StatManDu

QUOTE(G&T @ Mar 14, 2007 -> 08:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That was my interpretation in the game thread. It seemed that he was working on his curve and change. Fellow Sox Fans, I saw Jenks pitch today and I thought his sole purpose was to work on his breaking pitch. He threw it in all situations in the count and didn't look too interested in unleashing the trademark fastball. I was watching at work so I had the sound down so I am not sure if Hawk or Zzzzzzzzz.J. talked about that. www.whitesoxalmanac.com

MARCH 14TH JORDAN SHOWS ‘EM … KIND OF 1994: On the day Sports Illustrated released a cover story imploring him to quit, White Sox minor leaguer Michael Jordan delivered his first professional hit. “I’m glad it’s over and done with,” Jordan after the Sox 9-5 split squad Grapefruit League win over the Minnesota Twins. Jordan’s infield hit ended an 0-for-14 start to his pro career. For more visit www.whitesoxalmanac.com

MARCH 13TH TOM TERRIFIC VS. DOC 1985: A Met great of the past met a Met great of the present in the White Sox 6-0 Grapefruit League victory over the New York Mets at Payne Park in Sarasota, Fla. The White Sox Tom Seaver, making his second start of the spring, was sharp. “Tom Terrific,” who came to the Sox from the Mets before the 1984 season, hurled five shutout frames and gave up just a single to Len Dykstra. “I’ve only seen him on television,” Gooden said of Seaver in press reports of the day. “I’ve never spoken to him. I wouldn’t mind meeting him. I am sure there are some tips he could give me.” Gooden, the reigning National League Rookie of the Year, fashioned three goose-eggs in his spring training debut. The hard-throwing Gooden gave up just singles to Harold Baines and Carlton Fisk. “He has good mechanics and it looks like he has a terrific arm,” Seaver said of Gooden. Both men would go on to have historic seasons. Seaver would win 15 games and notch his 300th win while Gooden would go 24-4 and win the N.L. Cy Young Award. For the rest of the day ... see whitesoxalmanac.com

HOOSIER SPRING HOME 1945: The White Sox opened their final wartime spring training camp in Terre Haute, Ind. Wartime travel restrictions forced the White Sox into some unconventional spring training homes. In 1943 and 1944, the Sox trained in French Lick, Ind., better known as the hometown of NBA legend Larry Bird. After working out in Terre Haute -- where Bird played for Indiana State – for one year, the Sox went West after the war, returning to Pasadena, Calif., where they had trained from 1933 to 1942. BEATING UP THE BIRD 1981: The White Sox put a dent in Mark “The Bird” Fidrych’s comeback when they pounded the Detroit right-hander in a 13-5 Grapefruit League victory in Lakeland. The Sox ripped Fidrych, who had struggled with injuries since winning the 1976 A.L. Rookie of the Year Award, for six runs. The big blow was Rusty Kuntz’s two-run home run in the first inning. For the rest of the day in White Sox history, see whitesoxalmanac.com

QUOTE(YASNY @ Mar 11, 2007 -> 02:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I don't believe Bunning was ever Governor of Kentucky. You're right. Nominated in 1983. I'll fix it. Thanks for the heads up. StatmanDu

MARCH 11TH BATTERING A HALL OF FAMER 1971: The White Sox, coming off a 106-loss season, showed no mercy on future Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Bunning in a Grapefruit League game in Florida. The Sox lit up the Phillie right-hander, who went on to become a U.S. Senator and Governor of Kentucky, for six runs on 10 hits in an exhibition victory. ANOTHER DECADE FOR MINNIE 1991: White Sox legend Minnie Minoso received a boost from an old friend in his quest to play professional baseball in a sixth different decade. Mike Veeck, president of the Florida State League’s Pompana Beach Miracle, announced that Minoso would play April 13 against the Ft. Lauderdale Yankees. Minoso, who played for Mike’s dad Bill in both Cleveland and Chicago, had appeared in at least one game in each of the previous five decades. Bill Veeck afforded Minnie the opportunity to extend the streak in 1976 and 1980 with the White Sox. Commissioner Fay Vincent denied Minoso’s quest on April 10 but he did get his chance in 1993 and 2003 for Mike Veeck’s independent St. Paul Saints. For the rest of the day visit www.whitesoxalmanac.com where it's never the offseason!

