Comiskey Park was one of baseball's earliest modern steel-and-concrete stadiums, opening a little more than a year after the first (Shibe Park). It was also one of the longest-lived, logging nearly 81 seasons and over 6,000 games. From 1970 until its closing, it was the majors' oldest park.

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The South Side stadium was built on land originally owned by "Long" John Wentworth, a former Windy City mayor. Before he sold it to Charles Comiskey in 1909, the site had been used for a city dump. The rush to build the park in time for its July 1 opening was hindered by a steel-workers’ strike, and the death of a carpenter who fell from a scaffold hours before the first game cast a pall over the Opening Day festivities. The White Sox lost the inaugural game to the Browns 2-0.

The ballpark constructed at 35th and Shields Avenue by the "Old Roman" was one of the most impressive of its period due to its symmetry (unusual at the time) and generous size. Its original 29,000 seats set a baseball record, and it eventually reached a capacity of 52,000 after numerous expansions throughout the late 1910s and mid-1920s. The thrifty Comiskey vetoed architect Zachary Taylor Davis's idea to build a column-free grandstand with an ornate Neoclassical facade and external landscaping, but the park's brick exterior was nevertheless graced by arched openings and Prairie School details. In its early years it was dubbed the "Baseball Capitol of the World." Due to its large seating capacity, it was borrowed by the crosstown Cubs for the 1918 World Series.

Comiskey was ideally suited for dead-ball-era play. Its spacious outfield (originally 362 feet down the lines and 420 feet to center) was influenced by pitcher Ed Walsh, who toured several major league parks with an employee of Davis prior to design. But the changing nature of the game soon made Comiskey Park out of step. The long-ball hitting of the games’ stars was handicapped by a park its size, at a time when the fans demanded high scores and frequent home runs from their heroes.

It wasn't until 1934, after Comiskey's death, that the ownership dealt with this problem. The plate was moved forward 14' to accommodate power hitter Al Simmons, but when he left a year later the plate was moved back to its original location. In 1949 a wire fence was installed by Frank Lane to spur greater power production, but it was the opposition and not the White Sox who profited from the smaller dimensions -- it was removed it after only a few games. In later years, home plate was moved out about 20 feet to accommodate added rows of box seats, once again shortening the distance down the lines by about 14 feet.

Comiskey was home of the NFL Chicago Cardinals for 35 seasons, and was the site of the first All-Star game in 1933; it was also the permanent site of the Negro Leagues' yearly East-West All-Star game from 1933-50. The infield was a hazard in those years. Once Luke Appling tripped over a copper kettle protruding near second base which had surfaced after a few decades.

Night games (which began in 1939) helped bolster sagging attendance. In 1950, a scoreboard was built in center field, replacing the ones situated on the left and right field walls. Ten years later Bill Veeck added fireworks and spinning pinwheels to the scoreboard's capabilities. In 1968 artificial turf was installed in the infield, but it was removed in 1976.

Hampered by a limited budget during his second term of ownership, Veeck was forced to sell the team. After the new owners, Jerry Reinsdorf and Eddie Einhorn, installed a new Diamond Vision board, luxury suites, and improved front office facilities with the proceeds of taxpayer-subsidized bonds, they proceeded to campaign for a new stadium, claiming that the old one was dangerously deteriorated. A grassroots group called Save Our Sox sprung up to fight for the old ballyard, and suggested that it be the working centerpiece of an urban national park devoted to sports.

