StatManDu

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: OCTOBER 5TH For more visit www.whitesoxalamanac.com 1908: Ed Walsh won his 40th game of the year as the White Sox defeated the Detroit Tigers 6-1 at South Side. “The Big Reel’s” win total remains a Chicago single-season record that will never be broken barring a major change in rules or philosophy. Walsh’s win pulled the White Sox to within a half game of the Tigers and forced a one-game showdown between the teams on the final day of the season the next day (the Sox lost that one). 1941: The White Sox took a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven Windy City Series with a 6-0 win over the Cubs before 17,774 at Wrigley Field. The Sox scored two runs in each of the first, second and fourth innings and then had shortstop Luke Appling and third baseman Bill Knickerbocker execute a triple play. The Sox would finish off the Cubs with a Game 4 victory giving them seven consecutive City Series titles. 1959: Another huge crowd in Los Angeles witnessed another Dodger victory over the White Sox in the 1959 World Series. Before a Series-record gathering of 92,650, the Dodgers prevailed 5-4 on Gil Hodges’ eighth-inning homer to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven affair. The Dodgers scored four times off Early Wynn in the third but the Sox rallied to tie in the seventh on an RBI single by Ted Kluszewski and a three-run homer by Sherm Lollar. An inning later, Hodges untied the series with leadoff blast off Gerry Staley. 1983: The White Sox got the 1983 American League Championship Series off to a good start by trimming the Orioles 2-1 at Memorial Stadium. The White Sox, who won the American League West going away at 99-63, scored a run in the third and the sixth in their first post-season game since Game 6 of the 1959 World Series. LaMarr Hoyt, who won 24 times during the regular season, made those runs stand up by limiting the Orioles to five hits in a complete game effort. Tom Paciorek gave the White Sox the lead in the third when his infield single scored Rudy Law. In the sixth, Paciorek led off with a walk, took third when Greg Luzinski reached and then scored on Ron Kittle’s double play ball. The Orioles scored in the ninth when Dan Ford doubled and scored on Cal Ripken Jr.’s single but Hoyt then got Eddie Murray to ground into a game-ending force play at second. 1993: The defending World Series champion Toronto Blue Jays spoiled the first post-season game at New Comiskey Park by topping the White Sox 7-3 in Game 1 of the 1993 American League Championship Series before 46,246 at 35th and Shields. The Blue Jays took the lead with two in the fourth off Sox ace Jack McDowell but the Sox fought back with three in their half of the frame. Ozzie Guillen tied the game with a two-run single and Tim Raines followed with a run-scoring single which gave the Sox their first lead in a post-season game since Game 1 of the 1983 ALCS. The Sox and McDowell couldn’t stand prosperity. Toronto scored three times in the fifth to take the lead for good. John Olerud’s two-run double proved to be the game-winner. 2005: Tadahito Iguichi’s three-run homer capped a five-run fifth as the White Sox climbed out of a four-run hole to beat Boston 5-4 in Game 2 of the American League Division Series before 40,799 at US Cellular Field. The five-run outburst enabled the White Sox to a 2-0 lead over the defending World Series champions in the best-of-five series. The Sox entered the fifth trailing David Wells 4-0 but got back into it thanks to RBIs by Aaron Rowand and Jose Crede. With one out, the Sox then got a huge break when Boston second baseman Tony Graffanino whiffed on a grounder putting runners on first and third. Iguchi followed with a homer into the left field bleachers that fronted the Sox for good. Except for the first and third innings, Mark Buehrle was magnificent in earning the victory. Bobby Jenks turned in two shutout innings for his first save. Two days later, the Sox capped the sweep at Fenway Park.

A big DUH on my part. I fixed it. Thanks!

In 2007, Andy Gonzalez was the first Sox player to appear at at least seven positions in 17 seasons. Gonzalez played first, second, shortstop, third, left, center and right for the 2006 Sox (and I thought he was totally worthless!!!). Steve Lyons played every position but catcher in 1990. The year prior, Lyons appeared at every position but pitcher. So now you know!

