Texas Rangers in 1972. Also, it would be useful to see franchise records in addition to team records. However, additional details such as these are easy to find in comprehensive baseball encyclopedias such as the Baseball Encyclopedia (10th ed., Macmillan, 1996). Opening Day is highly recommended for any collection that serves baseball fans.
