I remember this Cubs/Cardinals game well, as it was the first Opening Day I ever attended, April 6, 1971. It was cold — the boxscore says 40 degrees with a 17 mile per hour wind blowing in, but it felt colder, maybe even as cold as last week’s 2021 Cubs/Pirates opener.
Seven future Hall of Famers — Lou Brock, Joe Torre, Ted Simmons, Ron Santo, Billy Williams and the starting pitchers, Fergie Jenkins and Bob Gibson — matched up in this game of ancient division rivals. Both teams also had future Hall of Famers as managers — Leo Durocher of the Cubs and Red Schoendienst of the Cardinals.