{"id":678291,"date":"2026-04-18T10:33:31","date_gmt":"2026-04-18T10:33:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/678291\/"},"modified":"2026-04-18T10:33:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T10:33:31","slug":"today-in-chicago-history-new-comiskey-park-hosts-first-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/678291\/","title":{"rendered":"Today in Chicago History: New Comiskey Park hosts first game"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here\u2019s a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on April 18, according to the Tribune\u2019s archives.<\/p>\n

Is an important event missing from this date? Email us<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sports front page flashback: April 19, 1991<\/p>\n

\""The“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)<\/p>\n

1991: The new Comiskey Park was beautiful. The first game it hosted, however, was ugly.<\/p>\n

The Detroit Tigers shut out<\/a> the Chicago White Sox 16-0.<\/p>\n

Vintage Chicago Tribune: Chicago Cubs, White Sox historic home openers<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago<\/a>)<\/p>\n

High temperature: 89 degrees (2002)
\nLow temperature: 23 degrees (1983)
\nPrecipitation: 3.83 inches (1975)
\nSnowfall: 0.6 inches (2011)<\/p>\n

1818: Congress passed the Illinois Enabling Act<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n

\"MargaretMargaret Stevers, who writes for the Chicago Tribune under the name Sally Joy Brown, is at the Tribune display at the Women\u2019s 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)<\/p>\n

1925:\u00a0The\u00a0Woman\u2019s World\u2019s Fair<\/a> 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\u2019s accomplishments were considerable and would be greater still, once men got out of their way.<\/p>\n

In 1928, the annual fair was held at the Coliseum and had some 250 booths displaying\u00a0women\u2019s endeavors<\/a>\u00a0that 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\u00a0fortune-tellers<\/a>; and various demonstrations, such as how to make gifts from flour sacks. The fair acquired an international flavor, too, when nine foreign countries \u2014 Denmark, Greece, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden and Ukraine \u2014 sent exhibits of their crafts and products.<\/p>\n

\"WhiteWhite 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)<\/p>\n

2007: Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

Buehrle followed it up with a perfect game there on July 23, 2009.<\/p>\n

Chicago White Sox pitchers have thrown 20 no-hitters since 1902 \u2014 including 3 perfect games<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Want more vintage Chicago?<\/p>\n

Subscribe to the free\u00a0Vintage Chicago Tribune<\/a>\u00a0newsletter, join our\u00a0Chicagoland history Facebook group,<\/a> stay current with Today in Chicago History<\/a> and follow us on Instagram<\/a>\u00a0for more from Chicago\u2019s past.<\/p>\n

Have an idea for Vintage Chicago Tribune? Share it with Kori Rumore and Marianne Mather at krumore@chicagotribune.com<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0mmather@chicagotribune.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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