Hey, remember Ledell Titcomb? Of course you do and you definitely remember his Opening Day start in 1888 for the New York Giants.
No, wait, you don’t remember that but maybe your great, great grandfather talked about that start to your grandfather and now you can tell your grandkids about Kyle Hendricks dominating the Brewers on Opening Day 2020.
Apparently these kind of starts happen once every 132 years.
Hendricks threw a complete-game shutout, allowing just three hits, striking out nine and walking none Friday night at Wrigley Field as the Cubs won 3-0.
He was filthy, abusing Milwaukee with his changeup, a sharp curveball that’s a big weapon now and 88mph gas.
Anyway, the last time a pitcher had the kind of Opening Day start Hendricks had was all the way back in 1888.
That doesn’t even seem like a real year when you type it out. TV wasn’t even invented for another 40 years.
Oh and check out this company for Hendricks.
And please, shut the hell up about Hendricks not throwing hard. He doesn’t need to.
As for just the Cubs, it was the first complete-game shutout since 1974 to begin a season.
Hendricks became only the fourth Cubs pitcher to have a complete game shutout on Opening Day since 1900.
If it wasn’t for Orlando Arica, who the Cubs can apparently never get out, Kyle Hendricks would have had a perfect game.
But hey, I’m sure David Ross is fine with the shutout for what was also his first win as manager.
