Lip Man 1

As a White Sox historian the era from 1951-1967 was terrific. 1972 was wonderful as was 1977. 1981-1985 was a solid period and so was 1990-1994. The period from 2000-20006 was about as good as any since the Golden Age from 1951-67. A lot of it depends on what you mean by "doing a damn thing." Not justifying what has happened to this franchise since the start of the 2007 season but they have actually done some good things over the last 100 seasons...just not as many as perhaps they would have with better ownership.

Chuck wasn't the Manager of the Year in 1971, he won that award in 1972.

There is some truth to what you've said but that should also be tempered with Rick Hahn's track record in acquiring talent (the latest being Diekman) which far more often than not has been a real failure. Plus even if they are in a race in a weak division will JR take the plunge financially? They certainly didn't over the off-season when competition for talent isn't as intense or critical.

The 2001 Sox were 15 under at one point but rebounded to win 83 games, only the second MLB team to ever do that (Brewers did it first in the early 90's)

Depends on your definition of winning though doesn't it. Ozzie at least had five winning seasons in eight years but the environment appeared to be getting more and more toxic. And again let's not forget it was Ozzie himself who walked out on a contract he signed, saying the afternoon of his last day as manager he wouldn't want to return in 2012 unless he got an extension and a raise. He made his position very clear.

Well Rick publicly said the same thing to Garfein which is ludicrous by itself. Instead of blasting the fan base as this organization has done for decades...from Rick to Kenny to Don Cooper to Ozzie to even Garfein they should get down on their knees and thank God they have ANY fans left who still give a damn after all the suckage.

So was I, in the lower deck in left center field.

I simply don't understand this considering the Sox had Tuesday off and have another off day on Thursday.

Good riddance

Can't say we haven't seen this before...Sox explode for double digit runs one day then the next fall flat on their faces. Lose four of six to mediocre to bad teams in San Francisco and Pittsburgh. Lose the game because they have a second baseman playing right field and he can't make a catch then once again with a runner on third and less than two out they can't score him. If they can't beat the Giants and Pirates what's going to happen when they have to face Baltimore, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and Toronto the next few weeks?

April 9, 1963 - The start of the season found the Sox in Detroit and it was a highlight game for third baseman Pete Ward. Ward smacked a seventh inning, three run home run off Jim Bunning to push the Sox into the lead after trailing 5-4 and he also made a barehanded pick up and throw out of a slow roller hit by Al Kaline for the defensive play of the game in the ninth inning. The Sox would win 7-5 and it would be the start of Ward’s Co-American League Rookie of the Year campaign. That year he’d hit .295 with 22 home runs, 84 RBI’s, 34 doubles and six triples. April 9, 1971 - It was the largest home opener in years as 43,253 fans poured into Comiskey Park to see the “New Look” White Sox under new player personnel director Roland Hemond and manager Chuck Tanner. Ownership was completely caught with their pants down when that many fans showed up. Concession stands and vendors ran out of items by the middle of the game! The Sox wouldn’t disappoint as Rich McKinney’s two out ninth inning single to left field scored Rich Morales with the game winning run in the 3-2 victory over Minnesota. Morales led off the inning with a single off Twins relief ace Ron Perranoski. April 9, 1976 – Owner Bill Veeck was back and 40,318 fans turned out to say welcome home Bill on opening day. They got their money’s worth, as in a tribute to the Bicentennial, Veeck, manager Paul Richards and front office executive Rudy Schaffer presented the colors dressed as the fife player, drummer and flag bearer of the Revolutionary War. The stunt was unannounced and came as a last-minute brainstorm by Veeck who along with G.M. Roland Hemond had to convince Richards to dress up. As far as the game itself Wilbur Wood tossed a complete game six-hitter and Jim Spencer had a two-run home run in the 4-0 win against Kansas City. April 9, 1977 - The White Sox defeated the Blue Jays 3-2 in Toronto for the franchise’s first ever regular season win outside of the United States. Oscar Gamble’s home run in the fourth put the Sox on top to stay and the team added two more in the fifth. Chris Knapp got the win and Lerrin LaGrow earned his first save in what would be the best season of his career. He’d end 1977 with 25 of them and a 2.46 ERA. April 9, 1985 - For future Hall of Famer Tom Seaver, it was his record 14th opening day start. For Ozzie Guillen, it was his debut in the Major Leagues. The two of them combined to help the Sox beat Milwaukee 4-2 at County Stadium. Guillen would get his first hit in the big leagues that day, a bunt single off future Sox pitcher Ray Searage in the ninth inning. Seaver would pick up the win pitching into the seventh inning. April 9, 1990 – It was the last home opener at the original Comiskey Park and the Sox made it a good one beating the Brewers 2-1 before over 40-thousand fans who waited out a rain delay. Scott Fletcher’s sacrifice fly scored Sammy Sosa with what turned out to be the winning run in the seventh inning. Barry Jones got the win with Bobby Thigpen picking up the first of what would be his then record setting 57 saves in a season. April 9, 1993 - During the home opener with the Yankees, “Bo” Jackson showed that the human spirit is simply amazing. Jackson, playing with an artificial hip, hammered a Neal Heaton pitch into the right field seats for a home run. It was Jackson’s first at bat since the hip surgery, caused by an injury he suffered during his days as an All-Pro running back for the Raiders. In 1993 “Bo” would hit 16 home runs including one in late September against Seattle that would provide the margin to win the game and the Western Division title. He was the first athlete to have had this type of surgery and be able to return and play at the highest level. As far as the baseball hit off Heaton, a fan returned it to him and he later had it encased and welded to his mother’s headstone.

