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1907
The White Sox Home Opener started off inauspiciously, as the World Champions pennant was raised — and the pole flying it fell over!
However, the game went more smoothly, in front of 10,000 fans at South Side Park. Nick Altrock pitched the distance, scattering seven singles in winning a 2-0 shutout over the Browns. The White Sox struck for their two runs in the fourth inning, when George Davis tripled home Jiggs Donahue and Patsy Dougherty.
The White Sox improved to 4-2 on the season, edging into first place by a half-game; it would be their first of 113 days during the season the White Sox sat atop the American League, although by season’s end they would finish 87-64-6 and sit in third place, six games out.
1972
Because of the labor impasse and the late start to the season, it wasn’t until the middle of the month that the White Sox finally opened at home. It turned out to be a night home opener, and the 20,000-plus fans who turned out gave a standing-ovation welcome to new Sox slugger Dick Allen.
Allen didn’t disappoint, going 2-for-4 with three runs and two RBIs in a 14-0 win over Texas. Afterwards Dick said, “I think I’m going to like it here.” Teammate Carlos May had six RBIs on the night. Bill Melton added two. The heart of the Sox lineup drove in 10 runs in the victory.
1991
The White Sox opened the new Comiskey Park, in front of 42,191 fans, by falling flat on their faces and getting wiped out, 16-0.
The game started out quietly, scoreless through two innings. But in the third, the Tigers struck for six off of Jack McDowell, including the first home run in the new park, by Cecil Fielder. Brian Drahman relieved Black Jack and got out of the third, but then allowed five earned runs while recording just one out in the fourth, and Ken Patterson poured fuel on the fire, allowing another five runs for a 10-run Tigers inning. Through four frames, the score was 16-0.
The game was so out of hand, that by the eighth inning, Tigers manager Sparky Anderson let Detroit starter Frank Tanana bat for himself, striking out. Tanana threw a complete game shutout on the day.
The next day, White Sox players burned the jersey of pitcher Scott Radinsky (who tossed a one-hit, two-K seventh inning in the opener) at second base as a sacrifice to the baseball gods for leaving the original park, according to teammate and losing pitcher in the inaugural game, McDowell.
1994
White Sox leadoff man Tim Raines belted three home runs in a game at Fenway Park. He went 4-for-5 with four RBIs in the easy, 12-1 win over the Red Sox. It was the only three-homer game of Raines’ Hall of Fame career.
2000
The White Sox set their franchise record for their most runs ever scored in the fourth inning when they plated 11 of them in Chicago against the Mariners. They trailed, 6-2, before sending 14 batters to the plate. Tanyon Sturtze got the win in relief of Cal Eldred as the Sox won, 18-11.
2007
Mark Buehrle became the 15th pitcher in franchise history to toss a no-hitter (16th overall at that time), as he beat the Rangers, 6-0. Buehrle struck out eight and only allowed one base-runner, giving up a walk to former White Sox player Sammy Sosa in the fifth inning. Buehrle then picked Sosa off of first base, creating a sort of unique “perfect” game for himself.
Buehrle’s was the first White Sox no-hitter in Chicago since Joe Horlen’s in 1967. It also was the first no-hitter thrown at New Comiskey/U.S. Cellular Field.
Providing the scoring were Jermaine Dye with a grand slam, and Jim Thome adding two solo home runs.
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