The South Side of Chicago was bursting with high spirits and the wafting scent of early morning tailgate breakfasts on Thursday as Chicago White Sox fans converged on Guaranteed Rate Field for the season opener against the Detroit Tigers. Despite the Tigers clawing out a 1-0 victory, the faithful White Sox supporters were not deterred, with Herman Mendez telling ABC7 Chicago that "It's White Sox Opening Day, that's the best day of the year."

But let's talk about the meat in the sandwich – the buzzworthy lineup. The White Sox announcement featured a surprising starting pitcher, Garrett Crochet, who is notably making his first MLB start on an Opening Day; the first time this has happened for the Sox since 1901, according to CBS Chicago. He's joined by a team mixed with experience and fresh faces, including a revamped middle infield looking to tighten up the White Sox's defense game. Concerning the Friday lineup, fans are particularly eyeing left fielder Andrew Benintendi and center fielder Luis Robert Jr., with the latter coming off a swath of home runs last season.

While some may wrinkle their noses at a team with only a projected 61-win season, the faithful see it as a foundation to "get all these young kids playing, and hopefully we can get some magic going," as Mendez expounded. There’s always that Opening Day optimism, where every team is on an even keel and the slate's as clean as those freshly chalked baselines. The Ruffolo family epitomizes that hope with Michael Ruffolo proclaiming, "Sox fans are the best," to ABC7 Chicago, speaking to the unwavering support of the fans regardless of the team's past or future stumbles.

Ch-ch-ch-changes abound, with the starting rotation featuring the likes of Michael Soroka and Erick Fedde playing pivot roles as noted by CBS Chicago. However, the Sox's fifth starter remains a mystery—keeping fans and pundits on their toes like a two-out bottom-of-the-ninth full count. And let's not leave out country music star Craig Morgan, who belted out the National Anthem, adding to the quintessential American ballgame experience. Meanwhile, the North Siders aka the Cubs will be looking to start their season off strong against the reigning World Series champion Texas Rangers over in Arlington.

But back to the diamond on the South Side, those parking lots buzzed with activity well before the first inning stretch, welcoming eager fans who bled black and white and lived for the roar of the crowd when those cleats hit the dirt. Whether they faced sleet, snow, or – in today's case – a hint of Chicago spring sunshine, nothing could damper the spirits of White Sox supporters. As White Sox Charities' Christine O'Reilly mentioned to ABC7 Chicago, "Opening Day is like an official holiday on all baseball fans' calendars," and the White Sox nation, fifty deep, reveled in every pitch, crack of the bat, and play at the plate with true South Side pride.