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: OCTOBER 4TH For the complete entry, visit www.whitesoxalmanac.com/ ENJOY! 1908: The charging White Sox tallied three runs in the first without a hit and only managed one hit but still pulled out a 3-1 victory over the first-place Tigers before 22,000 at South Side Park. Frank Smith got the win as the White Sox pulled to within 1.5-games of first-place Detroit with two games to play. 1913: Reb Russell joined some elite company in twirling a shutout in the White Sox 1-0 win at Detroit inthe first game of a doubleheader. Russell tied Walter Johnson’s record by winning his fifth 1-0 complete game of the season. The win was Russell’s 22nd of the yearwhich is a White Sox rookie record which still stands. 1919: The White Sox dropped Game 4 of the ill-fated 1919 World Series, 2-0, to the Cincinnati Reds before 34,363 at Comiskey Park. The win gave the Reds a 3-1 lead in the best-of-nine Series. Ed Cicotte, one of eight Sox players in on the fix, absorbed his second loss of the Series. His two errors in the sixth inning led to the game’s only runs. The Series was expanded to a best-of-nine from 1919 to 1921 because of heightened interest in the event. The eight Sox players in on the fix were eventually banned from baseball for life by Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis during the 1920 season. 1959: In the first World Series game in California, the Dodgers trimmed the White Sox 3-1 before a Series record crowd of 92,394 at the Los Angeles Coliseum. The victory enabled the Dodgers to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven affair. White Sox starter Dick Donovan and Dodger starter Don Drysdale matched zeroes for six frames before Los Angeles scored twice in the seventh on a two-run single by Carl Furillo. The Sox cut the deficit in half in the eighth when Ted Kluszewski scored on a double play ball. However, the Dodgers added an insurance run in their eighth to keep the Sox at bay. 1980: The White Sox with 57-year old Minnie Minoso making a pinch-hitting appearance and Ed Farmer making club history defeated the California Angels 4-2 before 6,788 at Comiskey Park. Minoso, activated the day before, popped out to the catcher pinch-hitting for Greg Pryor to lead off the seventh in becoming the first player since Nick Altrock to play in five decades. Ed Farmer recorded his Sox-record 30th save by working a scoreless ninth. 2000: The White Sox dropped an American League Division playoff game to Seattle 5-2 before 45,383 at Comiskey Park. The loss gave the Seattle Mariners a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series and dropped the Sox to 0-5 in home playoff games at Comiskey Park and ran their overall home post-season losing streak to nine games. The White Sox took a 1-0 lead in the first on a single by Ray Durham and a double by Jose Valentin but Seattle went ahead in the second on RBIs by David Bell and Dan Wilson. The Sox tied it in the third when Valentin reached on a bunt single, stole second, took third on an error and scored on Carlos Lee’s sacrifice fly. It didn’t take Seattle long to regain command. Jay Buhner homered in the next inning to give the Mariners the lead for good. Seattle added one more in the fifth and one more in the ninth to push the Sox to the brink of elimination. Mike Sirotka, who couldn’t answer the bell in Game 1 because of a sore shoulder, started and gave up two earned runs in 5.2 innings. 2005: The White Sox began their historic postseason run and ended their maddening home playoff losing streak with a bang in a 14-2 win over the Boston Red Sox in Game 1 of the American League Division Series before 40,717 at US Cellular Field. This matinee affair was over in a hurry as the Sox pinned a five-spot on the defending World Series champions in the first inning thanks to a three-run home run by AJ Pierzynski -– the first of an ALDS record five long balls -- and RBIs from Paul Konerko and Aaron Rowand. Pierzynski homered again in joining Ted Kluszewski (Game 1, 1959 World Series) as the only Sox players to go deep twice in a postseason game. Paul Konerko, Juan Uribe and Scott Podsednik, who did not homer in the regular season, hit roundtrippers later in the game as the Sox won a postseason game for the first time in US Celluar Field ending a five-game skid which dated to Game 6 of the 1993 American League Championship Series. The win also halted a nine-game overall home postseason losing streak, which started with Game 2 of the 1959 World Series at the original Comiskey Park. Jose Contreras pitched into the eighth inning, giving up eight hits while striking out six for the victory.

StatManDu jumped the gun on that one a bit. Probably overwhelmed by the memory. I'll re-post that tomorrow ... on the anniversary of when it actually happened!!!!!!

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: OCT 3 1906: The White Sox clinched their first American League pennant while waiting out a rain delay in St. Louis by virtue of second-place New York’s loss to Philadelphia in the second game of a doubleheader. The “Hitless Wonders” would go on to win the World Series in six games against the Chicago Cubs. 1919: The White Sox finally posted a win in the World Series with a 3-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds in Game 3 before 29,126 at Comiskey Park. Dickie Kerr, a rookie left-hander, went the distance holding the Reds to three hits. Chick Gandil’s two-run single in the second was all Kerr needed. Kerr was not in on the “Black Sox” Scandal and wound up winning both of his starts with a 1.42 ERA in the Series. The Series was expanded to a best-of-nine from 1919 to 1921 because of heightened interest in the event. The eight Sox players in on the fix were eventually banned from baseball for life by Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis during the 1920 season. 1943: The White Sox made the last of their still-standing record 44 doubleheader a memorable in one sweeping the Red Sox in Fenway Park to end the season. The White Sox won the first game 4-2 and prevailed in the nightcap 3-1. Of their 44 twinbills, the Sox won 11, lost 10 and split 23. 1993: The White Sox concluded the regular-season and closed out Cleveland Stadium with a 4-0 win over the Indians before 72,390 in Ohio. Jason Bere won his seventh consecutive decision and got relief help from Tim Belcher and Jose DeLeon as the Sox finished 94-68 and eight games ahead of the pack in the American League West. Frank Thomas returned to the lineup after an injury and went 2-for-4 with a two-run double in the first inning. … White Sox posting some of the Cleveland Stadiun “lasts:” DeLeon, strikeout; Drew Denson hit; Joey Cora run and steal; Thomas RBI; Karkovice double. 2000: The White Sox home playoff drought continued in a 7-4 loss in 10 innings to the Seattle Mariners in Game 1 of the American League Division Series before 45,290 at Comiskey Park. The loss dropped the Sox to 0-4 in home playoff games at Comiskey Park and ran their overall home post-season losing streak to eight. The Mariners pushed across three in the 10th off Keith Foulke on a two-run homer by Edgar Martinez and a solo shot by John Olerud. Seattle led 3-0 after one but the Sox got two in the second on an RBI triple by Chris Singleton and a wild pitch. The Sox took the lead in the third on a home run by Ray Durham and a run-scoring triple by Magglio Ordonez. Seattle tied the game in the seventh on Mike Cameron’s two-out RBI single. Jim Parque started for the Sox after scheduled starter Mike Sirotka couldn’t go because of a sore shoulder.