Engineering surveys sponsored by both proponents and opponents of demolition failed to document any serious structural hazards, but the owners' threats to move the team and other political hardball eventually doomed old Comiskey. New Comiskey Park now stands on a site just south of the old. (RL/JP)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » July 1, 1910: White Sox Park opens with a 2-0 loss to the Browns. The stadium, since called Comiskey Park, is baseball's biggest and costs $750,000 to build. 24,900 attend the game, 1,100 less than capacity. The game is attended by 24,900, 1,100 less than capacity. This stadium would be closed in the fall of 1990, replaced by a new structure, which is still named Comiskey Park. » August 27, 1910: Inventor George Cahill brings his patented lighting system White Sox Park. Using twenty 137,000 candlepower arc lights, two amateur teams play a night game before 20,000. However, the first AL night game won't be played there until 1939. » August 5, 1912: At Comiskey Park, Walter Johnson relieves Carl Cashion with two outs in the 8th and stops the White Sox. Johnson throws another two innings of hitless ball and drives in the winning run to give Washington an 8–7 win. Johnson has now won nine out of 10 decisions with the White Sox this season. » May 31, 1914: Joe Benz, who will be the AL's leading loser with 19, no-hits Cleveland 6–1 at Comiskey Park. Three straight errors in the 4th inning give the Naps their only run. The loser is Abe Bowman, who "is withdrawn in favor of [Fred] Blanding after three spasms (Chicago Tribune)." Buck Weaver and Ray Demmitt each have three hits to pace the 7th place White Sox. » May 21, 1915: The Red Sox and White Sox battle for 17 innings at Comiskey Park, before Chicago prevails, 3–2. Red Faber wins his 7th straight, beating Carl Mays, who takes over in the 8th. » September 17, 1916: At Comiskey Park, Boston lefty Babe Ruth wins his 20th, beating Red Faber and the White Sox, 6–2. A crowd of 40,000 is on hand, the largest turnout to date in Chicago history. » September 5, 1918: In order to cut down on the use of trains, the first three games of the World Series are played in Chicago, the next three in Boston. The Cubs switch their home games to Comiskey Park with its larger seating capacity. Babe Ruth, having completed 13 scoreless innings in his first World Series two years ago, adds nine more in edging Hippo Vaughn 1–0 in the opener. Also, when 2B Dave Shean bats for Boston, he becomes the oldest player (40 years, three months, 18 days) to play in the World Series, a mark other graybeards will top. » October 3, 1919: Back in Chicago, 5 foot 7 inch rookie lefty Dickie Kerr pitches a 3-hitter, as Chicago wins 3-0. Joe Jackson is 2-for-3 and Gandil drives in 2 runs. Ray Fisher takes the loss. Cuban Adolfo Luque becomes the first Latin American ML player to appear in a WS game, pitching one inning of relief for the Reds in game 3 at Comiskey Park. » May 7, 1927: At Comiskey Park, Lou Gehrig christens the new RF pavilion by parking a 9th inning grand slam there, off Ted Lyons. It's the 1st homer in the remodeled park. The Yankees coast to an 8–0 win behind Herb Pennock. » May 8, 1927: The Yankees draw a record 52,000 to Comiskey Park but Waite Hoyt spoils the party by winning one of his league-leading 22 games, 9–0, the 2nd straight shutout of the Sox. Batterymate Pat Collins homers in the 7th, while Lou Gehrig adds a pair of triples. » May 4, 1929: At Comiskey Park, Lou Gehrig wallops three home runs against the Sox in an 11–9 New York shootout. His middle home run, in the 7th inning, is sandwiched between roundtrippers by Babe Ruth and Bob Meusel. With his homer off Red Faber in the 2nd, Gehrig joins Ruth as the 2nd slugger to clear the RF stands, 75 feet high and 360 feet away from home plate. The Ruthian clout came off Tommy Thomas in 1927. His last homer of the day is served up by Dan Dugan. » May 24, 1929: Chicago's Ted Lyons and Detroit's George Uhle go 21 innings before the Tigers get a run to win 6–5 in the longest game—3 hours and 31 minutes—ever seen to date at Comiskey Park. Uhle is the winner, tossing 20 innings, with Vic Sorrell pitching the bottom of the 21st. Lyons, the loser, goes the distance and gives up 24 hits. Charlie Gehringer drives in Roy Johnson with a sac fly for the final run. No pitcher has matched either Lyons' or Uhle's marathon effort since. Les Mueller, in 1945, will come the closest. » May 18, 1933: The first ML All-Star Game is announced for July six at Comiskey Park. It