June 25, 1964 - An overflow crowd of over 52 thousand jammed Comiskey Park to watch the Sox hammer the Cubs 11-1 in the annual “Boys Benefit Game.” The Sox, who were the visiting team that night, hit four home runs including back-to-back-to-back shots in the third inning. The home runs were hit by Ron Hansen, Tommy McCraw and Jerry McNertney. Floyd Robinson also had a home run.

What was significant however was the fact that fans were allowed on the outfield grass behind ropes, since there wasn’t any room left in the park. It was the last time fans have ever been permitted to stand on the playing field for a game.

 

Lip , What gives?  a feel good story , wow.

19 hours ago, Lip Man 1 said:

June 25, 1964 - An overflow crowd of over 52 thousand jammed Comiskey Park to watch the Sox hammer the Cubs 11-1 in the annual “Boys Benefit Game.” The Sox, who were the visiting team that night, hit four home runs including back-to-back-to-back shots in the third inning. The home runs were hit by Ron Hansen, Tommy McCraw and Jerry McNertney. Floyd Robinson also had a home run.

What was significant however was the fact that fans were allowed on the outfield grass behind ropes, since there wasn’t any room left in the park. It was the last time fans have ever been permitted to stand on the playing field for a game.

 

I was at that game with my high school sweetheart and we sat in an aisle in the upper deck near the right field foul pole. As you can see in the photo they had fans standing on the warning track from center field to the right field foul pole, any ball hit onto the warning track was a ground rule double.

If you notice the score board the Sox were the visiting team as the Cubs complained that because the game was always at Comiskey, the Sox always had last at bats, didn’t help the Flubs that night. I went to quite a games with huge crowds at the old place but never saw a crowd like that on that night. I also question the Sox largest crowd in the history of the franchise when they announced a crowd of 55,555 on Bat Day in 1973.

Edited June 26, 20241 yr by The Mighty Mite

4 minutes ago, The Mighty Mite said:

I was at that game with my high school sweetheart and we sat in an aisle in the upper deck near the right field foul pole.

If you notice the score board the Sox were the visiting team as the Cubs complained that because the game was always at Comiskey the Sox always had last at bats, didn’t help the Flubs that night.

So how did this work?  Was it ruled a home run if a ball was hit into the crowd on the field behind the roped off area?

22 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

So how did this work?  Was it ruled a home run if a ball was hit into the crowd on the field behind the roped off area?

Ground rule double.

Just now, The Mighty Mite said:

Ground rule double.

Thanks.  Hah, the fans were like the ivy at Wrigley.

Obviously, this wouldn’t happen nowadays due to the security risk.  But think about if teams did this nowadays and what they would charge for roped off standing room only spots on the field.

1 hour ago, The Mighty Mite said:

I was at that game with my high school sweetheart and we sat in an aisle in the upper deck near the right field foul pole. As you can see in the photo they had fans standing on the warning track from center field to the right field foul pole, any ball hit onto the warning track was a ground rule double.

If you notice the score board the Sox were the visiting team as the Cubs complained that because the game was always at Comiskey, the Sox always had last at bats, didn’t help the Flubs that night. I went to quite a games with huge crowds at the old place but never saw a crowd like that on that night. I also question the Sox largest crowd in the history of the franchise when they announced a crowd of 55,555 on Bat Day in 1973.

I was at that game the DH vs. Minnesota. To his dying day Bill Veeck thought the announced attendance for the twin bill was to low. He thought there were more fans there than was announced. 

22 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

I was at that game the DH vs. Minnesota. To his dying day Bill Veeck thought the announced attendance for the twin bill was to low. He thought there were more fans there than was announced. 

I just don’t feel that was possible, if they had 52,000 for the Cubs game with fans on the field and sitting in the aisles where the hell did they put 55,000.  
Another crowd I thought was inflated was opening day in 1981, that was JR’s and EE’s first home opener as the new owners and the announced crowd was 51,000, I was at that game also and would bet a couple of my social security checks that there were not 51,000 there that day, more like 45,000.
I think you have mentioned before that you were at the DH as I was against the Royals on July 31,1977 over 50,00 there and when we won the first game of the DH with a come from behind win I never heard Comiskey as loud as it was, IIRC we were now 6.5 games ahead in the standings, It was so loud that the place was shaking and I was waiting for it to implode from all the noise. Unfortunately it was all downhill from there as the Sox finished 3rd behind KC and Texas.

 

 

Edited June 26, 20241 yr by The Mighty Mite

1 hour ago, The Mighty Mite said:

I just don’t feel that was possible, if they had 52,000 for the Cubs game with fans on the field and sitting in the aisles where the hell did they put 55,000.  
Another crowd I thought was inflated was opening day in 1981, that was JR’s and EE’s first home opener as the new owners and the announced crowd was 51,000, I was at that game also and would bet a couple of my social security checks that there were not 51,000 there that day, more like 45,000.
I think you have mentioned before that you were at the DH as I was against the Royals on July 31,1977 over 50,00 there and when we won the first game of the DH with a come from behind win I never heard Comiskey as loud as it was, IIRC we were now 6.5 games ahead in the standings, It was so loud that the place was shaking and I was waiting for it to implode from all the noise. Unfortunately it was all downhill from there as the Sox finished 3rd behind KC and Texas.

 

 

I was not at that Royals DH in 1977. I was at the four game sweep of the Twins (Sunday DH) that took place in early June of the season. 

4 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

I was not at that Royals DH in 1977. I was at the four game sweep of the Twins (Sunday DH) that took place in early June of the season. 

I’m pretty sure that’s when Na Na Hey Hey Goodbye made it’s Comiskey Park debut.

57 minutes ago, The Mighty Mite said:

I’m pretty sure that’s when Na Na Hey Hey Goodbye made it’s Comiskey Park debut.

It actually started in 1976. 

40 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

It actually started in 1976. 

https://www.soxon35th.com/interview-with-long-time-white-sox-organist-nancy-faust/

Just now, The Mighty Mite said:

https://www.soxon35th.com/interview-with-long-time-white-sox-organist-nancy-faust/

Nancy said she started playing it in 1977.

30 minutes ago, The Mighty Mite said:

Nancy said she started playing it in 1977.

It was played a few times not on a regular basis in 1976, I asked Nancy about this point. 

I also was at the I was at that 1973 Bat Day doubleheader against the Twins. The attendance was announced at 55,555, it was the largest, loudest crowd I was ever at in the old ballpark.