Here’s a look at some memorable events that took place on this date (April 9th) in White Sox history:
*1963, A DAZZLING DEBUT: Pete Ward’s three-run homer in the seventh powered the White Sox to a 7-5 win over the Tigers in the season-opener – the earliest in Sox history — at Detroit. Ward’s blast made a winner out of Frank Baumann but the real pitching hero was future Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm. In his debut with the Sox, the knuckleballer fashioned three perfect innings with three strikeouts to earn the save.
*1976, A THRILL FOR BILL: Wilbur Wood tossed a six-hitter as the White Sox ushered in Bill Veeck’s second ownership stint with a 4-0 win over Kansas City in the season-opener before 40,318 at Comiskey Park. Jim Spencer was 3-for-3 with a home run, a double and three RBIs as the Sox debuted in their “clam-digger” black-and-white uniforms. The shutout was the first for the Sox on Opening Day since 1947.
*1977, FIRST WIN ON FOREIGN SOIL: Oscar Gamble’s fourth inning homer helped the White Sox win 3-2 in Toronto for the franchise’s first regular-season triumph on foreign soil. Gamble’s blast 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.
*1985, THE FIRST OF 1,764 FOR OZZIE: In his big league debut, Ozzie Guillen collected his first big league hit in the White Sox 4-2 Opening Day win at Milwaukee. Guillen, who batted leadoff, accomplished the feat with a bunt on a 3-0 pitch in the ninth inning off Ray Searage. Tom Seaver registered the victory in his record 15th Opening Day start. The Sox made things easy for Seaver by scoring two in the first on RBIs from Greg Walker and Ron Kittle. Seaver pitched into the seventh and got relief help from Bob James, who threw 2.1 scoreless innings for the first of his club-record 32 saves.
*1990, THE LAST OPENER: Bobby Thipgen recorded the first of his record 57 saves as the White Sox celebrated the final Opener at Comiskey Park with a 2-1 win over Milwaukee before 40,008 fans. Scott Fletcher plated the winner with a sac fly in the seventh while five hurlers combined to hold Milwaukee to six hits. Starter Melido Perez got the win and Thigpen nailed down the win by logging the final two outs.
*1993, BO KNOWS DRAMA: In his first at bat after hip replacement surgery, Bo Jackson homered to right off the Yankees’ Neal Heaton before 42,775 in the Comiskey Park opener. The blast came on Bo’s first swing of the season and sent the crowd and the Sox dugout into an emotional frenzy. The blast was the first Opening Day homer by a Sox player at New Comiskey Park but came in an 11-6 loss.
*1997, JAYS, CLEMENS FREEZE SOX BATS: Because of a time change brought upon by unseasonably cold temperatures, only 746 people observed the White Sox 5-0 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays at Comiskey Park. The game was originally scheduled for 7:05 p.m. but moved to 1:05 p.m. because of freezing temperatures that forced the postponement of the previous day’s game. With the mercury reading a New Comiskey Park record low 34 degrees at gametime, Roger Clemens limited the Sox to three hits before the smallest crowd to watch a Sox home game since Sept. 21, 1970 when 672 took in a contest against Kansas City.
*2005, TIMO DELIVERS: Timo Perez gave the White Sox the lead for good with a leadoff homer in the seventh in an 8-5 win at Minnesota. The homer ignited a four-run seventh and made a winner out of Jon Garland. Shingo Takatsu picked up his second save as the Sox improved to 4-1.
*2012, SALE’S FIRST START: A WIN! Chris Sale pitched into the seventh inning for the win in his first big league start in the White Sox 4-2 win at Cleveland. Sale fanned five and gave up one run on three hits while being backed by homers from A.J. Pierzynski and Dayan Viciedo.
*2016, A BIG SEVENTH: Avisail Garcia’s three-run home run capped a decisive five-run seventh in the White Sox 7-3 win over the Indians before 20,192 at U.S. Cellular Field. Earlier in the inning, the Sox tied the game on a Todd Frazier fielder’s choice and took the lead on a Melky Cabrera single.
*2022, GOOD START FOR CEASE: Starting a season that would end with him finishing second in the Cy Young voting, Dylan Cease got the win in the Sox first win of the season – a 5-2 victory at Detroit. The right-hander gave up one run on two hits while fanning eight.