March 28, 1940 - During a 10-1 preseason loss at Wrigley Field to the Cubs, White Sox second baseman Jackie Hayes was hit by a drifting speck of cinder in his eye. Hayes’ eye became infected, and by the end of the season had lost full sight in the eye, and retired from the game.

By 1943, Hayes was blind in both eyes. At the time, Hayes speculated that it was the cinder during the game, or soap, that had irritated his eye, leading to his eventual blindness. But in truth, as he later acknowledged, Hayes was afflicted with glaucoma, robbing him of his sight.

Hayes played as a part-timer in 1940 for the White Sox, getting into 18 games and hitting .195. The second baseman though was a stellar defender, and over nine years with the White Sox was a positive player. Interestingly, on August 23 of his final season, with a rash of beaning’s plaguing the game, Hayes became the first Major League player to wear a modified batting helmet basically a hard leather ear flap.

March 28, 1981 - The Sox dealt pitcher Ken Kravec to the Cubs for pitcher Dennis Lamp. Over the next three seasons Lamp would do everything for the club... start, pitch long relief as well as close games. He’d toss a one-hitter against Milwaukee on August 25 of that same year losing his no-hitter in the ninth inning when Robin Yount blooped a double.

Lamp would then lead the “Winnin’ Ugly” 1983 Western Division champion White Sox with 15 saves. He was also the winning pitcher the night of September 17 of that same season when the Sox beat Seattle 4-3 to clinch that divisional crown, their first title in 24 years. In three seasons with the Sox Lamp won 25 games, saved 20 and had an ERA of under four every year.

March 28, 2024 – On opening day Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet became only the ninth pitcher in the last 110 years to make his first career start on the first day of the season. He joined Tanner Scheppers (2014), Fernando Valenzuela (1981), Elwin “Preacher” Roe (1944), Al Gerhauser (1943), Russell “Red” Evans (1939), Jim Bagby (1938), Robert “Lefty” Grove (1925) and Eddie Eayrs (1920) in this category.

Crochet had a stellar outing, throwing six innings, striking out eight and only allowing a single run.

But that was enough to beat him as the Sox offense only mustered three singles in the 1-0 loss to Detroit.