MARCH 10TH: PUDGE, BO AND AIR NO RISK … IT’S FISK 1981: In one of the great moves in the history of the franchise, the new ownership group of Jerry Reinsdorf and Eddie Einhorn signed All-Star catcher Carlton Fisk giving their regime instant credibility. Fisk became a free agent when the Boston Red Sox failed to postmark his contract. The Sox literally camped out on Fisk’s doorstep in getting him to agree to a $3 million contract. Fisk became a legend in his first game with the Sox when he launched a game-winning homer against his old team in his old park. Days later, in his home debut, Fisk thrilled the 51,560 at Comiskey Park with a grand slam. Fisk went on to become one of the greatest and most popular players in team history despite his many squabbles with management throughout his tenure in Chicago. BO KNOWS COMING, GOING, COMING AND SURGERY 1992: On a day he was both demoted and retained, White Sox DH Bo Jackson announced he would have surgery – most likely replacement surgery -- on his ailing hip. Jackson injured his left hip while playing for the Raiders on Jan. 14, 1991. Bo was released by the Royals but signed by the Sox and he joined the team for September of that season. The following spring training was a struggle for Jackson. While his numbers were good, the hip ailment curtailed his mobility. It was sad seeing Jackson struggle out of the box to first base even if it was in a Soxuniform. On this date, the Sox demoted Jackson to Triple-A Vancouver. Upon refusing the assignment, Bo became a free agent and agreed to a one-year pact with two options. Jackson sat out the 1992 season after having reconstructive hip surgery on April 5. Jackson made history when he became the first player in history to appear in a big league game with an artificial hip on April 9, 1993. LETTING THE AIR OUT 1995: Farmhand Michael Jordan walked out of the White Sox spring camp in Sarasota, Fla., ending his quest to become a Major Leaguer. Publicly, Jordan did not blame anyone for his decision to retire but he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Owners were using replacement players in exhibition games while the union was still on strike. Union chief Donald Fehr countered by declaring that minor leaguers who played in paid exhibition games would be considered strikebreakers. To avoid the mess, which obviously made him uncomfortable, Jordan bolted. Eight days later, Jordan announced he was returning to the NBA. Jordan spent 1994 at the Sox Double-A affiliate in Birmingham, Ala. Playing the outfield, Jordan hit .202 with three homers, 51 RBIs and 30 stolen bases while setting attendance records throughout the Southern League. Not bad for a guy who had never played professional baseball before. For more on this day, plus a look at Carlton Fisk's greatest White Sox hits, visit www.whitesoxalmanac.com

MARCH 9TH TRAGEDY STRIKES 1927: A suicide attempt on this date cost White Sox star outfielder most of the 1927 season. It happened in the Sox spring training hotel in Shreveport, La. According to Rich Lindberg’s “Total White Sox,” Mostil inflicted 13 razor cuts to his wrist, arms and neck. The wounds put him near death for days but he slowly recovered his strength and will to live, according to Lindberg. Press reports of the day claimed that Mostil complained of neuritis though rumors circulated that the engaged Mostil was depressed and the cause of that depression was an affair he was having with a teammate’s wife. Mostil came back in 1928 and played briefly in 1929 before leaving the game. He returned to the Sox in 1949 as a scout and thrived for two decades in that role. A DIFFERENT KIND OF STRIKE 1972: The White Sox were the first team to authorize a strike while the union and owners were in negotiations. The Sox voted 31-0 to authorize the stoppage. The main issues in the conflict were health and pension benefits for the players. For the rest of the day and more visit www.whitesoxalmanac.com

MARCH 8TH YOU’RE ON THE AIR! 1948: The White Sox will have their games put on that new-fangled device called television, it was revealed on this date. The plan was for WGN, which was billed a “new television station” in the Chicago Tribune, to air the White Sox home schedule in its entirety. Jack Brickhouse and Harry Creighton would call the games until 1954 when Vince Lloyd joined the team. This began a relationship which would have the White Sox exclusively on WGN through 1967 before they moved to WFLD. The Sox relationship with WGN resumed in 1981 for a year and again in 1990. BAD OMEN FOR THIGGY 1993: Bobby Thigpen, the White Sox career saves leader, fashioned another stinker in the White Sox 11-5 win over the Minnesota Twins in a Grapefruit League game at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Florida. Thigpen yielded five runs in an inning on the heels of his spring debut in which he surrendered five earned runs in one inning. “It’s spring training, who cares,” Thigpen said after the turbulent outing against Minnesota. Truth be told, Thipgen was never the same after that historic 57-save season of 1990. By the time of this rough spring start, Thigpen had lost his closer’s job to Roberto Hernandez. 1993 was a struggle for Thigpen. On Aug. 10, he was dealt to Philadelphia for Jose DeLeon. For the rest of the day and more visit www.whitesoxalamanac.com

