KIMSEY'S KORNER

Paints Opening Day History

(Compiled by Doug Kimsey, Team Historian)

**** Paints stand 13-3 on Opening Day,
including 11-1 at VA Memorial****

DATE, PLACE, SCORE and NOTES 

May 23, 2007               at Florence            Freedom 9, PAINTS 7      
‘PC’ 8 ER in 1.2 IP; Mark Mason debut 

May 24, 2006               VA MEM.              PAINTS 2, W. Things 1    
WP – Perry Cunningham; SV – Teall. Paints manage 2 hits; Matt Cooksey 2 SB.
Finish 57-36, lose FL Cup to Otters, 3-0.

May 25, 2005               VA MEM.              PAINTS 7, Otters 6           
1st opener vs. Otters; Glenn Wilson debut. Finish 53-42, lose FL Cup to Kal, 3-2

May 21, 2004               at Richmond          PAINTS 7, Roosters 6       
Paints sweep Cocks; start 6-1

May 23, 2003               VA MEM.              PAINTS 2, Freedom 1       
Paints start 5-0, sweep 1st yr. Florence

May 29, 2002               VA MEM.              PAINTS 5, Kings 3            
Rick Blanc bests Matt Sheets; Paints start 3-8

May 30, 2001               VA MEM.              Roosters 15, PAINTS 0    
Blanc lit up like Christmas tree!  Blanc goes on to win 13 straight, finish 13-1 and win FL MV pitcher. Paints end 51-33, lose FL cup to Richmond, 3-0 

May 31, 2000               VA MEM.              PAINTS 11, Crocs 2          
Stephen Byrd wins; Jason Baker 3-5; 3 RS

June 2, 1999                VA MEM.              PAINTS 11, Capitals 2
Stephen Byrd wins 

June 4, 1998               at Johnstown        Johnnies 9, PAINTS 5      
Paints finish 48-31, lose FL Cup to Caps, 2-1. 

June 6, 1997               VA MEM.              PAINTS 9, Crocodiles 2   
Bob Spears wins; Jesse Fluck, Bobby Collins, Mitch House each HR.  Paints sweep 1st-year Crocs four straight, start 5-0.

June 9, 1996               at Zanesville          PAINTS 4, Greys 0            
Paints finish 48-26, lose FL Cup to Caps, 2-0. 

June 15, 1995              VA MEM.              PAINTS 8, Ports. Explorers 2
Craig Brown wins; Johnny Bench appears; estimated 4,000 pack the Vet.  Cris Bristow strokes 3-run 1st-inning HR.

June 17 1994               VA MEM.              PAINTS 11, Lancaster Scouts 7
Aaron Foley 9th-inning Grand Slam! Roger Hanners’ Opening Day managerial debut.

June 30, 1993               VA MEM.              PAINTS 6, Explorers 2
Marty Gentry wins; 1st pitch at 9:05 p.m., after 90-minute rain delay; 2,154 attend first Paints game ever.

Here’s how the Paints fared in “Home Openers” in 1996, 1998, 2004 and 2007, years in which they opened the season away from the Friendly Confines of VA Memorial.

May 25, 2007           VA MEM.              PAINTS 6, Slip. Rock Sliders 3
Travis Garcia 4 BI; 3-run HR

May 28, 2004           VA MEM.              W. Things 8, PAINTS 6

June 9, 1998            VA MEM.              OV Redcoats 5, PAINTS 4 (10 inn.)
Scott Pinoni 3-run 2B in 9th ties game; Paints lose in only extra-inning Opener. Finish 48-31, lose FL Cup to Springfield, 2-1.

June 11, 1996          VA MEM.              Johnnies 8, PAINTS 4                         Paints stagger to 8-8 start, before winning 40 of final 58 (a .690 clip!) to win first FL Eastern title.

(Doug Kimsey is a recovering journalist and President of the Chillicothe Paints Boosters Club.  He is one of only a very few humans on the planet to personally witness all six Paints’ FL Cup Championship losses.)