Lip Man 1

Three factoids today: 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.

The way the season is spiraling out of control, the Sox already have the worst record in the A.L. I guess they have nothing to lose. Personally I wouldn't do it myself and stated why in another thread a few weeks ago but it is what it is. Wish the kids well, how can they be worse than the stiffs and retreads populating the roster now.

Gio and JR went to arbitration over 50-thousand dollars. Gio and his agent aren't forgetting that plus Gio is a big union guy and that absolutely doesn't sit well with JR.

Sun-Times with the autopsy: https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2026/04/11/white-sox-royals-shutout-kansas-city

This team simply can't hit. 11 of the 15 games they've scored three runs or less. All you can do is shake your head. The pitching right now is performing way over their heads (and that won't last) but the Sox aren't able to take advantage of it right now

I thought Kopech was still injured...as far as Anderson I haven't heard of him signing anywhere. He's probably toast.

Seven factoids for today: April 11, 1917 - The World Championship season began in St. Louis where the Sox battered the Browns 7-2. Jim Scott picked up the win tossing six innings of relief work for Claude ‘‘Lefty’’ Williams. He gave up just four hits and a run. George “Buck” Weaver drove in three runs for the Sox on the day. Just slightly over six months later, after winning 100 games in the regular season, the Sox would win the World Series, four games to two, over John McGraw and the New York Giants. April 11, 1969 - The White Sox initiated Major League Baseball to Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. They were the first home opponent for the expansion Seattle Pilots. The Sox promptly rolled over and died to the new team 7-0 getting shut out by future Sox pitcher Gary Bell who went the distance. Bell would be traded to the Sox that June! Joe Horlen took the loss only lasting three innings. Former Sox minor league player Don Mincher would have a two-run home run for the Pilots. That afternoon the Sox would get nine hits, three were doubles, but strand 14 baserunners. April 11, 1982 - When the great blizzard hit the Midwest and forced cancellation of a number of games, the Sox had to open on the road the following week... in New York... with a double header. No problem, as the franchise which had already won a regularly scheduled opening day twin bill in 1971, put the wood to the Yankees winning 7-6 in 12 innings and then 2-0. It was the start of an eight-game winning streak to open the 1982 campaign, the best start to a season in franchise history. They beat the Yankees twice, Boston three times and the Orioles three times. April 11, 2000 - For a man with not a lot of speed he got around the bases fast enough this time! Paul Konerko hit an inside the park home run against Tampa Bay. It came in the first inning off Esteban Yan and drove in two runs as Magglio Ordonez scored ahead of him. The Sox won 13-6. April 11, 2008 - To commemorate their World Series win three years earlier, the White Sox unveiled their “Champions Plaza” and “Championship Moments” monument prior to the game against the Detroit Tigers. Current players still on the team from the 2005 championship roster assisted in the unveiling of a white, bronze and granite sculpture weighing more than 25 tons. It honored the title and featured timeless 2005 playoff images of Paul Konerko, Joe Crede, Orlando Hernandez, Geoff Blum and Juan Uribe. April 11, 2011 - Sox utility player Brent Lillibridge belted the franchise’s 10,000th home run when he took a fast ball from Oakland’s Dallas Braden and hit it out of U.S. Cellular Field. It came in the fifth inning of a game the Sox eventually lost 2-1 in 10 innings. Lillibridge hit a career high 13 home runs that season. April 11, 2025 – It was a wonderful start to a Major League career for White Sox infielder Chase Meidroth. He was acquired in the deal from Boston involving All-Star pitcher Garrett Crochet. Called up to the team and starting against the Red Sox Meidroth drew three walks and singled in the 11-1 win. He also scored two runs. He became the first player to get a hit and walk three times in his Major League debut since Larry Walker of the Expos on August 16, 1989.

Try to stay alive and see what Ishbia may be able to do.

Six straight games scoring three runs or less and 10 times in the 14 games played. That's....bad.

Kay's pitching motion and body-type reminds me of Carlos Rodon.

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.