MARCH 7TH INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION 1975: The White Sox lost to the Chunichi Dragons 1-0 in an exhibition game in Sarasota, Florida. The Dragons were touring the States as the defending champions of the Japanese Central League. WHO NEEDS THE DH? 1994: White Sox ace Jack McDowell gave up one hit in four innings and delivered a run-scoring double in a 3-2 split squad loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates in a Grapefruit League game in Bradenton, Fla. The reigning Cy Young Award winner drove in Mike LaValliere with a gapper in the fourth-inning for his first hit in seven spring training at bats. The next day’s Chicago Tribune pointed out that McDowell notched his first spring hit before Michael Jordan did. For the rest of the day, visit www.whitesoxalmanac.com

QUOTE(WilliamTell @ Mar 6, 2007 -> 04:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I love Bo. I do, too. Probably one of the more memorable "short termer" White Sox. Still a beloved figure and welcome at the park. I can't imagine him on the infield though.

QUOTE(TheOcho @ Mar 6, 2007 -> 04:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> You should be thanking god we don't have to listen to the Cub's guys. Look past the fact they are doing the game for the Cubs but they SUCK. Game Ova by the way. Sox lose. Agreed. There is just no enthusiasm, no life. Very condescending.

Could DJ be more boring? ... He can stop saying "go ahead" any time now, too. Put Farmer and Harrelson together, simulcast it and send the other guys adrfit ... PLEASE!

chatting if anyone is interested

If anyone is interested in "chatting" during the game, I would be happy to get it started around 2. I will be watching for at least the first hour and then from about 330 on.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: MARCH 6 WHITE SOX-CUBS: TOGETHER AGAIN 1981: The White Sox and Cubs announced that they will resume their exhibition series the following April. The series, which had been dormant for nearly a decade, would actually resume the following August in the wake of the players strike. The city rivals would play an exhibition game in each Chicago park as a tuneup for the resumption of the “championship” season. The games in 1982 never materialized and the series wouldn’t resume until 1985. BO DOESN’T KNOW FIRST BASE 1993: The White Sox gave Bo Jackson a look-see at first base in a 6-2 Grapefruit League loss to the Texas Rangers in Port Charlotte, Fla. Three quickerrors may have showed the Sox that Jackson was not cut out for infield play. “I knew I stunk out there but I was having fun,” Jackson said in the Chicago Tribune. “I was lucky to get out of there with three errors.” Jackson never played a regular season game at first base in his eight-year career. For more dates plus a trivia question visit www.whitesoxalmanac.com

QUOTE(Beltin @ Mar 5, 2007 -> 09:15 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> If my memory serves me right, I thought Berg was a catcher. Am I mistaken? On that note has anyone ever read his entertaining biography, The Catcher was a Spy? I read it a while back. Fascinating man on many levels. Moe broke in as a shortstop and took up catching in 1927 when Sox manager Ray Schalk was short on backstops.

MARCH 5TH WHERE’S MOE? 1926: Rookie shortstop Moe Berg was not at the White Sox spring training camp in Shreveport, Louisiana. The Sox explained that Berg was taking a law course at Columbia University in New York and won’t be available until May 15. Who knows where Berg actually was? Later in life, he spent time working for the O.S.S., the forerunner to the CIA. With Berg out of the picture (he actually didn’t play for the Sox in 1926), the Sox brought on Everett Scott, recently released by Washington, to play shortstop. Berg is one of the most interesting players in baseball history. His Society of American Baseball Research bio is worth a read at http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&am...756&pid=962 JORDAN’S FIRST START: 0-FOR-3, RUN, RBI 1994: In his first start, Michael Jordan went 0-for-3 with a run and an RBI in the White Sox 15-7 Grapefruit League win over the Texas Rangers in Port Charlotte, Fla. Jordan started in right field and batted sixth. The offensive hero of the day was Robin Ventura, who homered and drove in four runs in his only two at bats. For the rest of the day, visit www.whitesoxalmanac.com

