Lip Man 1

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.

Don't think anyone is crying over it, just another example of the Sox "dumpster diving" because they have little to no depth during a supposed "window of contention" and that is maddening.

It is another example of Hahn's arrogance. Much like his public comments to Garfein about Sox fans wanting the rebuild to fail so they can say "I told you so..." I'm reminded of a scene in the movie The Alamo, where one of the main characters says to another, "Sometimes it's not what you say Buck, it's how you say it..."

Depth and development costs $$$, JR doesn't believe in paying for "potential" as he had publicly stated when he was still talking to the media.

"Talk to me after the parade..." - Rick Hahn. ?

It's early in the season weather is poor. Makes sense to me.

April 7, 1970 - The worst White Sox team in history began their forgettable season getting pounded 12-0 at home by the Twins before less than 12-thousand fans. Sox starting pitcher Tommy John only lasted into the fifth inning giving up six runs, five earned. The Sox would go on to lose a franchise record 106 games and before the season ended saw the G.M., field manager and a number of front office people on the baseball side fired by owner John Allyn. April 7, 1971 - Charlie Finley, the A’s owner, got the first regularly scheduled opening day double header in history but was stunned when the Sox under manager Chuck Tanner beat them twice 6-5 and 12-4 at the Oakland Coliseum. Tommy John and Bart Johnson were the winning pitchers. The Sox clubbed five home runs on the day, including a grand slam by Bill Melton. It should have been six homers except that Carlos May somehow missed touching home plate on his blast. A’s catcher Gene Tenace picked up on it and tagged him out when he was sitting in the dugout. It went as a triple in the scorebook and two RBI’s. This was also Harry Caray’s first regular season game as Sox announcer although at the time not a whole lot of folks could hear him. Three straight awful years caused the Sox to lose their radio contract with any mainstream Chicago station. For the next two years Sox games were broadcast on WTAQ (LaGrange) and WEAW (Evanston), two low powered stations along with other smaller stations throughout the area. April 7, 1973 - On opening day in Texas, Mike Andrews became the first White Sox designated hitter. He hit sixth in the lineup for manager Chuck Tanner. He went 1 for 3 in the Sox 3-1 win behind Wilbur Wood. Andrews got off to such a blazing start that Sports Illustrated wound up doing a story on him in his role as DH. He was hitting over .300 through mid-May but then reality set in. He was released by the team in July after refusing to sign a contract offer made by then vice president Stu Holcomb. He’d wind up with the A’s for the remainder of the season including the World Series where A’s owner Charlie Finley tried to say he was injured and get him replaced with another player after his errors led to a loss to the Mets. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn did not fall for the deception. April 7, 1977 - The White Sox introduced American League baseball to Canada as they played the first ever game in Toronto Blue Jays history. The Jays outslugged the Sox in a driving snowstorm to win 9-5. But it was the start of something much bigger; the “South Side Hitmen” were born. Richie Zisk hit the first Sox home run of the season in the first inning. The club would blast 191 more of them that year. April 7, 1984 - The Tigers Jack Morris threw the last no-hitter at the original Comiskey Park when he shut down the Sox 4-0 on the NBC Saturday “Game of the Week.” The Sox had their chances; including loading the bases on walks in the fourth inning with no out, but could never get the key hit as he retired Greg Luzinski on a double play and then got Ron Kittle to strike out. April 7, 1993 - On his first swing of the season, future Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk would blast his final Major League home run. It would come off the Twins Jim Deshaies in the third inning and be the only run scored by the Sox in a 6-1 loss. Fisk would be released by the Sox in June. He’d finish with 376 home runs, 214 in a White Sox uniform at the time both the club and Major League record for a catcher. April 7, 1994 - In the annual “Crosstown Classic” charity game between the Sox and Cubs, Michael Jordan wrote his name into Sox lore. His double in the late innings tied the game and prevented the Sox from losing for the first time in this series. He’d have two hits and drive in two runs in the game which ended in a 4-4 tie at Wrigley Field. The Sox would go 10-0-2 in this affair that lasted from 1985 through 1995. (Two games were played in 1995.)

September 26, 2011 – He was considered the face of the franchise for eight seasons but on this night after a 4-3 win over Toronto, manager Ozzie Guillen announced he was leaving after owner Jerry Reinsdorf agreed to let him out of the final year of his contract. Guillen, who was the 1985 A.L. Rookie of the Year with the White Sox, won the World Series in 2005 and also got the club into the playoffs in 2008. He had five winning seasons in the eight years as manager and was named Manager of the Year for his work in 2005. In that magical season of 2005, “Ozzie Ball” resulted in the Sox getting off to the best start in their history and with a perfect blend of pitching, speed, power and the ability to execute the fundamentals the Sox were in first place from wire to wire. Then they blitzed through the post season putting together an 11-1 record that was the third best post season record in baseball history. Guillen’s passion and enthusiasm for the franchise was unparalleled but at times he was his own worst enemy. Over his final years in Chicago, he became increasingly thin-skinned and defensive when criticism was directed his way and he lashed out at Sox fans on more than one occasion. Among his famous rants against the fans were one where he said that they could ‘‘Turn off their TVs and stop watching the game if they don’t like the [bleep]ing lineup’’ and another in May 2011 where he claimed Sox fans would not remember him, “As soon as you leave the ballpark, they don’t care about you. They don’t. The monuments, the statues…they pee on them when they get drunk.” On the afternoon of the day he left the team Guillen told reporters that he would not want to return to fulfill his 2012 contract unless he got an extension and more money. Ozzie’s relationship with G.M. Kenny Williams also deteriorated over the final few years because the two men appeared to have different viewpoints over how the roster should be constructed and the style to which the Sox should play. The Jim Thome/DH controversy was an example of the different ideas. Guillen’s family didn’t help the situation with social media comments derogatory to Williams. Many felt when Ozzie was hired in November 2003 that he was the right man for the right team at the right time and for a few years he was. Unfortunately, the manager with the longest tenure since Al Lopez let some personal foibles override a good situation and it was best for all that a parting of the ways took place.

Should have happened years ago.

More flotsam and jetsam. That's part of the White Sox Way!