StatManDu

APRIL 14TH COMISKEY DEBUT: FISK SLAMS BREWERS 1981: Carlton Fisk celebrated his first Opening Day at Comiskey Park with a grand slam in front of 51,560 delirious fans in the White Sox 9-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. The blast came off former Sox hurler Pete Vuckovich in the fourth inning and turned this game into one of the most memorable season-starters in franchise annals. Hometown hero Greg Luzinski drove in two runs in his Comiskey Park debut in front of the largest gathering for a home Opener in franchise history. For the rest of the day, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Apr 13, 2007 -> 03:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I assumed you knew how to query the database. (I don't know how to use access, write scrips, so don't ask me) Seems like way too much work for far too little payoff. I would say if I didn't have other things going on in my life, I could have found that out in about hour after narrowing the paramters. Part of the fun of it was looking at old games and absorbing. I am not 100 percent Web savy but I don't know if having access to the database would have saved me much more time. Maybe I am wrong.

Prior to April 5th, the last time I could find the White Sox winning a game on walkoff hit-by-pitch was on Aug. 4, 1962 when they beat the Yankees 2-1 when Bill Stafford plunked Al Smith to force in Mike Hershberger with the decisive run with no out in the ninth before 36,468 at Comiskey Park. Does anyone recall one before that????? I was at the April 5th game when the White Sox defeated the Cleveland Indians 4-3 at US Cellular Field on a walkoff hit-by-pitch. As you recall, the Sox picked up their first win of the year when AJ Pierzynski (who else!) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and the score tied in the ninth inning. That got me to thinking: When was the last time this happened to the Sox? I remember the Sox winning on every conceivable walkoff play even walks and wild pitches but a walkoff HBP was something I could never remember happening to the Sox. I had logged all the White Sox walkoff wins at the new park and I quickly found there were no such victories at the New Comiskey Park/US Cellular Field. I then hit retrosheet.org and started digging backwards. What a great site! It was quck research because I was only looking at one run victories at home. When I would click on a one run victory at home, if there was no run in the last inning, I moved on. If there was, I went to the play-by-play and reviewed the winning play. I finally stumbled upon 8-4-62 after about two days of digging. If it weren’t jobs, commitments etc., I could have easily knocked it down in a few hours. That’s how I do it. Find a fact, narrow the parameters and go! ~StatManDu

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: APRIL 13TH CHAMPS GET IN THE WIN COLUMN 1907: The defending World Series champion White Sox beat St. Louis 6-4 in their second game of the season. The victory in St. Louis was the Sox first since beating the Chicago Cubs in Game 6 to clinch the World Series the previous Oct. 14. LYONS’ FIRST AND ONLY OPENING DAY WIN 1926: In his first Opening Day assignment, future Hall of Fame pitcher Ted Lyons led the White Sox to a 5-1 win over the St. Louis Browns 5-1 before 37,000 at Comiskey Park. This turned out to be just one of two season-starting starts Lyons would make. Two years later, the “Baylor Bear” would receive a no decision in his only other Opening Day start. A GOOD START FOR GOOSE 1976: Rich Gossage showed that he can start, too, in the White Sox 4-1 win over the Twins in Minnesota. Thrust into the role as a starter after 84 consecutive relief appearances, the “Goose” went the distance and gave up just three hits with nine strikeouts as the Sox improved to 2-0. Despite making just eight starts in his first 157 big league appearances, the fireballing right-hander was a competent starter in 1976, his final year with the Sox. Gossage went 9-17 for a terrible team with a respectable 3.94 ERA. In 224 innings, Gossage gave up just 214 hits with 90 walks and a team-high 135 strikeouts. For the rest of the day, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com