MARCH 4TH M.J. DEBUTS FOR THE WHITE SOX 1994: White Sox non-roster invitee Michael Jordan went 0-for-1 in his spring training debut in the White Sox 9-0 loss to the Texas Rangers in the Grapefruit League opener before 7,091 curiosity-seekers at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fla. Jordan, signed by the White Sox as a free agent in February, entered the game in right field in the sixth and was retired by Texas pitcher Darren Oliver on a comebacker in his lone at bat. “I good wood on it,” Jordan said of his at bat. “I didn’t strike out so that’s a step forward.” The only action he saw in the field was gloving a Jose Canseco bloop double but he had no fly balls hit his way. For the rest of today's entry visit www.whitesoxalmanac.com

If it's OK with everybody, I'll post the first couple of items from my daily blog with a link at the end. MARCH 3RD THE FORERUNNER TO THE DH 1967: The White Sox were given permission to use a semi-designated hitter during spring training. With the OK of the home club, teams will be permitted to use a “designated pinch-hitter” twice in a game. ONE LAST PACT FOR PUDGE 1993: Catcher Carlton Fisk signed what turned out to be his final contract with the White Sox when he signed a minor league agreement. The 45-year old Fisk entered the season 24 games shy of the all-time games caught record. He would eclipse the mark in June and then be released. JORDAN COMES UP EMPTY IN SCRIMMAGE 1994: Michael Jordan went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in an intrasquad game before 1,736 at the White Sox minor league camp in Sarasota, Fla. Jordan batted sixth and played for coach Joe Nossek’s team. In his first at bat, Jordan made good contact against James Baldwin but Warren Newson snared the liner in left with a backhanded grab. In his final two at bats, Jordan was whiffed on offspeed pitches by Rodney Bolton and Scott Christman. “It was my first game and I felt nervous out of element,” said Jordan, who signed a minor league contract with the Sox on Feb. 7. “Hopefully, I’ll get another chance and be a little more comfortable.” www.whitesoxalmanac.com

Good stuff from both Beltin Bill and SoxFan562004. ... I think Levine is wrong although I havent' seen the clip. If the Veterans are doing their homework, they are exactly the right people to be voting in players. If not them, who? It's just really hard to get a handle on this whole process but it appears pioneering doesn't really resonate with the Hall. It took Larry Doby forever to get in and he was an obvious pioneer. The subtle pioneers such as Tommy John (arm surgery) or even Santo (diabetes if you want to look at it like that) are having a helluva time getting in. The fact that the players didn't vote MARVIN MILLER in, should say something.

QUOTE(Jimbo @ Mar 1, 2007 -> 10:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> No votes for Donn Pall or Don Wakamatsu or Ron Karkovice...this crap is tainted i say. Don't forget Jose Munoz, BB Richard, Chris Snopek or Nyls Nyman

QUOTE(Friend of Nordhagen @ Feb 28, 2007 -> 10:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That's because your intelligence and research capabilities are a threat to the linear-thinkers who run that board. Welcome. I have been a contributor to the White Sox Dept. of Scoreboard Operations since 1984. Surprise! I do a ton of research and writing for them. All of the stats that flash when a batter comes up is my work. Daily trivia, farm notes and the "White Sox Almanac" on the black and white board, that is my work. I am a seasonal employee -- not full time as are most of my colleagues. I work about 50 games a year because I have a fulltime job that -- boo! -- has to take priority occasionally. Much of the material I have for my blog is already written because of my work with the Sox. I love the work. I love the people I work with -- and that includes Gene Honda and Nancy Faust. My boss is one of the great people on this earth. The White Sox Dept. of Scoreboard Operations has been the springboard to great things both on and off the field for people. It is a great place to work. It is a tremendous, professional crew. The White Sox have been very good to me in giving me freedom to just research and display. I'll just keep them coming!

QUOTE(The Critic @ Feb 28, 2007 -> 07:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> He did have the best statistical season of any Cub in 1969, that's true. I should probably have been more specific in saying that he was the 4th best player on that team in that era, not that singular season. Banks, Williams and Jenkins all had better overall careers than Santo in my opinion. And as much credit as he deserves for his offensive stats, he deserves equal amounts of blame for his whining, complaining, showboating and his locker-room burial of Don Young. Quite the teammate..... I just think the guy is a bitter, humorless man, and it's REAL hard for me to root for a guy like that, especially when he's propped up to be this lovable, sympathetic teddy bear figure that he clearly is not. I just think it says a lot too for Santo that there has been this protracted, emotional campaign to get the man into the Hall of Fame and it just isn't happening. What was yesterday? The 20th try to get Santo into the Hall? Someone may be trying to send a message on this one.

Thanks! Love to share info! PS-I was banned from WSI for linking to my blog in my web signature and 'questioning the mods decisions'