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Today in Chicago History: New Comiskey Park hosts its 1st home opener

White Sox fans applaud during player introductions at the opening day of new Comiskey Park on April 18, 1991. (Charles Cherney/Chicago Tribune)
Charles Cherney / Chicago Tribune
White Sox fans applaud during player introductions at the opening day of new Comiskey Park on April 18, 1991. (Charles Cherney/Chicago Tribune)
By | krumore@chicagotribune.com | Chicago Tribune
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Here’s a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on April 18, according to the Tribune’s archives.

Is an important event missing from this date? Email us.

Sports front page flashback: April 19, 1991

"The first game seemed to take as long as it took to build the stadium," Tribune reporter Ed Sherman wrote after the new Comiskey Park (also called Comiskey Park II) hosted its first professional baseball game. The Chicago White Sox lost on April 18, 1991, to the Detroit Tigers 16-0. (Chicago Tribune)
"The first game seemed to take as long as it took to build the stadium," Tribune reporter Ed Sherman wrote after the new Comiskey Park (also called Comiskey Park II) hosted its first professional baseball game. The Chicago White Sox lost on April 18, 1991, to the Detroit Tigers 16-0. (Chicago Tribune)

1991: The new Comiskey Park was beautiful. The first game it hosted, however, was ugly.

The Detroit Tigers shut out the Chicago White Sox 16-0.

Vintage Chicago Tribune: Chicago Cubs, White Sox historic home openers

Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago)

  • High temperature: 89 degrees (2002)
  • Low temperature: 23 degrees (1983)
  • Precipitation: 3.83 inches (1975)
  • Snowfall: 0.6 inches (2011)

1818: Congress passed the Illinois Enabling Act, which provided for the organization of a state government, fixed the northern boundary of Illinois and established a permanent school fund from a portion of the proceeds from the sale of public lands. President James Monroe signed the legislation on Dec. 3, 1818.

Margaret Stevers, who writes for the Chicago Tribune under the name Sally Joy Brown, is at the Tribune display at the Woman's World's Fair in Chicago in April 1926. The fair featured displays showing potential jobs for women, including those at the Chicago Tribune. At the fair in 1925, the Tribune had Martha McElliott, "the only woman copy reader on a metropolitan newspaper," show how she uses a blue pencil. Other women and their jobs that were showcased at the Tribune booth were department heads, writers, artists and typists. (Chicago Tribune historical photo)
Margaret Stevers, who writes for the Chicago Tribune under the name Sally Joy Brown, is at the Tribune display at the Women’s Worlds Fair in Chicago in April 1926. The fair featured displays showing potential jobs for women, including those at the Chicago Tribune. At the fair in 1925, the Tribune had Martha McElliott, "the only woman copy reader on a metropolitan newspaper," show how she uses a blue pencil. Other women and their jobs that were showcased at the Tribune booth were department heads, writers, artists and typists. (Chicago Tribune historical photo)

1925: The Woman’s World’s Fair opened at the American Exposition Building at Erie Street and Lake Shore Drive with a live address by President Calvin Coolidge transmitted from the White House and a military parade. It drew 200,000 visitors over eight days, earned $50,000 in addition to liquidating the cost of mounting it, and made its point loud and clear: Women’s accomplishments were considerable and would be greater still, once men got out of their way.

In 1928, the annual fair was held at the Coliseum and had some 250 booths displaying women’s endeavors that ranged from architecture, dentistry and engineering to banking, publishing and printing. On the lighter side, there were evening and afternoon musical programs; talks on a different subject every day on health, savings, fashion; sessions with fortune-tellers; and various demonstrations, such as how to make gifts from flour sacks. The fair acquired an international flavor, too, when nine foreign countries — Denmark, Greece, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden and Ukraine — sent exhibits of their crafts and products.

White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle celebrates with catcher A.J. Pierzynski after pitching a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers at U. S. Cellular Field in Chicago, April 18, 2007. (Nuccio DiNuzzo/Chicago Tribune)
White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle celebrates with catcher A.J. Pierzynski after pitching a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers at U. S. Cellular Field in Chicago, April 18, 2007. (Nuccio DiNuzzo/Chicago Tribune)

2007: Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle threw his first no-hitter at U.S. Cellular Field. Buehrle delighted a cold but enthusiastic crowd of 25,390 at the stadium during a 6-0 blanking of the Texas Rangers.

Buehrle followed it up with a perfect game there on July 23, 2009.

Chicago White Sox pitchers have thrown 20 no-hitters since 1902 — including 3 perfect games

 

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