Jose Contreras is the first White Sox pitcher to finish with a losing record and pitch a shutout in the same season since Mike Sirotka in 1999. ... The last time the White Sox had a pitcher throw two shutouts and finish with a losing record in the same season was Alex Fernandez (8-11) in 1992.

The last time the White Sox were shutout in voting for the American League's MVP Award was 2001. Since 1990, the Sox have been blanked in MVP voting in only two years (1999, 2001). This year? Unless Bobby Jenks picks up a stray point here or there, the Sox will be (and probably deserve to be) shutout.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: OCT 2ND www.whitesoxalmanac.com/ ENJOY! 1904: Doc White’s streak of 45 consecutive scoreless innings was snapped in a 7-1 win in the first game of a doubleheader against the New York Highlanders in Chicago. 1908: Addie Joss fired a perfect game in Cleveland’s 1-0 win over the White Sox in Ohio. Joss outdueled Ed Walsh, who set a Sox record with 15 strikeouts in the game. Cleveland got its only run when catcher Ossee Schreckengost couldn’t hang on to one of Walsh’s spitters and Cleveland’s Joe Birmingham crossed in the third inning. The pitch was so effective that it broke Schreckengost’s hand. It was the first of two no-hitters Joss would throw against the White Sox. On April 20, 1910, Joss no-hit the White Sox 1-0 in Chicago. Joss’ gem in 1908 is the only perfect game thrown against the White Sox. 1919: The White Sox dropped Game 2 of the ill-fated 1919 World Series 4-2 in Cincinnati. Lefty Williams, one of the eight Sox players in on the Series fix, was the losing pitcher. He gave up four runs on four hits on four walks. The Reds scored three in the fourth and one in the sixth to ice the game. The Sox scored their two runs on errors in the seventh inning. The Series was expanded to a best-of-nine from 1919 to 1921 because of heightened interest in the event. The eight Sox players in on the fix were eventually banned from baseball for life by Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis during the 1920 season. 1959: The Los Angeles Dodgers pulled even with a 4-3 win over the White Sox in Game 2 of the 1959 World Series before 47,368 at Comiskey Park. The Sox scored twice in the first inning on RBIs by Ted Kluszewski and Sherm Lollar. After scoring once in the fifth, the Dodgers overtook the Sox with a three-run seventh. Chuck Essegian’s solo homer and Charlie Neal’s two-run shot off Bob Shaw were the difference. The Sox got a run in the eighth on Al Smith’s double but the rally was blunted when Lollar – the tying run -- was thrown out at the plate. 1972: Buddy Bradford hit the first grand slam by a White Sox player in October. Bradford accomplished the feat in a pinch-hitting role in Minnesota. The pinch-hit grand slam was the seventh in White Sox history and the first since Sherm Lollar accomplished the feat July 9, 1961. 2005: The White Sox concluded the regular season with a 3-1 win at Cleveland.Jermaine Dye, settling in nicely in the three hole, put the Sox on top in a hurry with a home run – his 31st – with two out in the first. The Sox added single runs in the second and third innings to support starter and winner Brandon McCarthyand relievers Luis Vizcaino and Orlando Hernandez, who tossed the final two innings for the save. The Sox finished 99-63 and six games ahead of Cleveland in winning their first AL Central title in five years.

Jim Thome is the first left-handed batter to lead the White Sox in home runs (35) since 1988 when Dan Pasqua hit 20.

THANKS! I will be keep posting throughout the winter.

