White Sox honor memory of NIU victims

One by one, the giant Diamondvision screen showed the names and the faces.

As is the case each Opening Day, in a grand memorial tribute to the baseball dignitaries who've passed away over the winter, they are remembered with respect on the big board.

This Opening Day, among those whose names and faces were recalled, were the five victims of the Feb. 14 shootings at Northern Illinois University.

"We really appreciate everything the White Sox did for us today and since Feb. 14. They've been quite remarkable,'' NIU president John Peters said. "For them to put our kids in there with everyone else, it was really something.

"It was a tremendous show of respect and it's something I can tell you we'll never forget.''

The Sox also gave the NIU folks a skybox, in which the families of the five victims gathered together for the first time since Valentine's Day.

"This is really their first chance to be together and all of them are represented by family members,'' Peters said. "It's really amazing to see them together and talking to each other.

"It's obviously pretty emotional for them, but they share something that only they understand and it's nice to see them having this chance for dialogue.

"It's a great day and a sad day. But we've been living that for two months now. Every day at NIU is amazing, and yet, in the back of our minds, we miss those kids terribly.''