April 4

1988 Topps Traded #51T - Ricky Horton

On this day in 1988, Ricky Horton was the starting pitcher on Opening Day against the California Angels in Chicago.

To get a sense of just how badly things were for the late eighties White Sox teams, just gaze your eyes upon the 1988 Opening Day starter, Ricky Horton. Does this look like the face of a number one starter? Not really. On a staff that had Jerry Reuss, Melido Perez and future Cy Young Award winner Jack McDowell, Ricky was chosen to get the start.

The White Sox won 8-5 and Horton went eight solid innings. Bobby Thigpen pitched the ninth for his first save of the 1988 season. All in all, the decision worked out well, but Ricky wouldn't have been my first choice for number one starter. Horton came to the Sox from the St. Louis Cardinals in the same trade that brought the Sox outfielder Lance Johnson, on February 9, 1988. Ricky was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 30, 1988 for pitcher Shawn Hillegas.


White Sox April 4th birthdays:

1900 - Jule Mallonee
1903 - Les Bartholomew