Even though the season is over, WHITE SOX HISTORY continues. I plan on posting these all winter. THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: OCT 1/Fix, Luke, Klu www.whitesoxalmanac.com/ ENJOY! 1919: The heavily-favored White Sox dropped the first game of the ill-fated 1919 World Series to the Reds 9-1 in Cincinnati. In secret negotiations with gamblers begun in midseason, Sox players Joe Jackson, Ed Cicotte, Lefty Williams, Happy Felsch, Chick Gandil, Swede Risberg and Fred McMullin agreed to dump the Series for $100,000. Buck Weaver knew of the fix, had sat in on some meetings but refused to go in on the deal. The fact that he did not bring the fix to light before it went down will forever link him in this scandal. Cicotte hit the first Cincinnati batter of the game to indicate the fix was on and the Sox went to lose the Series 5-3 (the Series was expanded to a best-of-nine from 1919 to 1921 because of heightened interest in the event). The eight Sox players in on the fix were eventually banned from baseball for life by Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis during the 1920 season. 1922: The White Sox executed the ninth triple play in franchise history in a season-ending 2-1 loss at St. Louis. Second baseman Eddie Collins could have pulled off an unassisted triple play but opted to throw to first to complete the rarity after grabbing Pat Collins’ liner and stepping on second base. Accounts of the day had Eddie Collins close enough to tag the runner from first for the unassisted triple play but he decided to throw to first baseman Earl Sheely for the sure out. 1950: Luke Appling connected for the final hit of his career that spanned 20 seasons and 2,422 games -- all in a White Sox uniform in the second game of a doubleheader against St. Louis at Comiskey Park. The hit – a single off Stubby Overmire -- was the 2,749th of his career. Appling, a Hall of Famer, is still the club’s all-time hit leader. Also, Gus Zernial hit four home runs in the doubleheader to tie a big league record. After hitting a homer in the first game – a 4-3 win -- Zernial hit three homers in the second game – a 10-6 season-ending loss. 1959: The White Sox made their first World Series appearance in 40 years a memorable one. Ted Kluszewski hit two home runs and drove in five runs as the Sox pounded the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-0 before 48,013 at Comiskey Park. Kluszewski gave the White Sox the lead for good with an RBI single that highlighted a two-run first inning. Cy Young winner Early Wynn got the win over Roger Craig. The Dodgers came back to win the series in six games. It would be the last post-season victory for the team at Old Comiskey Park.

Made the edit. Thanks

THIS DATE IN SOX HISTORY: SEPT 29TH 1917: The White Sox defeated the Yankees 3-1 in New York for their 100th win of the season. Ed Cicotte went the distance and fanned eight for the victory. The 1917 White Sox are the only team in club history to win 100 games and they were the last Southside club to win a World Series until the 2005 team turned the trick. 1920: Eight White Sox players were suspended by club owner Charles Comiskey for their part in the 1919 World Series fix. Among the “Eight Men Out” were Sox stalwarts Joe Jackson, Ed Cicotte and Buck Weaver. 1971: Leadoff man Bill Melton clubbed two homers –Nos. 31 and 32 of the year -- in the White Sox 2-1 win over the Brewers before 5,106 at Comiskey Park. Wilbur Wood went the distance and fanned 10 for his 22nd victory. Melton was batting leadoff in hopes of getting him a few more at bats as he pursued the American League home run crown. The strategy paid off as Melton finished the campaign with a league-best 33 roundtrippers the next day. 1972: Tom Bradley went the distance and struck out 10 for his 13th win in the White Sox 5-1 win at Texas. Bradley also went 1-for-4 to become the last White Sox pitcher to hit safely in the pre-DH era. The designated hitter would be adopted by the AL for 1973. 1983: Rookie Mike Warren no-hit the White Sox in the Athletics’ 3-0 win in Oakland. It marked the first time the White Sox had been no-hit since Aug. 1, 1962 when Boston’s Bill Monboquette accomplished the feat. 1984: Jerry Hairston tied Smoky Burgess' White Sox career record with his 50th pinch-hit in a 6-2 win at Seattle. Hairston pinch-hit for starting leftfielder LaMarr Hoyt in the first inning to tie the record. 1990: The White Sox emerged victorious in the final night game at Old Comiskey Park. Frank Thomas' two-run single in the seventh proved to be the game-winner in the White Sox 5-2 win over Seattle before 42,800. Eric King won his fourth consecutive game and Bobby Thigpen picked up his 56th save on "Turn Out the Lights Night." Seattle’s Alvin Davis hit the final home run at the park in the game. 2000: Magglio Ordonez’s two-run homer in the seventh inning gave the AL Central champion White Sox the lead for good and Chris Singleton in the first in-the-park homer by a Sox player at New Comiskey Park in a 6-4 win over the Kansas City Royals before 17,735 on the Southside. The homer was Ordonez’s 32nd of the year and accounted for his 126th RBI, which was the sixth-highest season total in club history. Singleton’s homer was a three-run shot and was just the second in-the-park homer in New ComiskeyPark. Keith Foulke earned his 34th save, the fourth-highest total in franchise history, as the Sox halted a five-game losing streak. 2003: The White Sox fired manager Jerry Manuel. According to the White Sox “2003 Season In Review,” Manuel was “relieved of his duties.” The mellow Manuel was 500-471 in his six years as Sox manager. The highlight of his run was the surprising AL Central title in 2000 when the Sox went 95-67, tok the crown by five games and netted the former Sox farmhand the AL Manager of the Year award. What followed was a disappointing performance in a five-game sweep to Seattle in the Division Series. Manuel finished his career fourth in club history in wins, joining Jimmy Dykes (899), Al Lopez (840) and Tony LaRussa (522) as the only managers in Sox history with at least 500 wins. 2005: The White Sox clinched the American League Central Divison title with a 4-2 win at Detroit. In what would become a postseason pattern, first baseman Paul Konerko gloved the final out in the victory. The triumph gave the White Sox a three-game lead with three to play plus all the tiebreakers over second place Cleveland. Fourteen wins later, the White Sox would be World Series champions.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: SEPT 28 www.whitesoxalmanac.com/ ENJOY! 1920: A Chicago grand jury indicted eight White Sox players on charges they conspired to throw the 1919 World Series. Indicted were Ed Cicotte, Claude “Lefty” Williams, “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, Oscar “Happy” Felsch, George “Buck” Weaver, Swede Risberg, Chick Gandil and Fred McMullin. On Aug. 2, 1921, the eight were found not guilty but were also suspended from baseball for life by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis. 1932: In an attempt to rebuild the franchise, White Sox owner J. Lou Comiskey, son of Charles Comiskey, purchased stars Al Simmons, Jimmy Dykes and Mule Haas from the Philadephia Athletics for an estimated $150,000. 1947: After getting the great Dizzy Dean out of the game, the White Sox defeated the Browns 5-2 in the season finale in St. Louis. In an effort to boost attendance, the Browns brought the great Dean from the broadcast booth to the mound. Dean was effective, giving up only three hits in four innings but he was forced out of the game after pulling a leg muscle. The Sox scored five in the ninth to win and to make a winner out of Eddie Lopat. As for the attendance, the game drew 15,910. In the season-ender a year ago, the Browns drew a miniscule 350 fans. 1942: Three days after enlisting in the marines, Ted Lyons blanked the Cubs on three hits in a 3-0 win in Game 1 of the City Series before 4,751 at Wrigley Field. Lyons walked one in downing the Cubs in just 78 minutes. The Sox eventually won the best-of-seven series in six games in what turned out to be last of a series which began in 1903. 1958: A couple of big league sons make their marks in the White Sox season finale. New Trier graduate Chuck Lindstrom’s only two Major League plate appearances resulted in a walk and a triple in an 11-4 win over the Kansas City Athletics before 4,174 in the season-finale at Comiskey Park. In his second and final big league appearance, Hal Trosky earned the victory in relief. Chuck Lindstrom was the son of Hall of Famer Freddie Lindstrom while Hal Trosky was the son of Cleveland slugger Hal Trosky Sr.