Thanks! The Sox Media Guide lists Higgins as a cousin and always has. That is an odd one when you put the pages together. QUOTE(StatManDu @ Apr 12, 2007 -> 01:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: APRIL 12TH MARATHON CURTAIN-RAISER 1966: It took a while but the White Sox pulled out a win on Opening Day with a 3-2 triumph of the Angels before 28,715 at Comiskey Park. Tommie Agee tied the game in the seventh with a two-run homer and the Sox won it in the 14th on Tom McCraw’s bases-loaded single. The 14 inning game was tied for the longest by the Sox on Opening Day and the longest ever in a Comiskey Park Opener. Juan Pizarro retired the only man he faced in the top of the 14th for the win but one of the pitching heroes for the Sox in this one was Dennis Higgins, who is Joe Crede’s cousin. Making his big league debut, the 27-year old right-hander tossed 2.2 shutout innings while allowing one hit and three hits with five strikeouts. BIG SLAM 1973: Ken Henderson’s grand slam off Rollie Fingers in the eighth inning lifted the White Sox to a 6-3 win over the A’s before 3,837 at Comiskey Park. SOUTHSIDE HIT MEN A HIT IN OPENER 1977: The Southside Hit Men opened Comiskey Park with a 5-2 win over the Boston Red Sox before 34,612 fans. The White Sox took the lead for good with a four-run second which saw Chet Lemon’s RBI double give the team the lead for good. Ken Brett started and pitched into the eighth inning for the victory. He received relief help from Dave Hamilton, the Sox saves leader in 1976, who tossed the final 1.1 innings for the save. For the rest of the day, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: APRIL 12TH MARATHON CURTAIN-RAISER 1966: It took a while but the White Sox pulled out a win on Opening Day with a 3-2 triumph of the Angels before 28,715 at Comiskey Park. Tommie Agee tied the game in the seventh with a two-run homer and the Sox won it in the 14th on Tom McCraw’s bases-loaded single. The 14 inning game was tied for the longest by the Sox on Opening Day and the longest ever in a Comiskey Park Opener. Juan Pizarro retired the only man he faced in the top of the 14th for the win but one of the pitching heroes for the Sox in this one was Dennis Higgins, who is Joe Crede’s cousin. Making his big league debut, the 27-year old right-hander tossed 2.2 shutout innings while allowing one hit and three hits with five strikeouts. BIG SLAM 1973: Ken Henderson’s grand slam off Rollie Fingers in the eighth inning lifted the White Sox to a 6-3 win over the A’s before 3,837 at Comiskey Park. SOUTHSIDE HIT MEN A HIT IN OPENER 1977: The Southside Hit Men opened Comiskey Park with a 5-2 win over the Boston Red Sox before 34,612 fans. The White Sox took the lead for good with a four-run second which saw Chet Lemon’s RBI double give the team the lead for good. Ken Brett started and pitched into the eighth inning for the victory. He received relief help from Dave Hamilton, the Sox saves leader in 1976, who tossed the final 1.1 innings for the save. For the rest of the day, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com

