This Day In Sox History 4/16...

Four factoids today.

April 16, 1940 - The Indians Bob Feller no-hit the White Sox winning 1-0. He faced 33 batters, walking five and striking out eight before only 14-thousand on a cold spring day. It is the only opening day no-hitter in baseball history.

The game was not without controversy however.

Luke Appling hit a shot down the line that apparently kicked up the chalk but was ruled foul. When Appling argued the call, he was supposedly told by umpire Harry Geisel that “Feller is going to be a credit to the game.” Incredulous, Appling replied “What am I, chopped liver?”  

The only run scored in the fourth inning when catcher Rollie Hemsley tripled home Jeff Heath who had singled.

April 16, 1948 - With Jack Brickhouse behind the microphone, the Sox beat the Cubs 4-1 in the first baseball game ever televised by WGN-TV.

It was an exhibition game from Wrigley Field. Less than 10-thousand fans attended on a frigid afternoon. WGN used three cameras, one stationed outside the foul line in left field, one near third base and the Cubs dugout and one on a ramp next to the press box.

April 16, 1953 - In the second game of the season, Sox starter Billy Pierce fired a one-hitter in beating St. Louis 1-0 at Comiskey Park.  It was the first of four one-hitters in Billy’s career. The no-hitter was broken up in the seventh inning when second baseman Bobby Young doubled into right field with two out. The Sox only run scored in the last of the seventh inning when Sherm Lollar hit a sacrifice fly scoring Jim Rivera.

April 16, 2005 – It was one of his best pitched games. Mark Buehrle threw a masterpiece to earn his second win of the season, 2-1, over Seattle.

The southpaw threw a complete-game three-hitter, striking out a career-high 12 Mariners. What’s more, the win kicked off a career-best, nine-game winning streak, running his record to 10-1 by the end of June.

All three hits Buehrle surrendered on the day were to M’s leadoff hitter Ichiro Suzuki. And both runs for the White Sox came on Paul Konerko solo homers, both leading off innings (second and seventh).

Finally, Buehrle burned through the Mariners at laser-speed, completing the game in one hour and 39 minutes — the fastest in the majors in 21 years.