Lip Man 1

Five notations for today: April 10, 1959 - The season opener to a memorable American League pennant winning year started in Detroit where Billy Pierce faced Jim Bunning. The Sox blew a 7-4 lead when the Tigers got three runs in the eighth inning and matters weren’t decided until the 14th. That’s when Nellie Fox, who hit home runs as often as he struck out, blasted a two-run shot to give the Sox the 9-7 win. Fox would go 5 for 7 and knock in three runs that afternoon despite the freezing temperatures. Catcher Sherm Lollar had three hits for the Sox who used seven pitchers in the game. The game was also delayed due to Tiger fans running on the field four times and throwing items at Sox left fielder Johnny Callison. April 10, 1961 – Sox outfielder “Jungle” Jim Rivera was always good for the unexpected. Right before the Sox played in Washington to open the season, President John Kennedy threw out the first ball. Rivera came up with it and was escorted to the President’s box where both he and Vice President Lyndon Johnson signed the ball. After Rivera looked at it, he said to the President, “You’ll have to do better than that John. This is a scribble I can hardly read!” So, Kennedy in block letters spelled out his name on the baseball. Oh… the Sox went on to win the game 4-3 getting single runs in the seventh and eighth innings. It was the first game the new Washington Senators ever played as the previous version of the team was moved to Minnesota. April 10, 1962 – In an Opening Day, 2-1 win over the Angels, catcher Sherm Lollar caught an MLB record-tying six foul popups: two apiece in the second, sixth and ninth innings. Juan Pizarro went the distance for the win, taken in walk-off fashion on a single with two outs in the bottom of the 10th — by Lollar who had four hits on the day. There was something in the air at Comiskey Park, as 11 of the 53 outs in the game came via foul pop out. April 10, 1968 - The good days were a thing of the past. The social unrest on the West Side of Chicago after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King held the opening day crowd at Comiskey Park to less than 8,000. The Sox then got shut out by Wilfred ‘‘Sonny’’ Siebert and the Indians 9-0. It was the first of a franchise record 10 straight losses to open the season. They were outscored in that stretch 42-13 and were shut out three times. Coupled with the five straight losses to close out 1967, the Sox dropped 15 in a row. April 10, 1981 - If you had written the script and pitched it to Hollywood, they would have refused it on the grounds of corniness but reality is sometimes stranger than fiction. Carlton Fisk, native son of New England, returned to Boston on opening day as a member of the White Sox. Fisk was declared a free agent after the Red Sox mailed him his contract after the time allotment for doing so expired. Sox co-owner Eddie Einhorn and G.M. Roland Hemond immediately got with agent Jack Sands and worked out a multi-year deal, seven years for 2.9 million dollars. With a new team, in a new uniform, Fisk immediately began making Boston pay as he ripped a three-run home run in the eighth inning off Bob Stanley to put the Sox ahead 3-2 in a game they’d win 5-3.

Interesting comment from Venable after the game to the Sun-Times: Manager Will Venable said fans shouldn’t hold their breath for Schultz to make it to the South Side. “I just know he’s continuing to pitch really well, which is awesome to see. We have a number of guys down there playing well,” Venable said. That includes fellow flame-throwers Hagen Smith (nine strikeouts in six innings) and Tanner McDougal (11 K’s in nine). “You don’t want to put them in situations where we’re asking them to do stuff that they’re not prepared for, even if they might be the best option,” Venable said.

Fair point. He was part of the "Bust Brothers."

The change of scenery may be the best thing to happen to him, just to get out of the losing and the dysfunction.

Well, we can't say the Sox can't win in Kansas City anymore!

It would be nice if they could actually score more than three runs in a game for a change...home runs or not.

Since the Sox haven't won in K.C. in the past few years EVERY Royals player seems to hit well against them.

Probably an outlier. Of course now that he is out of the dysfunction you never know.

I guess it depends on your definition. I don't recall JR saying anything close to it "being my fault." And to be clear I'm not saying Michael will be any better but I was struck by his honesty in the press conference.

Can't argue with that especially with the labor situation coming up starting in December although you could make the case JR's philosophy of "fiscal responsibility" (his words) dates back to the mid 1980's.

When was the last time you read, saw or heard JR saying he screwed up was my point.

Well..."viable" may be to strong of a word! 😄

Eight factoids for today. 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 going almost seven innings, allowing five hits. 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. April 9, 2024 – When the White Sox sacrificed three seasons and underwent a rebuild, the hope was that of the players acquired through various means, Eloy Jimenez, Yoan Moncada and Luis Robert would be the key pieces to lead the franchise into a sustained period of success. If there were any doubts about how that hope was foolish, 10 days at the start of the 2024 campaign ended any illusions. Jimenez suffered a strained abductor muscle running to first and was put on the injured list, Robert suffered a badly strained hip flexor muscle running to first, was put on the injured list and was out months and then on this day, in Cleveland, Moncada suffered a badly strained abductor muscle running to first and was out for the vast majority of the year. The “Bust Brothers” as some fans called them simply could not stay healthy for any sustained period of time.

Well played sir...typo on my part.

They all looked like beer league softball uniforms.

I think it would tie the American League record. The Washington Senators if I remember right in the early 60's?

Can you imagine his Dad doing or even saying anything like this????? https://chicago.suntimes.com/bulls/2026/04/08/bulls-team-president-michael-reinsdorf-boxes-checked-next-hire

There is no way with labor unrest on the horizon that JR is going to do anything drastic at this point. Meanwhile the Titanic will keep sailing towards the iceberg.

They may not be even playing in 2027.

The only way Venable gets fired is if he's found guilty of a crime. He's not going anywhere.

Speaking of K.C. how many have they lost in a row there? I know they were winless last season but think they lost a few more the season before.

😆 All you can do is laugh.

Getz's biggest accomplishment was convincing JR he was the person for the job.

So really nothing has changed from the last few seasons. I had hoped the Sox would play some meaningful games after June 1. Looks like that hope may be misplaced. 8th time in the 12 games played they've scored three runs or less. Obviously that's a problem.

'He's in the best shape of his life' 😄 (Well it is a Merkin story/tweet right?)