Lip Man 1 Posted April 4, 2023 Share Posted April 4, 2023 April 4, 1982 - One of the most highly anticipated opening days in franchise history got snowed out. The Sox were set to host Boston and the organization was expecting a crowd of around 50,000 much like they got for opening day 1981. That got torpedoed when a blizzard hammered the entire Midwest cancelling games for days. 10 inches of snow were recorded at Comiskey Park! The season didn’t begin until April 11 as the Sox took a double-header from the Yankees in New York. April 4, 1983 - The same night North Carolina State upset Houston in the men’s NCAA basketball championship; the Sox opened their Western Division Championship season dropping a 5-3 game at Texas. The Sox scored three times in the top of the first but were handcuffed after that. Errors by rookies Scott Fletcher and Greg Walker were costly to pitcher LaMarr Hoyt. The Sox would drop all three games to the Rangers but rebounded to win 99 games and take the division by a record 20 games. White Sox broadcaster and analyst Jimmy Piersall would be fired by the club the next day for his acerbic studio comments concerning the team’s performance opening night. April 4, 1988 - It was a moment in the sun for Kenny Williams. On opening day, Williams belted a two run fifth inning home run off the Angels Mike Witt to help the Sox to an 8-5 win. Williams would drive in three RBI’s on the afternoon. His other hit that afternoon was a double. April 4, 1994 - The bittersweet shortened season started in Canada with a rematch of the 1993 A.L.C.S. It was Toronto winning this opening day 7-3 beating Jack McDowell, the reigning Cy Young Award winner, just as they did twice in the post season the year before. But by August 11 the Sox were rolling on all cylinders. That’s when the season came to a staggering end because of the labor impasse between the MLBPA and the owners. At the time of the shutdown, the Sox were leading the division and had the fourth best record in baseball at 67-46. April 4, 2005 - The World Championship season got off to a great start as a packed house saw Mark Buehrle and Shingo Takatsu shut out Cleveland 1-0 in a game that took less than two hours! That season the Sox would roar out of the gate at 26-9, the best 35 game start in franchise history. The only run came in the seventh inning when Paul Konerko scored on Aaron Rowand’s hard shot ground ball that was misplayed by the Indians Jhonny Peralta. Over 38 thousand fans were on hand for the game. The Indians only got two hits on the day and Sox pitchers only faced 28 batters, one over the minimum. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lip Man 1 Posted April 4, 2023 Author Share Posted April 4, 2023 It's ironic that here in Southeast Idaho we are having one of the heaviest snowfalls in history for this area right now on the same day as back in 1982 Chicago got hammered with a blizzard. Just spent two hours shoveling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcq Posted April 4, 2023 Share Posted April 4, 2023 April 4, 1968. The murder of MLK and aftermath would have significant repurcussions for the Sox, from the small Opening Day crowd some days later to the already troubling pattern of white flight among their fans. Things were not good and games were being played in Milwaukee who wanted a team of their own. Only a season earlier they were among the AL elite and now the team was bottoming out. The Cubs were about to emerge as contenders and city sweethearts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Grinder Posted April 4, 2023 Share Posted April 4, 2023 3 hours ago, Lip Man 1 said: It's ironic that here in Southeast Idaho we are having one of the heaviest snowfalls in history for this area right now on the same day as back in 1982 Chicago got hammered with a blizzard. Just spent two hours shoveling. Invest in a snow blower, yr back will thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lip Man 1 Posted April 5, 2023 Author Share Posted April 5, 2023 2 hours ago, The Grinder said: Invest in a snow blower, yr back will thank you We don't get these type of snowfalls very often anymore, not worth the expense and I don't have a garage to store it in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wegner Posted April 5, 2023 Share Posted April 5, 2023 Wife made me get a snowblower last year....didn't use it once this winter and I couldn't be happier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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