QUOTE(pcullotta @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 12:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Nice read as always Statmandu. Now how can this thread be turned into a b**** fest about BA not getting playing time like all the rest? I got it! IF BA had been playing the day of Paulie's inside the park home run, he would have surely gunned him down at home. LOL ... or caught it on the fly! Thanks for the kind words.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: APRIL 11TH THE START OF SOMETHING BIG 1917: The White Sox kicked off what would be their second World Championship campaign with a 7-2 win over the Browns in St. Louis. The victory was the first of 100 manager Pants Rowland’s club would post that year and would put them over for good. HELLO SEATTLE! 1969: The White Sox helped usher in Major League Baseball in Northwest with a 7-0 loss to the expansion Pilots in Seattle. Gary Bell, who would finish the season with the White Sox, got the win before 14,993 at Sicks Stadium. It was the only Opening Day in Seattle Pilot history. The next year, the team would be in Milwaukee playing as the Brewers. THE FIRST FOR FARMEO 1980: Ed Farmer earned the first of what would be a club record 30 saves in the White Sox 8-4 triumph over the defending American League champion Baltimore Orioles before 3,902 at Comiskey Park. Farmer tossed 2.1 scoreless innings to preserve Ken Kravec’s victory. The White Sox got down early but Wayne Nordhagen’s two-run homer in the third gave them the lead for good. HELLO ROBERTO 1993: In a changing of the guard moment, Roberto Hernandez – with the increasingly ineffective Bobby Thigpen idle -- entered the game with two outs and the tying run on in the ninth and whiffed Danny Tartabull to earn his first save in the White Sox 6-4 win over the Yankees before a matinee gathering of 21,047 at Comiskey Park. Joey Cora's two-run triple in the sixth inning gave the White Sox the lead for good. SPEEDSTER PAULIE 2000: Paul Konerko went 4-for-5 with a double and an in-the-park home run in the White Sox 13-6 win over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Tropicana Field. Ray Durham extended his club record by leading off a game with a homer for the 11th time. A few batters later, Konerko laced the Sox first in-the-park homer since Ron Karkovice accomplished the feat Aug. 30, 1990. The Sox took the lead for good with three in the fifth on a two-run homer by Chris Singleton and a solo shot by Carlos Lee. Jim Parque got the win, snapping a nine-game losing streak that dated to July 7, 1999.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: APRIL 10TH FOX ROCKS FOR THE SOX 1959: Nellie Fox’s home run in the 14th inning capped one of the great Opening Day performances in big league history as the White Sox kicked off one of the most memorable seasons in team history with a 9-7 win at Detroit. Fox’s homer came with Sammy Esposito on first base and two outs. Fox had five hits (including a double), two runs, a sacrifice and three RBIs in becoming the last player in Sox history to accomplish that feat on Opening Day. The Tigers threatened in the bottom of the 14th but left-hander Don Rudolph retired the only man he faced to save Gerry Staley’s victory. JFK STARTS THE SOX DAY 1961: After President John F. Kennedy threw out the ceremonial first ball, the White Sox defeated the “new” Washington Senators 4-3. The “old” Washington Senators moved to Minnesota where they became the Twins. According to Rich Lindberg’s definitive book on White Sox history “Who’s On Third,” Sox outfielder Jim Rivera pushed aside the Senators’ Hal Woodeschick to catch JFK’s heave into a crowd of players. After getting vice-president Lyndon Johnson’s signature on the ball, Landis handed it to Kennedy and the president signed it. Rivera was not impressed with Kennedy’s autograph. “You’ll have to do better than that, John,” Rivera told the Commander-In-Chief. “This is a scribble I can hardly read.” Another Jim – Landis – helped get the Sox even in the seventh with a triple. The Sox took the lead in the eighth when Roy Sievers’ sac fly scored Minnie Minoso. Dick Donovan went the distance for the victory. WELCOME, MILWAUKEE 1970: In their first game ever against the Milwaukee Brewers, the White Sox and Jerry Janeski pulled off a 5-4 win before 1,036 at Comiskey Park. Janeski, making his big league debut, gave up three runs on 10 hits with seven strikeouts and two walks in 7.1 innings in winning his big league debut. He got relief help from Wilbur Wood, who fired the final 1.2 innings for the victory. The Sox broke a 2-2 tie in the fifth on a Bobby Knoop homer and RBIs by Luis Aparicio and Carlos May. The visitors moved to Milwaukee for the 1970 campaign after spending 1969 in Seattle as the expansion Pilots. HAROLD DEBUTS 1980: Harold Baines made his Major League debut in the White Sox 5-3 loss on Opening Day to the Baltimore Orioles before 35,539 at Comiskey Park. Baines batted sixth, played right field and went 0-for-4 against Jim Palmer and Tim Stoddard. ONE HECKUVA HAPPY HOMECOMING FOR “PUDGE” 1981: Hollywood couldn’t have written a better script for Carlton Fisk in his first game with the White Sox. On Opening Day in the park he had called home 11 seasons, Fisk launched a three-run home run in the eighth inning to lift the White Sox to a 5-3 win over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Fisk’s homer left the conflicted Boston crowd in stunned silence while the Sox traveling party was overcome with glee. For the rest of this eventful day see www.whitesoxalmanac.com

