This Day In Sox History...March 21

[Lip Man 1]

March 21, 1900 - After a meeting with the Chicago Cubs, the way was cleared for Charles Comiskey to bring his team from St. Paul, Minnesota to Chicago. They would set up shop on the South Side of the city.

In fact, though, Comiskey was bringing the team to town regardless of whether the Cubs approved it or not. The meeting was set up though to try to avoid any conflicts. They would have immediate success winning the 1900 pennant going 82-53 and beating Milwaukee by four and a half games. 

 

March 21, 1931 – The White Sox defeated the New York Giants, 11-6, in the first night game ever played between American or National League teams.

The contest took place in front of 2,500 fans at Buff Stadium in Houston, under 235-kilowatt bulbs held aloft by six steel towers, each 120 feet high.  The game was arranged only 11 days before it was played.

There were 23 total hits in the game, but the score was deadlocked 6-6 after nine innings. In the top of the 10th, Bill Cissell scored Willie Kamm with a single for the game-winning RBI. Luke Appling also clubbed a two-run double in the rally.

 

March 21, 1997 - The Sox suffered a major blow to their hopes for a championship when star third baseman Robin Ventura destroyed his ankle and lower leg on a slide at home plate in a spring game against the Red Sox.

The injury was so horrific that a woman sitting in the stands passed out when she saw the result. It was caused because his spikes caught in the wet, muddy, ground. The result was that Ventura’s foot was pointed 180 degrees opposite of the way a foot is supposed to be. The injury took place only 10 days before the season opener and the Sox were left in a state of shock.

G. M. Ron Schueler announced to the media the team would be looking for a replacement, and then did nothing to fill the void staying in-house with Greg Norton and Chris Snopek. They combined for five home runs and 36 RBI’s in 105 games.

Thankfully after a rigorous rehabilitation process, Robin would be back to play in 54 games that season and continue to have an outstanding Major League career after he left the Sox as a free agent.