Neal: Nothing is guaranteed when it comes to Opening Day at the ballpark

Pregame ceremonies, military flyovers, bunting hanging from the railings, players lining up along the first and third base lines. Those are the normal sights and sounds that shape the Opening Day experience.

Through the years, however, Opening Day has also brought us streakers, historic blunders and American eagles needing GPS. Sometimes pageantry and touching moments make the day special, and sometimes wackiness and near chaos do that.

For proof, I asked several former Twins who are Hall of Famers for their most memorable Opening Days.

Jim Kaat made the Washington Senators as a 20-year-old in 1959. He lined up with his teammates and was awestruck when President Dwight D. Eisenhower threw out the ceremonial first pitch. A few days later, Kaat was standing in Boston for its home opener and was just as awestruck to see Ted Williams across the diamond.

"I always thought the three days — and I was fortunate to experience all of them — the three days that really were special were when you stood on that line for the national anthem on Opening Day, the All-Star Game and the first game of the World Series," Kaat said. "And they were always special, particularly as a young player."

Kaat was scheduled to be the Opening Day starter against the Yankees in 1965. But some of the worst flooding the area had seen led to a bridge being closed, leading to a lengthy traffic backup to Metropolitan Stadium. WCCO sent its helicopter to Burnsville High School, where Kaat and other players living in the area were airlifted to Metropolitan Stadium.

"They took us in two by two," Kaat said. "Like Noah's Ark."

Kaat later was a member of the White Sox in 1974 when the game was interrupted by brawls in the stands, thrown beer bottles — and streaking fans on the field. Game-time temperature that day: 37 degrees, mind you.

The White Sox were routed 8-2 in the game, after which Chicago Tribune writer Dave Condon penned the appropriate first line of his column for the following day's edition: "The White Sox were guilty of indecent exposure."

Jack Morris started 14 consecutive openers, which is still a record.

In 1986, he gave up the earliest home run, which is still a record.

There was a time the Reds were annually the team playing in the first game of the MLB season. Their game in 1986 was postponed, making Morris' Tigers game against Boston the opener for the entire league.

Dwight Evans hit Morris' first pitch of that season into the seats for the earliest home run ever.

"When he's circling the bases," Morris said years later, "I look at [teammate] Darrell Evans and he has his first baseman's glove over his face, hiding his laughter. He comes over to the mound and Dwight Evans crossed home plate and says, 'Want to know what your ERA is? It's infinity.' "

Rod Carew said he rarely hit well during spring training. Funny, he was a .327 career hitter in April. "So maybe it was that bell that was ringing in my ear that says, 'Hey, you've got to go. This is a real deal,' " he said.

Tony Oliva wrecked his knee in 1971 and was limited to 10 games in 1972 because of two surgeries and over 100 fragments removed. He worried about the Twins giving up on him. But he was on the field in 1973, his most memorable opener besides his rookie year of 1964.

"That year, 1972, I was very depressed," Oliva said. "My wife saved me because I was thinking that I wasn't able to play no more. I wasn't in my prime. For me, it was all over. My wife said, 'Hey, if you can't play baseball, you have to thank God you have two hands and two legs and you can do something else.' "

I was sure that Bert Blyleven, the king of the hotfoot, had to have lit someone up on Opening Day. At least once.

"Never. I usually was the starting pitcher," said Blyleven, who started 12 openers in his career. "So never on the day I started."

Bummer.

The current Twins fan base likely remembers one home opener event that had little to do with the game. In 2018, the Twins and Mariners lined up along the first and third base lines at Target Field. Paul Molitor was managing. Joe Mauer was his first baseman in what would be his final season.

The Hall of Famers watched as a bald eagle named Challenger was released during the singing of "The Star-Spangled Banner." The bird was trained to fly to home plate. Poor Challenger got confused and headed for left field, where he attempted to land on the right shoulder of lefthander James Paxton, the Mariners starter that day, before slipping off.

"I had seen a couple eagle entrances along the way," Molitor said, "but I never saw one go off the course like that."

Paxton was the only known Canadian on the field that day. And Challenger found him.

The Twins considered bringing Challenger back in 2022 for a redemption run.

"We looked into it," Twins President Dave St. Peter said. "But Challenger is retired and/or deceased. Not sure which one."

You never know what you are going to experience at the ballpark, folks. Even on Opening Day.