1974
The White Sox opened the season at home under freezing conditions versus the Angels and Nolan Ryan. Wilbur Wood started, which caused broadcaster Harry Caray to comment that the game was “The tortoise against the hare.” This time the hare won, as Ryan and the Angels got an easy 8-2 victory.
The game did have its moments, however. The streaking craze had hit college campuses and, on this day, a few young ladies in the upper deck decided to partially streak while a young man jumped the outfield
fence and ran naked through left field before being hoisted back into the stands by his friends. White Sox manager Chuck Tanner had one of the best lines anywhere when asked what he thought about the outfield streaker: “I wasn’t impressed by him.” (nudge, nudge, wink, wink … say no more!)
1975
Hoping for a bounce-back season from him, the White Sox inked free agent first baseman Deron Johnson. Hopes of improved play did not materialize, however, as Johnson slashed just .232/.292/.378 over 148 games of -0.6 WAR, clubbing 18 homers but striking 117 times (seventh-most in the AL).
The White Sox traded him to Boston in September, where he caught fire and went 6-of-10 with a homer to end the season; however, Johnson was released by the Red Sox on June 4 of the next season, ending his career.
1977
A few hours before the team was to head north to open the season, owner Bill Veeck traded shortstop Bucky Dent to the Yankees. Salary was the reasoning behind it, and Veeck’s comment (“I’d trade Dent even-up for any other starting shortstop in the American League”) didn’t help matters.
In return, the White Sox got outfielder Oscar Gamble, pitcher Bob Polinsky, minor league pitcher LaMarr Hoyt and $200,000. Gamble would be a big part of the 1977 hitting orgy, belting 31 home runs (a White Sox record for lefthanders), while Hoyt would take the 1983 Cy Young Award as a 24-game winner.
1983
A miserable season start continued for the White Sox, and their second loss of the season was a bit of a bloodbath. The game itself was no blowout, Texas knocked off the visitors, 4-1. But rookie Scott Fletcher made two errors, one on a grounder and another on a throw to first, to contribute to the loss. Worse, closer Jim Kern, who was coming off of a 1.8 WAR season, blew his elbow out on the fourth batter he faced in this, his 1983 debut.
Off the field, Jimmy Piersall was fired from Sportsvision TV by Sox ownership, via telegram, for personal and “vitriolic” attacks against the team — namely manager Tony La Russa.
1995
Three days after the end of the labor impasse that saw the 1994 World Series cancelled, the White Sox snapped up veteran outfielder Dave Martinez. Thanks to a very modest, $650,000 deal (almost a 50% cut from his 1994 salary with San Francisco), Martinez turned out to be one of the best value signings in White Sox history. He logged a 2.2 WAR in just 118 games with the club, then re-upped for two years and produced 7.9 WAR over 1996-97.
Those latter two campaigns were far better than anything that the 16-year veteran produced before, or would generate in the future.
On a trivial note, Martinez’s closest player comp over his career (95.5% similarity) was White Sox broadcaster Jimmy Piersall, who had a memorable April 5 of his own, to appear in a future edition.
2004
New manager Ozzie Guillén figured he had his debut game all wrapped up, as the White Sox took a 7-3 lead into the ninth inning at Kansas City. Twenty minutes later, the Royals had scored six runs to take the game, 9-7. The amazing rally set the modern record for the most runs scored in the ninth inning to win a game on Opening Day. Damaso Marte faced three batters, gave up three hits (two of them home runs) and allowed five runs to score in getting the loss.
Ozzie became the first Venezuelan manager in baseball history in the loss.
2010
It was Opening Day and for Mark Buehrle, it was his eighth Opening Day start, setting a franchise record.
Buehrle was brilliant in the 6-0 win over Cleveland, but what everyone was talking about after the game was the play he made on a hard-hit ball off the bat of Lou Marson in the fifth inning. Both ESPN and the MLB Network called it the play of the year.
Marson’s shot ricocheted off of Buehrle’s leg and was hit so hard it headed towards foul ground on the first-base side of the field. Buehrle sprinted off the mound, fielded the ball with his glove and flipped it between his legs to Paul Konerko, who made a barehanded catch to nip Marson by a step. It was simply an incredible play.
Also on that day …
President Barack Obama threw out the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day at Nationals Park, marking the 100th anniversary of the first presidential first pitch, made by William Howard Taft on April 14, 1910. White Sox diehard Obama wore a Nats jacket for warmth, but donned his familiar White Sox cap for the pitch.
