New Comiskey Park Opening

Lore & Background

Comiskey Park was built on a former city dump that Charles Comiskey bought in 1909 to replace the wooden South Side Park. Within three years, it was renamed Comiskey Park. The original name was restored in 1962, then it changed back to Comiskey Park in 1976. On April 22, 1923, the park was subject to a bombing, suspected to be labor unions in response to it being painted by Landis Award, open shop, painters. Comiskey Park was very modern for its time. It was the third concrete-and-steel stadium in the major leagues to be built since 1909. As originally built, it seated almost 32,000, a record at the time. Briefly, it retained the nickname 'The Baseball Palace of the World'. Light towers were added in 1939. The park's design was strongly influenced by Sox pitcher Ed Walsh and was known for its pitcher-friendly proportions. The first game in Comiskey Park was a 2–0 win over the St. Louis Browns on July 1, 1910. The first no-hitter at Comiskey Park was thrown by Addie Joss of the Cleveland Naps on April 20, 1911, a 1–0 loss for the White Sox; Ed Walsh's no-hitter on August 27, 1911 was the first by a White Sox pitcher at home. The ballpark was significantly expanded during the 1926–1927 off-season.

In Their Own Story

The air smelled of fresh cut grass and hot dogs as the gates swung open for the first time. A veteran fan walked slowly past the dugout, tracing the lines of the field with his eyes. He remembered the brick walls across the street, now gone, but here the lights were brighter. As the batter stepped in, he whispered a hope that this new ground would bring luck to the old franchise name once more.

Reader's Guide

Comiskey Park was the site of four World Series contests: 1917 (White Sox won), 1918 (Cubs borrowed the park), 1919 (Black Sox series), and 1959 (White Sox lost). It also hosted the 1983 American League Championship Series. The park was the site of three Major League Baseball All-Star Games: 1933, 1950, and 1983. It was also the most frequent home to the Negro leagues East-West All-Star Game from 1933 to 1960. The park was demolished in 1991, after a new Comiskey Park stadium opened just to the south.

Did You Know?

• Comiskey Park hosted one of the most famous boxing matches in history: Joe Louis' defeat of champion James J. Braddock.
• The Chicago Cardinals won the 1947 NFL Championship Game over the Philadelphia Eagles at Comiskey Park.
• No player hit 100 home runs at Comiskey Park: Carlton Fisk set the record with 94.
• The largest crowd at Old Comiskey Park was 55,555 on May 20, 1973 for a single game against the Minnesota Twins.