He just had a day off Tuesday.

Only if he had won the "pitch off" game that I referenced. Although when I interviewed former Sox broadcaster Milo Hamilton he told me stories about Denny and if they are true he really wasn't a great person. Still he was a very good pitcher. This is what Milo told me: ML: One of the oddities about that season took place in spring training on April 8 when two youngsters, Bruce Howard and Denny McLain had a ‘pitch-off’ to determine who would stay in the organization and get promoted to Double-A. Do you remember anything about that game or about McLain in general when he was with the White Sox. (Author’s Note: Howard would win the game 2-1 and get promoted to Lynchburg, Virginia. Because of baseball rules at the time concerning bonus babies, McLain had to be released. He was claimed by the Tigers a week later.) MH: “Well the pitch-off was only part of the reason the Sox let him go. He was a cocky kid. His high school used to get tickets to Sox games and I can still remember him sitting by the dugout yelling “I can beat those guys.” He was hard to handle and his attitude was something that Al Lopez (Author’s Note: White Sox manager) and the organization just wasn’t going to put up with. In spring training he ran up a 700 hundred dollar phone bill talking to his girlfriend and he refused to pay it.” “Howard was a clean cut kid. Never gave anyone any trouble. Unfortunately he didn’t turn out to be much of a pitcher and in that respect you have to give McLain his due, he turned into a great pitcher. I mean he won 30 games one season.”

After the first 10 days I'm grateful for any win and the bullpen actually looked capable tonight for a change. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

It always comes down to pitching and the Sox are woefully short especially in the bullpen.

April 8, 1963 – On this date, one of the biggest ‘what if’s’ in franchise history took place. As per the rules at the time, the White Sox had to choose between two pitchers signed to “bonus baby” contracts. The rules stated that only one player signed to a deal for over a certain amount of money could remain in the organization. The other would have to be waived. With that in mind rookies Bruce Howard and Denny McLain squared off in an intra-squad game to see who would be released and who got promoted to Double A Lynchburg. Howard won 2-1. McLain got his walking papers and was claimed by Detroit the following week. He’d go on to win 131 big league games including 31 in 1968. Howard meanwhile won 25 games with a save for the Sox between 1963-1967 before he was traded to the Orioles. April 8, 1991 - It was always a “House of Horrors” for the Sox but on this day, they got the last laugh. The Sox spoiled the last home opener in old Memorial Stadium by ripping the Orioles 9-1. Sammy Sosa clubbed two home runs to lead the rout. His homers came in the second and eighth innings. He’d knock in five RBI’s on the afternoon. Jack McDowell went the distance striking out 10 which set the team mark for most strikeouts by a pitcher on opening day… that was later tied by Dylan Cease in 2023 at Houston.

That is a distinct possibility.

They were actually playing in games just like in spring training, I don't see the difference myself.

Can't disagree with anything you wrote. I was going to post something like that after I thought a little about my original response. Great that they developed some of the players mentioned but then you also have to criticize about the fact they were traded for stiffs like Shields, Samardzija or given away for nothing. Players succeeding on other teams does the Sox no good that's for sure.

I respect your opinion but to me it's about winning....and this organization since the start of the 2007 season has been among the worst in baseball at doing that. I take no pride in seeing Tatis do well for San Diego or Rodon for the Giants or Semien now for the Rangers and how about what Tracy Thompson has been doing since the All-Star break with the Dodgers? To each his own and if that's how you enjoy the game more power to you. That's just not how I look at things, I want to root for a team that I have pride in and that's been in very short supply for a very long time.

So tell me how I'm wrong? I'll wait.

That's why I keep saying take care of yourself and hope to outlive current ownership and see what happens next.

As long as JR owns the club and is making money nobody gets fired regardless of how bad they are on the field.

Back when it looked like the rebuild was actually going to do something wonderful. I'm almost out of words to describe this shitfest. Thank you...JR, Kenny and Rick. The Three Stooges.

I believe if memory serves it was limited seating until June.