I like interleague play. I like the idea of seeing Colorado -- a team that we don't see (in the regular season!) that often. I do agree with the above exasperation over the Pirates. Maybe MLB should allow a team like the White Sox to have two natural rivals. Give us one series with the Brewers every year instead of one with the Pirates. I don't think anyone would mind seeing the Angels visit just once in order to sub the Brewers. As for the Brewers, their natural rival is the Twins. I don't think they would mind one series against the Twins and one against the Sox. Just a thought

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: SEPT 27 For more see www.whitesoxalmanac.com 1939: The White Sox hosted the first day-night doubleheader in big league history at Comiskey Park but dropped both games to Cleveland. With fans being charged separate admissions for each game, the Sox dropped the opener 5-2 and then fell in the nightcap 7-5. 1953: The White Sox defeated the St. Louis Browns 2-1 in the final game in St. Louis Browns history. Billy Pierce went the distance in pinning the Baltimore-bound Browns their 100th loss of the season at Sportsman’s Park. A little less than seven months later, the Orioles would open play in Baltimore against the White Sox. 1959: The American League champion White Sox concluded their regular season with a 6-4 win at Detroit. Bob Shaw earned his 18th victory in the White Sox 94th victory. The next time these Sox would take the field would be four days later for Game 1 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Comiskey Park.

