Major League Baseball’s annual Opening Day is a joyous tradition for Los Angeles Dodgers and baseball fans alike. It marks the official start of the regular season, offering all 30 clubs a clean slate in their respective quests for a successful year.
Many celebrations and festivities take place on this special day, and that especially held true at Dodger Stadium last week. World Series hero Kirk Gibson returned to his old stomping grounds and threw out the ceremonial first pitch, as the Dodgers paid tribute to the 30th anniversary of their most recent championship team.
Keeping true to tradition, the United States Air Force’s 71st Flying Training Wing Mission also flew over Chavez Ravine in T-38 Talons during the rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, via the United States Air Force on Twitter:
Did you catch @71FTW's T-38 Talons flying over the @Dodgers stadium? #ICYMI, check it out below! @MLB #PlayBall! #AFFlyover pic.twitter.com/85GEOOweWm
— U.S. Air Force (@usairforce) April 6, 2018
Though the Dodgers fell to the San Francisco Giants by a final score of 1-0, it was still an eventful day regardless. Clayton Kershaw did break a franchise record by making his eighth consecutive start on Opening Day.
Los Angeles enters play on Saturday with a 2-5 record, but begin a two-game set with San Francisco at AT&T Park after Friday’s contest was rained out and postponed to April 28 as part of a split doubleheader.