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: APRIL 9TH THE FIRST OF 1,764 FOR OZZIE 1985: Rookie Ozzie Guillen collected his first big league hit in the White Sox 4-2 Opening Day win at Milwaukee. Guillen, who batted leadoff, accomplished the feat with a bunt on a 3-0 pitch in the ninth inning off Ray Searage. Tom Seaver registered the victory in his record 15th Opening Day start. The Sox made things easy for Seaver by scoring two in the first on RBIs from Greg Walker and Ron Kittle. Seaver pitched into the seventh and got relief help from Bob James, who threw 2.1 scoreless innings for the first of his club-record 32 saves. THE LAST OPENER 1990: The White Sox trimmed the Milwaukee Brewers 2-1 in the last Opening Day at Old Comiskey Park before 40,008 fans. Scott Fletcher plated the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning while five hurlers combined to hold Milwaukee to six hits. Starter Melido Perez got the win while Bobby Thigpen recorded the final two outs for the first of his record 57 saves. For more, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com

APRIL 8TH THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: APRIL 8 SOX WAIVE BYE TO McLAIN 1963: The White Sox placed minor league pitcher Denny McLain on waivers. The Sox signed the future two-time Cy Young winner out of Chicago’s Mt. Carmel High School on Jan. 1, 1962. At age 18, the right-hander went 1-0 for Harlan of the Appalachian (Rookie) League and 4-7 for Clinton of the Class-A Midwest League in 1962. Under the rules of the day, the Sox were allowed to keep only one first-year bonus player.The Sox had to decide between fellow right-handed pitcher Bruce Howard and McLain. The Sox pitted the two against each other in an exhibition game. Howard was the winner and was assigned to Double-A Knoxville. McLain was placed on waivers and ultimately claimed by the Detroit Tigers where he embarked on a memorable journey which would include a 31-win season and plenty of controversy. SOX WRECK BALTIMORE BASH 1991: The White Sox spoiled the final Opening Day at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium with a 9-1 trouncing of the Orioles before 50,213 disappointed onlookers. Sammy Sosa was the hitting star. He clubbed two roundtrippers in becoming the first Sox player to accomplish that feat in an Opening Day game since Minnie Minoso in 1960. Jack McDowell went the distance while striking out 10. It was the Sox first complete game in an Opener since 1976 when Wilbur Wood blanked the Royals on six hits. The Orioles were bound for Camden Yards next season. For the rest of the day, visit www.whitesoxalmanac.com -- sponsored by nobody!

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: APRIL 7TH ONE LAST BOMB FOR PUDGE 1993: On his first swing of the season, Carlton Fisk launched the final home run of his Hall of Fame career. The blast, the 376th of Fisk’s career, came off Jim Deshaies in the third inning of the Sox 6-1 loss at Minnesota. AIR JORDAN DELIVERS 1994: The White Sox and Michael Jordan fought the Cubs to a 4-4 tie in an exhibition game before 37,825 at Wrigley Field. Jordan started in right field and went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs as the Sox remained unbeaten against the Cubs since the resumption of the crosstown rivalry in 1984. Jordan touched relievers Dave Otto and Chuck Crim for hits but was also charged with an error in right field. For the rest of this busy day, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: APRIL 6TH BLIZZARD KOs OPENING DAY 1982: The White Sox opener at Comiskey Park against the Boston Red Sox was postponed because of snow. The Sox also had their next two home games and next two road games at Yankee Stadium snowed out. The 1982 Sox didn't see their first action until an April 11 doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. A GRAND DAY FOR ROBIN 1994: Robin Ventura socked two homers, including a grand slam, in powering the White Sox to a 9-2 win over the Blue Jays at SkyDome. Ventura's grand slam, which came in the seventh, was the fifth of his career, tying the Sox all-time record. DURHAM, D.J. DO IT 1999: The White Sox made it 2-for-2 in 1999 by defeating the Seattle Mariners 11-3 at the Kingdome. Ray Durham ignited the Sox by leading off the game with a homer. The leadoff shot was the eighth of his Sox career, tying Tim Raines’ club record. The White Sox took the lead for good in the fourth on Darrin Jackson’s two-run homer, his second blast in as many days. Jackson was 4-for-5 while Frank Thomas drove in two runs to give 867 for his career which pushed him past Harold Baines into second place on the club’s all-time list. For the rest of the day, plus a stumper see www.whitesoxalmanac.com!

