This Day In Sox History...June 23

[Lip Man 1]

June 23, 1919 – White Sox center fielder Oscar “Happy” Felsch tied a record originally set in 1904 when he recorded 12 chances in a nine-inning game. He had 11 putouts and one assist in the 3-2 loss to Cleveland at Comiskey Park. That record has never been matched.

 

June 23, 1956 – It was first of the two great fights on the field between Yankee and White Sox players; almost one year later, June 13, 1957, the second one took place.

In this one Bob Grim (the late uncle to former Sox Director of Business Development and Broadcasting Bob Grim) threw one high and tight to Sox outfielder Dave Philley in the home half of the sixth inning. The ball glanced off Philley’s shoulder and bounced into his batting helmet knocking it off.

Philley charged the mound as the benches and bullpens emptied. Both players swung at each other, as the rest of the teams held each other back. Order was restored after about 20 minutes. Philley was tossed from the game.

Grim was allowed to stay in, but perhaps shaken; he was tagged for two runs...driven in by Sherm Lollar and Luis Aparicio, the only runs on the day in the Sox 2-0 win.

 

June 23, 1958 - The Sox purchased the contract of pitcher Omar “Turk” Lown from the Reds. Lown and teammate Gerry Staley, also acquired via the purchase route in 1956, gave the Sox one of the top bullpens in baseball during the late 1950's/early 1960's.

They were especially effective during the 1959 championship season. That year Lown would go 9-2 with a 2.89 ERA and 15 saves. Staley also had 15 saves that year and those two led the league in that category. Lown’s best pitch was a blazing fastball that was among the best in baseball. The first time he faced both Mickey Mantle and Ted Williams he threw nothing but fastballs and struck them both out on three pitches.

 

June 23, 1963 - Sox catcher J.C. Martin set an American League record by being involved in three double plays in a 2-0 loss at Cleveland. Martin had two strike out/throw out double plays and was also in the middle of a third base to catcher to first base one.

His record would later be tied by another Sox catcher, Ed Hermann. And in both cases the Sox would lose the game!