An April 1st Monday game between the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians would seem to be an ordinary one of those divisional early-season games that get lost in the shuffle of a 162-game season.
In 2024, it couldn’t be further from the reality: on April 8, the day of the impending total solar eclipse, the Cleveland Guardians will play host to the Chicago White Sox in their home opener.
The Guardians’ home opener is scheduled for April 8, although Opening Day for all teams is March 28, according to The Athletic. This is because Progressive Field is undergoing stadium improvements.
The club must decide whether to play the match in the afternoon or evening because the almost four-minute totality period will start at 3:13 p.m. local time. The start time of the match has not yet been decided.
For the first time since August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will be visible in the United States, providing both clubs with an unparalleled experience.
Along with Dallas, Indianapolis, Buffalo, and many other American towns—including Carbondale, Illinois, which was in the path of totality during the 2017 eclipse—Cleveland is one of several locations in the country that will be in the path of totality for the April eclipse.
Cleveland is especially important to the event because it won’t be in the line of totality for any solar eclipse until 2444.
The next known solar eclipse to be seen in the contiguous United States will occur on August 23, 2044, when Montana and portions of North and South Dakota will be in the eclipse’s path of totality.