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: APRIL 5 NOT A GOOD DEAL 1960: In one of the worst trades in team history, the White Sox acquired slugging first baseman Roy Sievers from the Washington Senators in exchange for catcher Earl Battey, infielder Don Mincher and $150,000. Sievers, who led the American League with 42 homers and 114 RBIs for the 1957 Senators, hit .295 with a team-high 28 homers and 93 RBIs for the 1960 White Sox. The 29 homers were the most by a Sox player in nine years and tied for the third-highest output in franchise history. Battey and Mincher were considered prospects at the time and blossomed into productive Major Leaguers in the 1960s. This swap did not turn out so well for the good guys. In the first printing of “The White Sox Encyclopedia,” Rich Lindberg labeled this the sixth-worst trade in franchise history. A WEIRD BEGINNING 1974: Nolan Ryan bested Wilbur Wood before 30,041 on Opening Day at Comiskey Park. Ryan got the win in the Angels’ 8-2 victory. Ryan, coming of his record-setting 383-strikeout campaign of 1973, fanned just four and walked 10. The Angels broke the game open with a five-run eighth off Terry Forster. The Opener’s sideshows may have been more interesting than the game. In the stands, there was a strolling stripper, many streakers and a bevy of fights. “Did all that really happen?” Sox manager Chuck Tanner asked afterwards. “I didn’t see any of it. ... What causes people to act like that?” For the rest of the day, visit www.whitesoxalmanac.com ... sponsored by nobody!

THIS DATE IN SOX HISTORY: APRIL 4 OLD BATTERY CHARGES SOX 1989: The White Sox opened their 89th season by downing the California Angels 9-2 in Anaheim.Winning pitcher Jerry Reuss and Carlton Fisk formed the oldest Opening Day battery in Major League history. Their combined age of 81 years (Fisk 41, Reuss 39) and 22 days surpassed Johnny Niggling and Rick Ferrell of the 1944 Washington Senators. The Washington duo was “only” a combined 79 years and 3 days old. After Devon White homered in the first, Reuss did not allow a run. Meanwhile, the Sox cruised behind home runs from Fisk and Harold Baines. After Baines homered in the ninth, Angel reliever Bob McClure plunked Ivan Calderon, who charged the mound setting off a bench-clearing melee. For the rest of this eventful day, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com

QUOTE(rangercal @ Apr 2, 2007 -> 10:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Im guessing this is HOME OPENERS. IIRC, David Wells was the opening day starter in 2001. Yes. Wells bested Colon that sunny day in Cleveland in 2001 and we thought all was right with the world. If the badness came in a home opener that wasn't the overall opener it was noted in the line of text next to the stat.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: APRIL 3RD HELLO BO … GOODBYE OLD FRIEND 1991: On the day the wrecking ball first struck Old Comiskey Park, the White Sox signed outfielder Bo Jackson as a free agent after he was released by the Kansas City Royals. Jackson was immediately placed on the 60-day emergency disabled list to rehabilitate his ailing hip. Jackson, who suffered the injury while playing for the Oakland Raiders, rehabbed his way into a September appearance with the Sox where he hit .225 with three home runs and 14 RBI in 23 games. Jackson had hip replacement surgery in 1992 and sat out that season before returning for 1993 where he was a contributor – artificial hip and all – to the Sox run to the A.L. West title. As for the old park, it took a while but it finally bit the dust. Interesting how the Sox signed Bo on the day they started knocking down the old park ... For the rest of the day visit www.whitesoxalmanac.com

