This day In Sox History 4/9...

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 14^th 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.