This Date In Sox History 4-10

[Lip Man 1]

April 10, 1959 - The season opener to a memorable year starts in Detroit where Billy Pierce faces Jim Bunning. The Sox blow a 7 - 4 lead when the Tigers get three runs in the 8th inning and matters aren’t decided until the 14th. That’s when Nellie Fox, who hit home runs as often as he struck out, blasted a two run shot to give the Sox the 9 - 7 win.

April 10, 1961 - "Jungle" Jim Rivera was at it again. Right before the Sox played in Washington to open the season, President John Kennedy threw out the first ball. Rivera came up with it and was escorted to the President’s box where both he and vice president Lyndon Johnson signed the ball. After Rivera looked at it he said to the president, "You’ll have to do better then that John. This is a scribble I can hardly read!" Oh the Sox went on to win the game 4 - 3 getting single runs in the 7th and 8th innings.

April 10, 1968 - The good days are gone. Riots on the West Side hold the opening day crowd to less then eight thousand. The Sox get shut out by ‘‘Sonny’’ Siebert and the Indians 9 - 0. It is the first of a franchise record ten straight losses to open the season. Coupled with the five straight losses to close out 1967, the Sox dropped fifteen in a row.

April 10, 1981 - If you had written the script and pitched it to Hollywood they would have refused it on the grounds of ‘corniness’ but reality is sometimes stranger then fiction. Carlton Fisk, native son of New England returned to Boston on opening day as a member of the White Sox. Fisk was made a free agent after the Red Sox mailed him his contract after the time allotment expired and he left. With a new team, in a new uniform, Fisk immediately began making Boston pay as he ripped a three run home run in the 8th inning off Bob Stanley to put the Sox ahead 3 - 2 in a game they’d win 5 - 3.

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Lip

[Medford Bobby]

http://i8.ebayimg.com/04/i/05/c9/6b/ed_2.JPG (http://cgi.ebay.com/1981-TOPPS-WHITE-SOX-CARLTON-FISK-CARD-762_W0QQitemZ230088609705QQihZ013QQcategoryZ60511Q QrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohost ing)Thank God ESPN Classic pulls this Boston Opening Day 1981 out of the cave and plays it once in awhile.........:D:

[chisox77]

Lip, how did JFK respond to Rivera after that remark?


:cool:

[Lip Man 1]

Chisox:

I've never seen, read or heard anything about how JFK responded. I know people around the area were agast since no one but blood relatives and close personal friends ever address the President by his first name....but then that was part of the myth of Jungle Jim!

I have a very rare piece of video on this, the actual Lead Off Man show from WGN-TV from that date. It's about fifteen minutes long with Vince Lloyd interviewing the President from his box, Jack Brickhouse taking you around Griffith Stadium, the presentation of the colors and the national anthem, JFK throwing out the first ball and the starting line up's. It ever has two commericals that WGN-TV ran during the show. (Williams Lectric' Shave and Hamms Beer)

Pretty amazing. And yes they do show Rivera taking the ball to the President and him signing it.

Lip

[chisox77]

Thanks, Lip.

I love responding and posting on your "This Day in Sox History . . ." threads. I remember seeing black and white stills regarding this opening day event vs. the Senators. One photo had JFK talking with White Sox manager Al Lopez, as well as the Washington manager (don't know his name).

I remember reading a book about JFK (in fact I have read many books on JFK) where he practiced endlessly for this moment (throwing the first pitch), for this game since it was his first year as president. JFK, I believe, was also an occasional guest at Comiskey Park (when he was a senator), compliments of Mayor Richard J. Daley. This turned out to be quite a political marriage.

Anyway, thanks for the swift response. I'm sure Jim Rivera treasured the moment, and that JFK didn't mind the request.


:cool:

[Lip Man 1]

Chisox:

Cookie Lavengetto was the Senators manager.

And JFK was Daley's guest at #2 of the 59 series. They sat in box seats right next to the Sox dugout.

Lip