Here is my Sox Stumper that wound up on the cutting room floor today. Name the Sox player who hit the final home run in a season-starting game at Old Comiskey Park. A. Ozzie Guillen B. Ken Williams C. Harold Baines There is a Sox Stumper written (by me) for display on the scoreboard for every game. However, because it is not a sponsored feature, it doesn't always get displayed. Same with Farm Notes, which are a favorite, Sox Notes and Visitor Trivia. So now you know ... Ken Williams in 1988 was the last player to hit a omer in a season-opening game at OCP.

Here are some candidates for bad starts by Sox pitchers on Opening Day. ... Bannister was really bad in '83 home opener BAD OPENING DAY STARTS SOX PITCHERS Year Pitcher................. IP HRERBB K Badness 2007 Jose Contreras......1-7-8-7-1-1.......Gave up bomb on 2nd pitch ... all downhill from there 2001 Jim Parque.............5-8-4-4-1-1......Home opener; 6th inning was fatal 1999 Mike Sirotka...........5-9-9-3-2-2......Home opener; also committed 3 errors 1995 Alex Fernandez....2.2-5-8-4-5-1......Surrendered 1st inning grand slam 1993 Wilson Alvarez........3-5-4-4-3-4......Home opener; couldn't retire anyone in the 4th 1991 Jack McDowell......2.2-5-6-6-3-0......New Comiskey opener; All 6 runs came in 3rd inning 1987 Neil Allen................2-4-3-3-0-1......Home opener; Yielded leadoff homer to Whitaker 1986 Tom Seaver.........5.1-7-5-5-0-3......Home opener; gave up roof shot HR to Rob Deer 1983 Floyd Bannister.....1.2-7-7-7-2-2......Home opener; Banny's Sox debut; Gave up 2 bombs 1982 Jerry Koosman......5.2-8-6-6-2-2......No decision 1977 Ken Brett.................3-9-5-5-0-4......1st game in Tor; Gave up 2 HRs 1970 Tommy John..........4.2-8-6-5-1-3.......Home opener; Gave up 3 in 1st thanks to his 2 errors 1967 John Buzhardt...........4-4-4-4-5-0....Sox lost at Boston

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: APRIL 2ND ALL’S WELL THAT STARTS WITH WELLS 2001: David Wells turned in six strong innings in winning his White Sox debut in a 7-4 win over the Cleveland Indians before 42,806 at Jacobs Field. Wells, battling a stomach virus, limited the Indians to two runs on four hits in six innings. The stout lefty walked two and fanned three in improving to 14-4 lifetime vs. the Indians. Magglio Ordonez broke the game open with a three-run home run in the sixth inning. The Sox opened the season on the road for the 11th consecutive season. The game marked the return of Sox catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. to Cleveland where he had spent the previous 11 seasons. He was greeted with a thunderous pre-game ovation. A GREAT START TO 2006 FOR SOX, THOME 2006: On an emotional and rainy night, the White Sox opened the 2006 campaign with a 10-4 win over Cleveland before 38,802 at U.S. Cellular Field. To celebrate their 2005 World Series title, the Sox unveiled their championship banner in a stunning pregame ceremony. In the rain-delayed victory, Jim Thome homered in his White Sox debut as the team beat Cleveland in the season-opener for the second consecutive year. Thome’s two-run homer high into the rainy night sky followed a sacrifice fly by Tadahito Iguchi, which gave the Sox the lead for good. For the rest of the day, visit www.whitesoxalmanac.com ... sponsored by nobody!

QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Apr 1, 2007 -> 09:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> You continue to prove that you are the man. I wish I had thought of "King s*** of White Sox Mountain" ... that made me LOL An addendum ... The string of three straight openers against Cleveland is the longest by the Sox against any club since they started six seasons in a row against the Tribe from 1952-1957. ... The Sox started 4 seasons in a row against Cleveland from 1944 to 1947 and three against the Browns from 1917 to 1919.

Here are some Opening Day nuggets .... If you are going to the game, look for some of these on the Scoreboard as I start my 22nd year as a member of the White Sox Scoreboard Operations Dept. posting, researching and figures stats and info for display during games. -AJ Pierzynski has never played in a losing Opening Day game (6-0 overall; 2-0 with the Sox) -Pierzynski is hitting .350 with a home runs and three RBIs Opening Day -Joe Crede has never played in a losing Opener at US Cellular Field (4-0) -Paul Konerko is hitting .400 (14-35) with a homer and nine RBIs on Opening Day ... Paulie owns a .400 on base pct. and .600 slugging pct. on Opening Day -Did you know: Konerko stole the first base of the Ozzie Guillen era in the 2004 Opener at Kansas City and he started the 2000 home opener at third base? -Konerko is hitting .342 with two homers, a .368 on-base pct. and .628 slugging pct. in US Cellular Field Openers -Konerko's multi-double game in 2001 was the first by a Sox player in a home opener since Tom Paciorek in 1984 -Juan Uribe started the 2004 home opener at second base (2-for-5, HR) -Brian Anderson's multi-hit game in 2006 was the first by a Sox rookie in an Opening Day game since Lee "BB" Richard turned the trick on 4-7-71 at Oakland -Jermaine Dye is hitting .407 with a homer and five RBIs in Opening Day games ... Dye has reached base safely in all eight of his Opening Day assignments -Dye went 3-for-3 in the 2006 Opener for the Sox. He also had a pretty good day in the 2001 Opener for KC when he fell a triple shy of the cycle hitting vs. Roger Clemens at Yankee Stadium -Jim Thome is hitting .231 with 2 homers in 13 Opening Day games ... He clubbed the first homer in a season-opening game (there have only been two!) at US Cellular Field last season -Darin Erstad is hitting .250 with seven RBIs on Opening Day. ... Erstad led off the 2000 US Cellular Field opener with a double for the Angels in the Sox 9-4 win that day. Erstad finished that day 2-for-5 with a run, two doubles and an RBI. -Frank Thomas is the Sox all-time leader with four home runs in CP/USCF Openers ... Tim Raines hit 3, Ordonez, Konerko, Ventura, Valentin and Durham each have 2 -Sherm Lollar, Minnie Minoso, Bill Melton, Dick Allen, Carlton Fisk, Sammy Sosa, Frank Thomas and Carlos Lee are tied for the franchise lead with two homers on Opening Day -The Sox are starting the season at home for the third straight year for the first time in the history of the franchise For more stuff like this visit my blog at www.whitesoxalmanac.com ... sponsored by nobody!

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: APRIL 1ST COULDN’T HE HAVE PLAYED HOOPS IN CHICAGO??? 1962: The White Sox pitcher Dave DeBusschere, better known for his basketball prowess, out of the University of Detroit. The 6-foot-6 right-hander was an All-American hoopster but a $75,000 bonus got him to put his name on a Sox contract. DeBusschere went 10-1 in the Sally League in 1962. DeBusschere was up and down with the Sox in 1962 and showed big league potential in 1963 when he fired a six-hit shutout against Cleveland on Aug. 13. The Detroit Pistons wanted DeBusschere so badly they made him player-coach at age 24, prompting him to give up baseball. HERRMANN SENT PACKING 1975: The White Sox traded popular catcher Ed Herrmann tothe New York Yankees for minor leaguers Ken Bennett, Terry Quinn, Fred Anyzeski and John Narron. The trade, which was prompted by a salary-demand of $32,000, ended Herrmann’s seven-year career on the Southside. The highlight of Herrmann’s stay came in 1974 when he was named to the American League All-Star team. For the rest of the day plus a Sox Stumper visit www.whitesoxalmanac.com