1925: Babe Ruth victimized the White Sox with the first walkoff grand slam in American League history in the Yankees' 6-5 win in New York. Ruth hit the homer off Sarg Connally in MLB's first game-ending slam in the 20th Century. 1936: The White Sox finished their season with a doubleheader sweep of the St. Louis Browns at Comiskey Park and Luke Appling finished his season as the Major League’s leading hitter with a .388 average. The future Hall of Famer became the first Sox player to win a batting title and his average set a record for American League shortstops which still stands. The Sox won the first game 5-3 and took the nightcap 8-6 with Ted Lyons and Monty Stratton getting the victories. 1943: The White Sox scored a club record 13 runs in the fourth inning in a 15-3 win over the Senators in Washington. The White Sox recorded 10 hits in the frame in logging the most prolific fourth inning in American League history. The highlight of the inning was a perfectly-executed triple steal by Thurman Tucker, Guy Cutright and Luke Appling.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: SEPT 25 www.whitesoxalmanac.com/ ENJOY! 1926: Bill Barrett's home run off Walter Johnson in the ninth delivered the White Sox a 2-1 win over Washington in the first game of a doubleheader at Comiskey Park. Barrett's blast made a winner out of Tommy Thomas. 1946: The White Sox defeated the Indians 4-1 in Cleveland on a day when Cleveland owner Bill Veeck offered free admission. Only 12,800 showed up to watch Joe Haynes earn the victory for the White Sox. 1954: Billy Pierce fired a five-hiter in the White Sox season-ending 11-0 win at Baltimore. Pierce outdueled Dan Larsen as the Sox pinned the 100-loss of the season on the Orioles, who were playing their first season in Maryland. 1964: The White Sox cranked out four home runs and Juan Pizarro went the distance in an 11-3 win at Kansas City. Ken Berry hit a three-run homer while Ron Hansen, Dave Nicholson and Tommy McCraw added solo shots as the Sox won for the second straight time in a season-ending streak that would reach nine but leave the team a maddening one game behind the American League champion Yankees. 1965: The White Sox gave up one run on 12 hits in sweeping a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. In a 3-1 win in Game 1, Tommy John went the distance and gave up six hits. In the nightcap, Gary Peters and Hoyt Wilhelm combined on a six-hitter in a 2-0 win. 1970: Future Hall of Famer Luis Aparicio played the last of his 1,511 games for the White Sox in a 5-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in the first game of a doubleheader before 3,826 at Comiskey Park. The Game 1 win was the last of the season for the Sox. The team finished with six consecutive losses, including a 3-2 setback in the nightcap, to finish with a franchise-worst 106 losses. “Little Looie” went 0-for-4 in playing his record 2,219th game at shortstop. He finished his White Sox career fifth in club history with 1,511 games, fourth with 5,856 at bats, fifth with 791 runs, second with 318 steals, fourth with 1,576 hits, fourth with 1,256 singles and fifth with 2,036 total bases.