will be played as part of the Chicago World's Fair celebration and is sponsored by the Chicago Tribune. Fans will pick the players. » July 6, 1933: The first major-league All-Star Game is played at Comiskey Park, and Babe Ruth is the star. His 2-run HR is the margin of victory in the AL's 4-2 win. John McGraw comes out of retirement to manage the NL. » September 10, 1933: The first Negro League East-West All-Star Game is played at Comiskey Park. Willie Foster goes the distance in the West's 11–7 victory. » May 18, 1934: At Comiskey Park, Jimmie Foxx tees off against Ted Lyons and hits the first home run to ever land in the CF bleachers. Hank Greenberg will match Double X in 1938, then no one will reach the bleachers until Alex Johnston in 1970. Chicago still wins, 5–4. » August 31, 1935: Vern Kennedy pitches the first AL no-hitter since 1931, and the first ever in Comiskey Park, blanking Cleveland 5-0. He also is the batting star with a bases-loaded triple. » July 26, 1936: Umpire Bill Summers is forced out the game after he hit in the groin by a pop bottle thrown from an unruly crowd of 50,000 at Comiskey Park. The crowd is upset with a out call at 1B on Ray Radcliff in the 8th of the nitecap. Judge Landis, on hand to watch the game, offers a $5,000 reward over the PA system for the culprit, but only draws more boos. The deluge of pop bottles finally abates when Jimmy Dykes pleads through the field amplifier. The Yanks sweep a pair from the Sox, winning 12–3 and 11–8 in 11 innings. Lou Gehrig hits his 29th with two aboard to start New York's scoring in the opener. DiMaggio and Lazzeri add round trippers to make it easy for Johnny Broaca. Sugar Cain is the losing pitcher. In the nitecap, Gehrig adds another homer, while Zeke Bonura homers and drives home four runs for the Sox. DiMaggio has one hit, a triple. The sweep increases New York's lead to nine 1/2 games. » June 11, 1937: It is Zeke Bonura Day at Comiskey Park. Zeke paces the White Sox to a 14-8 win over the Senators, as he knocks in five runs with a HR, two doubles, and a single, after receiving a car in pregame ceremonies. » May 27, 1938: Detroit's Hank Greenberg hammers a Frank Gabler pitch into the centerfield seats at Comiskey Park, the first slugger to reach the bleachers there. The Tigers win, 5–2, behind Vern Kennedy's 6-hitter. » May 1, 1939: The White Sox and Cubs play a benefit game for Monty Stratton at Comiskey Park and raise a purse of almost $30,000. » May 14, 1939: Next time, say it with flowers. Bob Feller's mother travels from Iowa to watch her son pitch against the White Sox. It is the first time she's seen him play in the majors, and she is given a box along the 1B line at Comiskey Park. Sox 3B Marv Owen then lines a Feller fast ball that knocks Mrs. Feller unconscious. She revives and, with a few stitches, is none the worse. The Indians win, 9–4. » June 7, 1939: In his first at bat since April 29th, Joe DiMaggio triples to pace the Yankees to a 5-2 win over the White Sox at Comiskey Park. » April 16, 1940: Working in 47-degree weather, Bob Feller of the Cleveland Indians throws an Opening Day no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox, winning 1-0 at Comiskey Park. Rollie Hemsley has the only RBI. Edgar Smith is the losing pitcher. It is the first Opening Day no-hitter since 1909. » May 14, 1940: Boston's Jimmie Foxx blasts a 10th inning home run off White Sox P Johnny Rigney to give first place Boston a 7-6 win. The ball goes over the LF roof, the longest poke in Comiskey Park history. » June 8, 1940: The Washington Senators tip the Chicago White Sox 1–0 in 18 innings in the first game of a doubleheader at Comiskey Park. » August 13, 1948: The promise of Paige on the mound brings 51,013 to Comiskey Park to see "Ole Satch" pitch his first ML shutout as Cleveland wins 5–0. He gives up five hits to run his record to 5–1. In his 12 appearances, Paige has attracted 201,829 fans. » June 8, 1951: Before 53,940 at Comiskey Park, Vic Raschi and the Yankees edge the Sox, 4–2. Mantle, leading the Yankees with 33 RBIs, ties the game with a single and throws out Nellie Fox, who tries to score from 3B on Minoso's fly to right. » October 2, 1956: The Comiskey Park broadcast booth catches fire, causing damage estimated at $100,000. » April 29, 1959: At Comiskey Park, the Yankees get homers from Mickey Mantle, Bauer, and Skowron to beat the Sox, 5–2. » May 26, 1959: At Comiskey Park, a helicopter lands behind 2B before a Sox-Indians game, and four midgets dressed as spacemen jump out. Capturing 5'9" Nellie