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A No-Hit Triumph Opens Detroit’s Campaign
By Arthur H. Leland, Sporting Times
April 11th 1917
Opening day, ever a moment of strain for both supporters and players, quickly turned to jubilation in Detroit as Ray Fisher delivered a masterly no-hitter, guiding the Tigers to a 2–0 victory at home over the Cleveland Indians and giving his club a perfect start to the season.
The champions of last year showed no inclination to falter in their first contest of the new campaign. Fisher held Cleveland in check throughout the afternoon, employing his fastball, screwball, and change-up with notable effect, and keeping opposing bats silent from first pitch to last.
Behind their pitcher, the Tigers played stoutly afield. Only two errors, both charged to shortstop Simon Nicholls, marred an otherwise clean defensive performance, yet these slips proved of little consequence as Fisher maintained firm command of the contest.
Detroit’s batsmen provided early support, scoring twice in the opening inning. Those runs proved sufficient, allowing Fisher to pitch with confidence and remain steadfast in his approach without the need to press for additional advantage.
After the game, Fisher remarked, “The lads gave me the support I needed, and with those first-inning runs I was able to pitch my own game from the start.” Tigers manager Dan Fafara praised the effort, stating, “It was a strong showing all around, from Fisher’s fine work on the mound to the club doing enough at the plate to secure the victory.”
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