THIS DATE IN SOX HISTORY: SEPT 22/59 clincher WWW.WHITESOXALMANAC.COM 1959: The White Sox clinched their first American League pennant in 40 seasons with a 4-2 victory before 54,923 in Cleveland. The White Sox scored two in the second and two in the sixth on back-to-back home runs by Al Smith and Jungle Jim Rivera. The Indians loaded the bases in the ninth but Al Lopez brought on Gerry Staley, who got Vic Power to hit his only pitch to Luis Aparicio, who turned it into a game-ending double play. The victory set off a wild celebration in Chicagowhich culminated with a throng of 100,000 greeting the team at Midway Airport at 1:30 a.m.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: SEPT 22 www.whitesoxalmanac.com/ ENJOY! 1920: A Chicago grand jury convened to investigate charges that eight White Sox players conspired to fix the 1919 World Series. 1959: The White Sox clinched their first American League pennant in 40 seasons with a 4-2 victory before 54,923 in Cleveland. The White Sox scored two in the second and two in the sixth on back-to-back home runs by Al Smith and Jungle Jim Rivera. The Indians loaded the bases in the ninth but Al Lopez brought on Gerry Staley, who got Vic Power to hit his only pitch to Luis Aparicio, who turned it into a game-ending double play. The victory set off a wild celebration in Chicagowhich culminated with a throng of 100,000 greeting the team at Midway Airport at 1:30 a.m. 1966: Home runs by Tommie Agee and Tommy McCraw in the ninth broke open a tight game as the White Sox topped the Yankees 4-1 at Yankee Stadium for their fourth straight win. The game attracted a record low 413 to Yankee Stadium. During the game, Yankee broadcaster Red Barber insisted television cameras show the empty seats. The future Hall of Famer eventually lost his job over that decision, 1971: Tom Bradley fired a four-hitter with six strikeouts in the White Sox 3-0 win at Oakland. Bradley did not walk a batter and got offensive support from Rick Reichardt, who homered, and Rich McKinney and Bill Melton, who each drove in a run, for his 15th win. 1972: Stan Bahnsen went seven innings for his 20th victory in the White Sox 8-4 win over Texas before 10,906 at Comiskey Park. Bahnsen gave up nine hits, four runs and three walks while striking out five to move to 20-15. Carlos May and Tony Muser each drove in three runs as the Sox improved to 81-63. 1975: The White Sox dropped a 3-0 decision in 16 innings in California. Adrian Garrett ended the game, which took only 3 hours and 38 minutes despite the number of innings, with a three-run pinch-homer with one out in the 16th off Rich Gossage. This game featured some incredible pitching lines. White Sox starter Jim Kaat tossed 8.1 scoreless innings before giving way to Rich Gossage, who threw seven innings of relief. For the Angels, longtime Sox killer Frank Tanana pitched 13 innings and gave up just six hits while walking three and striking out 13. Don Kirkwood got the win for the Angels.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: SEPT 21 www.whitesoxalmanac.com/ ENJOY! 1917: The White Sox clinched the pennant when future Hall of Famer Red Faber downed the Red Sox 2-1 in 10 innings Boston. The Sox scored the game-winner in the 10th when Ray Schalk doubled and scored one out later on a single by Shano Collins. Faber got Babe Ruth to ground into an Eddie Collins-to-Buck Weaver-to-Chick Gandil double play to end the game. Faber gave up five hits and fanned one to earn the win. The Sox would go on to defeat the New York Giants in the World Series with Faber earning three of the four victories. 1970: Bill Melton hit his White Sox record 30th home run in an 8-4 win over the Royals in the first game of a doubleheader before 672 Comiskey Park. Melton, who finished with 33 homers, broke the record of 29 held by Eddie Robinson (1951) and Gus Zernial (1950). 1988: Bobby Thigpen tied the White Sox single-season save record in a 6-1 win at Texas. Thipgen entered the game with the bases loaded in the ninth and got Chad Kreuter to pop out to end it. The save was Thipgen’s 32nd tying Bob James’ 1985 club record. Thigpen would finish the campaign with a club-record 34 saves. Shawn Hillegas, who got the win, carried a two-hit shutout into the ninth before running into some turbulence. 2004: Juan Uribe’s pinch grand slam in the seventh powered the White Sox to an 8-6 win over the Twins before 14,771 at US Cellular Field. Uribe’s blast came with two out and enabled the White Sox to erase a 6-4 deficit. The pinch grand slam was the first by a Sox player in their new home and the first since Joe DeSa accomplished the feat Sept. 12, 1985.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: SEPT 20 For more, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com/ ENJOY! 1919: The White Sox dropped a doubleheader at Boston on “Babe Ruth Day” at Fenway Park. 31,000 watched as Ruth homered in the ninth off Lefty Williams to lift the Red Sox to a 4-3 victory. The homer was Ruth’s 27, which tied Ned Williamson’s single-season record set in 1884. In the nightcap, Ruth scored the game-winner in the fifth after a disputed ground-rule double in Boston’s 5-4 triumph. Ruth started the opener on the mound but was relieved in the sixth. 1920: White Sox owner Charles Comiskey ordered that a houseboat be constructed for the sole purpose of transporting and housing the team during spring training. The Sox trained in Waco, Texas in 1920 (which is near Lake Waco) and in Lake Waxahachie, Texas (which is near Lake Waxahachie) in 1921. It is not known whether Comiskey had the boat built. 1941: Thornton won his 20th game in the White Sox 4-3 win over Detroit before 2,785 at Comiskey Park. Lee became the 16th different pitcher (32nd time) to win 20 games and the first since Vern Kennedy won 21 in 1936. 1941 was the best year of Lee’s career. The left-hander finished 22-11 while leading the American League with a 2.37 ERA and 30 complete games. 1991: Bo Jackson forced extra innings with a dramatic two-out pinch-hit homer off Mark Langston in the Sox 3-2 overtime win vs. California before 32,273 at Comiskey Park. In the 11th, Sammy Sosa sprinted home from second on Lance Johnson’s infield single with the game-winner. 2000: The first-place White Sox scored six runs in the third inning in whipping the Tigers 13-6 in Detroit in reducing their magic number to clinch the AL Central to six. The win enabled the White Sox to reach the 90-victory plateau and set the club season run record. The Sox finished the game with a league-leading 925 runs, which broke the 1936 team record of 920. Charles Johnson sparked a six-run second inning with a solo homer and Paul Konerko finished it off with a three-run double. Ray Durham capped the victory with his third career grand slam in the seventh inning. 2001: Josh Paul broke a 4-4 tie with a two-run double in the sixth in leading the White Sox to an emotional 7-5 win over the New York Yankees before 22,284 at Comiskey Park. Paul played with the No. 41 on his chest protector in honor of Vanderbilt teammate Mark Hindy, who was killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center Sept. 11. Magglio Ordonez tied the game in the fifth with a two-run homer that gave him 100 RBI for the third consecutive season. Keith Foulke notched his 39th save, moving into second place on the White Sox single-season list.