Fox and 5'10" Luis Aparicio, the spacemen, led by Eddie Gaedel, present the two with ray guns. Gaedel reportedly says, "I don't want to be taken to your leader; I already know him." » June 2, 1959: At Comiskey Park, the Sox-Baltimore game is delayed 30 minutes due to a swarm of gnats over the field. Groundskeepers tried bug spray to no avail before bringing in the post-game fireworks display and attaching a smoke bomb to framework. It works, dispersing the gnats, and the O's dispense the Sox 3–2. » May 20, 1960: At Comiskey Park, Ted Kluszewski drives in four runs to lead the White Sox to a 5–3 win, the 9th in a row at home for Chicago. Mickey Mantle hits a 2-run homer in the 9th inning 2-run shot off Early Wynn, the winner. Chicago leads Cleveland in the American League by one 1/2 games. » August 8, 1960: Before a day crowd of 48,323, the largest day crowd ever at Comiskey Park, cheer Billy Pierce 4-hit victory over the Yankees, 9–1. Pierce faces just 31 batters. » April 22, 1961: The Red Sox snap a 13-game losing streak in Comiskey Park by edging the White Sox, 7–6, on Pumpsie Green's 11th-inning homer. » April 25, 1969: The Sox rally for two runs in the 9th to beat the Twins, 6–5, at Comiskey Park. Minnesota goes ahead in the 8th on a 3-run pinch homer by Graig Nettles. Buddy Bradford hits a tremendous home run for Chicago, the ball landing on the roof of the LF stands, just the 10th player to do it. » August 23, 1972: Chicago's Dick Allen becomes the 4th ML player (Jimmie Foxx, Hank Greenberg, and Alex Johnson are the others) to hit one into the CF bleachers in Comiskey Park when he connects off New York's Lindy McDaniel. The 2-run homer in the 7th ices the 5–2 win for the Sox. In 1972, all the Chicago Wednesday games are in the afternoon, and Harry Caray announces them while sitting in the CF bleachers. Allen's drive misses Caray by just a few rows. » April 5, 1974: Streakers and strippers highlight the Opening Day game at Chicago's Comiskey Park. The Angels beat the White Sox 8–2. Despite handing out 10 walks, Nolan Ryan is the winner over Wilbur Wood, with help from Leron Stanton, who homers. For Wood, it is the first of his AL high 42 starts, the 3rd of four years in a row the knuckler will lead in that category. » June 7, 1974: At Comiskey Park, a popcorn machine catches fire in RF stands, delaying the game 70 minutes and sending fans fleeing for safety. The Sox then pop Boston, 8–6. » May 14, 1977: Jim Spencer ties the club mark of eight RBI as the White Sox scalp the Indians 18–2 at Comiskey Park. Four come home on a grand slam, » August 9, 1977: The White Sox hit six home runs against the Mariners to tie the club mark at Comiskey Park. Eric Soderholm has 2, with Chet Lemon, Oscar Gamble, Jim Essian, and Royle Stillman contributing. » April 7, 1978: At Comiskey Park, 50,754 watch as the White Sox edge the Red Sox, 6–5, on Wayne Nordhagen's bloop double in the last of the 9th. Dick Drago, in relief of Mike Torrez, takes the loss, after allowing a game tying homer to Ron Blomberg and single to Chet Lemon. Larrin LeGrow is the winner. Carl Yastrzemski has two singles, the 11th straight opener he has had a hit. » July 6, 1978: Carl Yastrzemski's 3-run homer in the first gives Boston a lead at Comiskey Park, but the White Sox eventually tie at 6–6. In the 10th inning, former Bosox Jim Willoughby serves up a home run to Fred Lynn, his 13th, and Boston wins, 7–6. Bill Campbell picks up the victory. » July 12, 1979: The Tigers win the first game of a scheduled doubleheader 4–1 on Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park. Thousands of fans swarm onto the field, littering and tearing it up, and causing the White Sox to forfeit the 2nd game. » August 1, 1979: Following the Yankees 9-1 win over the White Sox, members of the New York club create a minor scandal by autographing the bare behind of a young woman who boards the team bus outside Comiskey Park. » May 18, 1982: In Chicago, the White Sox top Texas 10–2 behind LaMarr Hoyt's 13th straight win stretching back to 1981. Hoyt's record at Comiskey Park is now 15–0. » July 6, 1983: In the 50th anniversary All-Star Game at Chicago's Comiskey Park, the American League routs the National League 13–3 for its first win since 1971. The AL breaks the game open with seven runs in the 4th inning, highlighted by Fred Lynn's grand slam—the first ever in All-Star competition. It is Lynn's 4th All-Star homer, tying him with Ted Williams for the AL record. » August 28, 1983: Greg Luzinski becomes the first player to park