MARCH 31ST THE J to the O to the E to the Y … JOEY, JOEY, JOEY CORA 1991: The White Sox acquired second baseman Joey Cora and outfielder Warren Newson from the San Diego Padres in exchange for pitchers Adam Peterson and Steve Rosenberg. Cora and Newson both became key members of the White Sox American League West championship team in 1993. Cora was the team’s second baseman and sparkplug while Newson was the squad’s top pinch-hitter. JORDAN BIRMINGHAM BOUND 1994: After a spring training which saw his every move dissected, Michael Jordan was assigned to the White Sox Double-A affiliate in Birmingham. Jordan was signed by the White Sox to a one-year minor league contract Feb. 7 and received a non-roster invitation to spring training. Jordan hit .202 with three home runs and 51 RBI in 127 games for the Barons in helping the Southern League set an attendance record. Jordan halted his baseball career shortly before the 1995 season. For the rest of the day plus a stumper visit www.whitesoxalmanac.com ... sponsored by nobody!

THIS DATE IN SOX HISTORY: MARCH 30 NO BULL: LUZINSKI ARRIVES 1981: In another credibility-establishing move, the White Sox purchased the contract of Chicago-area product Greg Luzinski from the Philadelphia Phillies. The acquisition of the four-time All-Star, coupled with the pickup of Carlton Fisk, Jim Essian, Bill Almon and Dennis Lamp, showed that the new ownership group headed by Jerry Reinsdorf and Eddie Einhorn was willing to spend money and make a splash. Luzinski, a graduate of Notre Dame High School in Niles, Ill., was an ideal designated hitter and he took to the role. "The Bull" hit 21 homers in the strike-shortened season of 1981, drove in 101 runs in 1982 and hit 32 homers with 95 RBIs for the A.L. West champs in 1983. Sadly, Luzinski, like the rest of the Sox hitters, did not have a good playoff series against Baltimore (2-for-15) or a good season in 1984 (.238, 13 homers), which was the last of his 15-year career. RUUUUUUUUUUUU-DEEEEEEEEEE 1982: The White Sox acquired outfielder Rudy Law from the Los Angeles Dodgers for outfield prospect Cecil Espy and fellow minor leaguer Bert Geiger. The lanky Law hit .318 for the 1982 Sox and then went on to have a historic season for the 1983 American League West Division champions. As the team's leadoff hitter, Law hit .283 and swiped a franchise-record 77 bases. The amazing thing about his steal total was that Law was only thrown out 12 times. Law and Julio Cruz (.333) were the only Sox players whose bats showed any life in the 1983 American League Championship Series. Law amassed seven hits and hit a team-best .389 in the four-game loss to the Orioles. Much like the rest of the 1983 team, Law's production leveled off in 1984. After a mediocre 1985 season, the Sox released Law on April 1, 1986 when he couldn't beat out rookie John Cangelosi for the starting center fielder's job. ASK NOT FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS, IT TOLLS FOR SAMMY 1992: The White Sox acquired George Bell from the Cubs for outfielder Sammy Sosa and left-handed reliever Kenny Patterson. Bell gave the Sox an extremely productive 1992 campaign, hitting .255 with 25 homers and 112 RBIs while giving Frank Thomas some protection. Bell's productivity dipped in 1993 although he did have some big games during that division-championship season. As for Sosa, his track record is well known and history will judge him accordingly. However, it should be pointed out that in the years following Sosa's departure from the South side, offense was not the White Sox problem, particularly in right field where the Sox employed heavy-hitters such as Ellis Burks, Darrin Jackson and Danny Tartabull until Magglio Ordonez arrived in 1998.