The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Comiskey ballpark (now U.S. Cellular Field) took place on this date, May 7, 1989, with Mayor Richard M. Daley and Governor James Thompson in attendance.
When Jerry Reinsdorf and Eddie Einhorn bought the team in 1981, they began pushing for a new Comiskey Park. After threats to move the team to suburban Addison, the owners and Mayor Harold Washington successfully lobbied the state legislature for permission to build a new stadium in Chicago. The problem of displacing residents and politics stalled construction until 1989, when ground was finally broken for the new Comiskey, built with a seating capacity of 44,702 and without the obstructed-view seats of the old park. On September 30, 1990, the White Sox played their last game at old Comiskey. They played their first game at the new Comiskey Park on April 18, 1991.
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