First Game vs White Sox April 6 1998

Lore & Background

The game is remembered not for a victory, but for the sheer magnitude of the moment. Every pitch thrown by Drew Henson and every swing taken by the lineup was watched with bated breath by fans across Florida who had waited years for this chance. The loss was a minor footnote in a narrative that would eventually span decades; what mattered was that the team had finally arrived, playing its first official game under the bright lights of Chicago.

In Their Own Story

The humid air of early April hung over Comiskey Park as the dugout buzzed with nervous energy. Veterans like Jay Buhner and Matt Lawton checked their gloves one last time, while rookies stared out at the field, realizing this was no longer a dream but reality. As Drew Henson stepped onto the mound for his first major league pitch, the silence of anticipation broke into a roar that echoed the birth of a new era.

Reader's Guide

The game began with high stakes and cautious play as both teams felt out their opponents in the early innings. The White Sox struck first, capitalizing on opportunities to build an early lead that would prove difficult to overcome for the inexperienced Devil Rays. By the middle innings, Tampa Bay managed to rally, scoring runs through a combination of small ball and timely hits that kept hope alive in the stands. However, Chicago's offense remained potent, extending their advantage with power hitting that highlighted the gap between an expansion team and a veteran club. In the final frames, the Devil Rays mounted a valiant effort but ultimately fell short, ending the game with a 6-4 loss. Despite the defeat, the memory of that first pitch and the roar of the crowd cemented April 6 as a foundational date in franchise lore.

Did You Know?

• The Devil Rays played their first-ever home game just two days later on April 9, 1998, against the White Sox.
• Drew Henson became the first pitcher to throw a pitch for Tampa Bay in Major League history during this game.
• Reggie Jackson, a Hall of Famer, was playing his final season and scored three runs in this matchup.
• The team was known as the 'Devil Rays' until rebranding simply to 'Rays' in 2008.