three home runs onto the roof at Comiskey Park, connecting off Boston's Oil Can Boyd in a 6–2 Chicago victory. Jimmie Foxx and Ted Williams each accomplished the feat twice. » April 7, 1984: Tigers Jack Morris no-hits the White Sox 4–0 at Comiskey Park, walking six and striking out 8. » July 4, 1986: At Comiskey Park, with the score 1–1 in the bottom of the 8th, Sox OF John Cangelosi leads off with a drive to the RF corner. A fans leans out of the stands and appears to touch the ball as he tumbles onto the field. Anticipating an interference call, Yankee OF Claudell Washington slows down, while the speedy Cangelosi easily makes 3B. The umps don't see any interference and Cangelosi remains on 3B, and scores on a sac fly. Sox win 2–1. » August 3, 1986: At Comiskey Park, Russ Morman homers and singles in the 4th inning in his first ML game as the Sox beat the Tigers, 10–1. He ties Billy Martin's debut with his two hits in one inning. A Kirk Gibson homer is the only score for Detroit, while Harold Baines and Carlton Fisk add homers for Chicago. » June 30, 1988: Alarmed by the White Sox' threatened move to St. Petersburg, Florida, Illinois lawmakers grant state subsidies for a new stadium to replace venerable but decaying Comiskey Park. » June 2, 1989: At Comiskey Park, the White Sox lose their team-record 10th straight home game, 8–0 to the Twins. » July 11, 1990: At Comiskey Park, the White Sox honor their 1917 World Championship team by donning old-fashioned uniforms and scaling concessions back to WW I prices. Chicago then loses 12–9 to Milwaukee in 13 innings. » September 30, 1990: The White Sox beat Seattle 2–1 in the last game played at historic Comiskey Park, which is to be torn down after 80 seasons of major-league ball. Chicago will play next season at the new Comiskey Park located across the street. » April 18, 1991: The White Sox play the first game ever in the new Comiskey Park, losing 16-0 to the Tigers. Frank Tanana hurls the 7-hit shutout for Detroit. » July 15, 1994: In the first inning at Comiskey Park, Sox manager Gene Lamont accuses Indian slugger Albert Belle of using a corked bat, and umpire Dave Phillips confiscates the bat and stores it in the ump's dressing room. In a Mission Impossible caper revealed in 1999, the Indians Jason Grimsley crawls 100 feet along a ceiling, drops down into the dressing room, and exchanges Belle's bat for one of Paul Sorrento's. After the 3–2 Indian's win, the switch is discovered to the consternation of the umps and the White Sox. The Indians subsequently turn over one of Belle's bats and Belle is given a 10-day suspension, later reduced to seven games. » July 16, 1994: At Comiskey Park, the Indians win their 2nd straight game, 2-0, behind Dennis Martinez. Tomorrow, Chicago will hammer Jack Morris, 5–2, to move back into first place by two percentage points. » June 7, 1997: On Dog Day (canine attendance 425) at Comiskey Park, it takes the White Sox four hours 19 minutes to finally edge the Orioles, 1–0, in 11 innings on Harold Baines' one-out single off Randy Myers. » June 16, 1997: At Comiskey Park, the lowly Cubs earn bragging rights in the Windy City, beating the White Sox, 8–3. The Cubbies tally 14 hits in the first official game between the two rivals since the 1906 World Series. Both teams wear replicas of old-fashioned uniforms; the Cubs in their 1908 outfits, the White Sox in replica 1917 garb. Evanston native Kevin Foster records the win, allowing seven hits and three runs in six innings. » June 17, 1997: Playing before 44,249, the largest regular-season crowd at Comiskey Park, the White Sox score early to beat the Cubs, 5–3. Doug Drabek. with help from Roberto Hernandez in the ninth is the winner. Ex-Cub Dave Martinez hits a two-run homer in the first for the Sox. Chris Snopek adds another. » June 18, 1997: Wilson Alvarez fires the White Sox to a 3–0 win over the Cubs to give them the Windy City series, 2–1. Alvarez pitches a four-hitter for his first shutout in more than three years. The game draws 44,204 fans, the second consecutive sellout crowd and second-largest in new Comiskey Park history to Tuesday's 44,249. » April 29, 1999: The Devil Rays defeat the White Sox, 4–1. Tampa Bay 1B Fred McGriff homers in the contest at Comiskey Park, tying the record held by Ellis Burks and Gary Gaetti for hitting home runs in 33 different major league parks. » June 8, 2002: The Expos defeat the White Sox, 2–1. Following the game, the Sox host their inaugural Sleepover at Comiskey Park, allowing fans to sleep overnight on the field.