Lip Man 1 Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 April 12, 1966 - The Sox opened the season with a 3-2 win over the Angels in 14 innings. Tommy McCraw delivered the game winning hit. Rookie Tommy Agee would crack a two-run home run off Dean Chance in the seventh inning to begin his season, which would end with him being named the Rookie of the Year and the first Sox player to ever hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in the same year. But the game became known for what the 28-thousand plus fans sang to open the afternoon...it was not ‘‘The Star-Spangled Banner’’ but ‘‘God Bless America.’’ The Sox made the change because as G.M. Ed Short said the fans, “Just weren’t singing.” Short said the Sox wanted a patriotic song that carried the spirit but also something fans could actually sing to. Songwriter Irving Berlin (“White Christmas”) would write a letter to the Sox begging them to go back to the original anthem. The Sox then decided to let the fans vote on which they preferred. ‘‘The Star-Spangled Banner’’ won. April 12, 1967 - The bittersweet 1967 season opened with a 5-4 loss in Boston to the eventual American League champions. Boston scored four early runs off of Johnny Buzhardt and the Sox were never able to catch up. The White Sox would go into the final week of the season in position to take their first pennant since 1959...only to lose five in a row to bottom feeders Kansas City and Washington which ended that dream. They finished in fourth place, three games out with a record of 89-73. April 12, 1977 - Former high school teacher and Milwaukee radio broadcaster Mary Shane became one of the first female announcers in MLB history when she began doing Sox games. Mary joined Lorn Brown, Harry Caray and Jimmy Piersall in the booth for roughly 20-35 games. Caray invited her to join him in the booth when the Sox were in Milwaukee in 1976. She was covering sports for a Milwaukee radio station. Caray was taken by the fact that she was a rare female working in the business and asked her to join him, then shocked her by asking her to do some play-by-play. She worked with him again the next day then that off season got a call from WMAQ radio general manager Charlie Warner with a job offer. She only lasted the 1977 season. She returned to Massachusetts where she became an award-winning sportswriter covering the Celtics, before passing away at an early age on November 3, 1987. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zisk Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 3 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said: April 12, 1966 - The Sox opened the season with a 3-2 win over the Angels in 14 innings. Tommy McCraw delivered the game winning hit. Rookie Tommy Agee would crack a two-run home run off Dean Chance in the seventh inning to begin his season, which would end with him being named the Rookie of the Year and the first Sox player to ever hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in the same year. But the game became known for what the 28-thousand plus fans sang to open the afternoon...it was not ‘‘The Star-Spangled Banner’’ but ‘‘God Bless America.’’ The Sox made the change because as G.M. Ed Short said the fans, “Just weren’t singing.” Short said the Sox wanted a patriotic song that carried the spirit but also something fans could actually sing to. Songwriter Irving Berlin (“White Christmas”) would write a letter to the Sox begging them to go back to the original anthem. The Sox then decided to let the fans vote on which they preferred. ‘‘The Star-Spangled Banner’’ won. April 12, 1967 - The bittersweet 1967 season opened with a 5-4 loss in Boston to the eventual American League champions. Boston scored four early runs off of Johnny Buzhardt and the Sox were never able to catch up. The White Sox would go into the final week of the season in position to take their first pennant since 1959...only to lose five in a row to bottom feeders Kansas City and Washington which ended that dream. They finished in fourth place, three games out with a record of 89-73. April 12, 1977 - Former high school teacher and Milwaukee radio broadcaster Mary Shane became one of the first female announcers in MLB history when she began doing Sox games. Mary joined Lorn Brown, Harry Caray and Jimmy Piersall in the booth for roughly 20-35 games. Caray invited her to join him in the booth when the Sox were in Milwaukee in 1976. She was covering sports for a Milwaukee radio station. Caray was taken by the fact that she was a rare female working in the business and asked her to join him, then shocked her by asking her to do some play-by-play. She worked with him again the next day then that off season got a call from WMAQ radio general manager Charlie Warner with a job offer. She only lasted the 1977 season. She returned to Massachusetts where she became an award-winning sportswriter covering the Celtics, before passing away at an early age on November 3, 1987. I think I may have told you before, but your "this day" posts are great. Keep it up! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kids Can Play Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 6 minutes ago, zisk said: I think I may have told you before, but your "this day" posts are great. Keep it up! Agreed! I love reading about old Sox history, even if it was before my time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lip Man 1 Posted April 12, 2023 Author Share Posted April 12, 2023 Thank you. I'm glad you enjoy reading them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Grinder Posted April 13, 2023 Share Posted April 13, 2023 Agreed. The pre 1966 I really can't relate to much but that's ok. Thanks Lip for all you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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