Here is what I posted on my blog on Christmas Day. It is the history of Steve Christmas and the White Sox: THIS DATE IN SOX HISTORY BONUS: A CHRISTMAS STORY The only player in Major League history with the last name Christmas played 12 of his 24 big league games with the 1984 White Sox. Catcher Steve Christmas hit .364 with a double, a clutch home run and four RBIs in his time with the White Sox. The Sox “Christmas Story” began on Nov. 21, 1983 when the left-handed hitter was acquired from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for infield prospect Fran Mullins. Christmas, who hit .059 in nine games with 1983 Reds, was a non-roster invitee to spring training in Sarasota, Fla., but began 1984 at the White Sox Triple-A affiliate at Denver where his teammates included Jerry Manuel, Ron Karkovice, Tim Hulett, Daryl Boston, Joel Skinner and Larry Rothschild. Christmas’ first stint with the Sox came from June 12 to June 22. The native of Orlando, Fla., was brought to Chicago when Carlton Fisk went on the disabled list. Christmas didn’t see any time behind the plate as the Sox went with the highly-touted Skinner in Fisk’s absence. Christmas’ first action with the Sox finally came on June 14 when he grounded out as a pinch-hitter for Jerry Dybzinski. Two days later, Christmas delivered a pinch-RBI single in the ninth inning of a 6-4 loss at Oakland. Christmas was hitting for Scott Fletcher and got his hit off of Oakland closer Bill Caudill. In his next appearance, Christmas came through again, this time notching a one-out pinch-double off future Sox “gas can” Mike Stanton in the ninth inning of an 8-2 loss at Seattle June 19. Christmas was returned to Denver after the White Sox 8-6 win over the Twins June 22 in Minnesota. Christmas finished the season at Denver where he helped the Bears earn a spot in the American Association playoffs. Denver upset the Cubs’ Iowa affiliate in five games in the semifinal round before bowing to Louisville in five games in the championship series. Christmas, who shared time behind the plate with Skinner, Karkovice and Jamie Quirk, hit .278 with four homers and 29 RBIs during the regular season for Denver. He returned to the White Sox for the rest of the season in early September. Christmas made his Comiskey Park debut in a 5-4 loss to Oakland on Sept. 5, 1984 when he was retired for the second out pinch-hitting for Vance Law in the ninth. After another unsuccessful pinch-hitting appearance Sept. 8, 1984 against the Angels at Comiskey Park, Christmas made his lone defensive appearance with the Sox. On Sept. 16, 1984 in Anaheim, Christmas entered the game in the eighth inning at catcher. He played one inning in the 4-2 setback, catching Richard Dotson and could not throw out Gary Pettis trying to steal. The next time Christmas took the field he made things merry for the Sox. On Sept. 19, 1984, Christmas, pinch-hitting for Marc “The Booter” Hill, launched a three-run pinch-homer in the seventh inning to break a 3-3 tie in a 7-3 win at Minnesota. The blast, which victimized the team that drafted and signed Christmas, came off Mike Smithson with Greg Walker and Dybzinski on base as the defending American League West champs barely stayed alive in the division race (nine games back with 11 to play). The next day, Christmas posted what turned out to be his final hit with the Sox. He led off the 13th with a single off Ron Davis batting for Hill and was then lifted for pinch-runner Rudy Law. The Sox couldn’t parlay Christmas’ last gift to the Sox into a run and wound up losing 5-4 to the Twins in the next inning. That hit peaked Christmas’ average and on-base percentage at a whopping .571 and placed his slugging percentage at a more-than-robust 1.143. From there, Christmas went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts to close out his Sox career. Christmas first time ended for the Sox on Dec. 10 when they released him. A little more thana month later, it was Christmastime again for the Sox as they signed him with a free agent. Christmas received another non-roster invitee to spring training but he did not make the club nor did he appear with the Sox during the 1985 season. Christmas spent 1985 at the Sox Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo where he manned third base and appeared some at designated hitter. Playing for John Boles, who would later manage the Flordia Marlins, Christmas finished fourth in the American Association with a .298 average while finishing second on the Bisons to Joe DeSa (17) with 16 home runs. Following the season, Christmas was granted free agency and signed with the Cubs thus closing the book on the Sox “Christmas Story.”

SEPTEMBER 19TH 1901: The White Sox game in Baltimore was canceled in honor of the funeral of President William McKinley, who died Sept. 12 as the result of gunshot wounds. All big league games were canceled this day. 1925: Ted Lyons came within one out of his first no-hitter in the White Sox 17-0 win over the Senators in Washington. Bobby Veach recorded the Senators’ hit, marking the first time in franchise history a Sox pitcher would lose a no-hitter in the ninth inning. This was the lone complete game one-hitter of Lyons’ Hall of Fame career and he had to face 18 batters as Washington manager Bucky Harris did all he could to disrupt the Sox legend. In the process of one-hitting the Senators, Lyons halted Sam Rice’s consecutive hit streak at nine. 1967: Joel Horlen threw his second shutout in three starts in the White Sox 3-0 win at California. Horlen gave up six hits and one walk while fanning six in upping his record to 18-6 and dropping his ERA to 2.12. The stretch was part of a string in which Horlen threw five complete games, three shutouts and a no-hitter. Horlen’s heroics kept the White Sox a half game back of first in the tightly-packed AmericanLeague race. 1984: Steve Christmas’ three-run pinch-homer in the seventh made the White Sox merry in a 7-3 win at Minnesota. Christmas’ blast came with the scored tied at three and with Greg Walker and Roy Smalley on base with two outs. 1986: Joe Cowley threw the 14th no-hitter in franchise history in the White Sox 7-1 win at California. Cowley walked seven and gave up a run on a Reggie Jackson sacrifice fly in the sixth. The burly right-hander escaped disaster in the ninth when he induced Doug DeCinces to bounce into a game-ending double play. The win improved Cowley’s record to 11-9 but was the last of his big league career. After the no-hitter, Cowley dropped his last two decisions of 1986. Following the season, Cowley was dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies for outfielder Gary Redus. Cowley struggled mightily in Philadelphia in 1987, losing all four of his decisions with a 15.43 ERA before leaving the game.