A look at some of the memorable events that transpired on this day in Sox history:
*1959: FOX ROCKS FOR THE SOX: Nellie Fox’s home run in the 14th inning capped his 5-hit day as the White Sox kicked off their pennant-winning season with a 9-7 win at Detroit in the earliest Opening Day in team history to that point. Fox also had a double, two runs, a sacrifice and three RBIs in posting the franchise’s last five-hit game on Opening Day.
*1961, JFK STARTS THE SOX DAY: After President John F. Kennedy threw out the ceremonial first ball, the White Sox spoiled the debut of the “new” Washington Senators with a 4-3 win in DC. Sox outfielder Jim Rivera pushed aside the Senators’ Hal Woodeschick to catch JFK’s heave into a crowd of players.
*1962, LOLLAR MAKES ’EM HOLLER: Sherm Lollar’s two-out RBI single enabled the White Sox to walk off with a 2-1 Opening Day victory over the Angels before 18,124 at Comiskey Park. Lollar’s single scored Floyd Robinson, who had walked to leadoff the frame and took second on Mike Hershberger’s walk. Juan Pizarro gave up five hits in the complete-game effort for the win.
*1970, WELCOME, MILWAUKEE: Jerry Janeski got the win in his big league debut as the White Sox topped the Milwaukee Brewers 5-4 in the inaugural game between the teams before 1,036 at Comiskey Park. Janeski gave up three runs on 10 hits with seven strikeouts and two walks in 7.1 innings.
*1980, HAROLD DEBUTS: Harold Baines went 0-for-4 in his Major League debut in the White Sox 5-3 loss on Opening Day to the Baltimore Orioles before 35,539 at Comiskey Park. Baines batted sixth, played right field and went hitless against Jim Palmer and Tim Stoddard.
*1981, ONE HECKUVA HAPPY HOMECOMING FOR “PUDGE”: On Opening Day in the park he called home 11 seasons, Carlton Fisk launched a three-run homer in the eighth inning to lift the White Sox to a 5-3 win over Boston at Fenway Park. Fisk’s homer left the conflicted Boston crowd in stunned silence while the Sox traveling party was overcome with glee.
*1990, RAD PERFORMANCE: Scott Radinsky earned his first Major League win with 1.1 shutout innings in the Sox 5-3 victory at Milwaukee. It was the lefty’s second career appearance. Lance Johnson drove in the go-ahead runs with a two-run single in the sixth inning.
*1998, A RAY WHITEWASHING: Mike Sirotka and Matt Karchner combined on a five-hitter as the White Sox blanked the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 3-0 in the expansion team’s first game in Chicago before 13,563 at Comiskey Park. Sirotka held the Rays to four singles and tied his career-high with eight strikeouts.
*2001, A MEMORABLE MILESTONE: Sandy Alomar Jr. made his 1,000th career game a memorable one with a go-ahead RBI in the White Sox 8-7 win over the Indians before 14,465 at Comiskey Park. Gary Glover earned his first career victory with 3.2 perfect innings to extend his streak of consecutive batters retired to 16.
*2004, BOMBING THE BOMBERS: Mark Buehrle did not allow an earned run in eight innings in the White Sox 7-3 romp at New York. Magglio Ordonez and Jose Valentin each hit two-run home runs in helping Buehrle pick up his first victory of the season.
*2011, EARLY BIRD GETS THE WIN: Gordon Beckham and Paul Konerko homered in the first inning in the White Sox 6-1 win over Tampa Bay before 23,436 at U.S. Cellular Field. Konerko also homered in the fifth in support of winner Gavin Floyd, who did not allow an earned run in eight four-hit innings with eight strikeouts.
*2014, TAMING THE TRIBE: Jose Abreu became the third player in history to amass two multi-homer games in his first 10 contests in the White Sox 7-3 home win over the Indians. Alexei Ramirez’s two-run double in the fourth fronted the Sox for good as John Danks earned his first career win vs. Cleveland.
*2022, DESTRUCTION IN DETROIT: It didn’t take long for Tim Anderson to show that he was back. In his first at bat after serving a two-game suspension, Anderson doubled and scored in the Sox 10-1 win at Detroit. TA finished with two doubles, a single and scored twice as the Sox banged out 13 hits.