This Day In Sox History...June 25

Lip Man 1 · June 25, 2023

June 25, 1953 - Sox manager Paul Richards was regarded as one of the smartest people ever to lead a team in baseball history.

Here’s what I mean...with the Sox going for a series sweep of New York and leading 4-2 in the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium, Richards brought in pitcher Harry Dorish to relieve Billy Pierce. Only Richards didn’t remove Pierce from the game! He moved him to first base. After Dorish faced two hitters, Pierce was brought back to the mound to end the game which he did getting Johnny Mize to hit into a force out and then striking out pinch-hitter Bill Renna.

Richards pulled off this maneuver at least twice while the White Sox skipper, the first time on May 15, 1951 at Boston. In both cases the pitchers involved were Dorish and Pierce.

June 25, 1964 - An overflow crowd of over 52 thousand jammed Comiskey Park to watch the Sox hammer the Cubs 11-1 in the annual “Boys Benefit Game.” The Sox, who were the visiting team that night, hit four home runs including back-to-back-to-back shots in the third inning. The home runs were hit by Ron Hansen, Tommy McCraw and Jerry McNertney. Floyd Robinson also had a home run.

What was significant however was the fact that fans were allowed on the outfield grass behind ropes, since there wasn’t any room left in the park. It was the last time fans have ever been permitted to stand on the playing field for a game.

June 25, 1991 - Sox pitcher “Black” Jack McDowell fired the first shutout for the home team in the new Comiskey Park when he blanked the Mariners 4-0. Jack was masterful on the day and carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning. He’d end up with a three-hitter and seven strikeouts.

June 25, 2006 - With the White Sox trailing the Astros 9-2, in the eighth inning at U.S. Cellular Field, second baseman Tadahito Iguchi hit a three-run home run to narrow the deficit to 9-5. In the ninth inning, Iguchi connected again, this time for a grand slam to tie the game.

The Sox lost the game in the 13th inning, but Iguchi set a franchise record, as the White Sox had hit grand slams in three consecutive days. Scott Podsednik hit a grand slam two days earlier, and Joe Crede hit one the day before. Iguchi’s seven RBI’s was one off the club record.

June 25, 2016 - The White Sox tied the franchise record, first set in 1955, by blasting seven home runs in a single game. It took place against the Blue Jays at U.S. Cellular Field. But there was one problem…they lost the game 10-8. It was only the third time in baseball history to that point, a team hit that many home runs in a game and lost it. Detroit did it the other two times in 1995 and 2004.

The Sox players to hit home runs were Brett Lawrie with two, Dioner Navarro, J.B. Shuck, Tim Anderson, Alex Avila and Adam Eaton.

Edited June 25, 2023 by Lip Man 1

The Mighty Mite · June 25, 2023

1 hour ago, Lip Man 1 said:

June 25, 1953 - Sox manager Paul Richards was regarded as one of the smartest people ever to lead a team in baseball history.

Here’s what I mean...with the Sox going for a series sweep of New York and leading 4-2 in the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium, Richards brought in pitcher Harry Dorish to relieve Billy Pierce. Only Richards didn’t remove Pierce from the game! He moved him to first base. After Dorish faced two hitters, Pierce was brought back to the mound to end the game which he did getting Johnny Mize to hit into a force out and then striking out pinch-hitter Bill Renna.

Richards pulled off this maneuver at least twice while the White Sox skipper, the first time on May 15, 1951 at Boston. In both cases the pitchers involved were Dorish and Pierce.

June 25, 1964 - An overflow crowd of over 52 thousand jammed Comiskey Park to watch the Sox hammer the Cubs 11-1 in the annual “Boys Benefit Game.” The Sox, who were the visiting team that night, hit four home runs including back-to-back-to-back shots in the third inning. The home runs were hit by Ron Hansen, Tommy McCraw and Jerry McNertney. Floyd Robinson also had a home run.

What was significant however was the fact that fans were allowed on the outfield grass behind ropes, since there wasn’t any room left in the park. It was the last time fans have ever been permitted to stand on the playing field for a game.

June 25, 1991 - Sox pitcher “Black” Jack McDowell fired the first shutout for the home team in the new Comiskey Park when he blanked the Mariners 4-0. Jack was masterful on the day and carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning. He’d end up with a three-hitter and seven strikeouts.

June 25, 2006 - With the White Sox trailing the Astros 9-2, in the eighth inning at U.S. Cellular Field, second baseman Tadahito Iguchi hit a three-run home run to narrow the deficit to 9-5. In the ninth inning, Iguchi connected again, this time for a grand slam to tie the game.

The Sox lost the game in the 13th inning, but Iguchi set a franchise record, as the White Sox had hit grand slams in three consecutive days. Scott Podsednik hit a grand slam two days earlier, and Joe Crede hit one the day before. Iguchi’s seven RBI’s was one off the club record.

June 25, 2016 - The White Sox tied the franchise record, first set in 1955, by blasting seven home runs in a single game. It took place against the Blue Jays at U.S. Cellular Field. But there was one problem…they lost the game 10-8. It was only the third time in baseball history to that point, a team hit that many home runs in a game and lost it. Detroit did it the other two times in 1995 and 2004.

The Sox players to hit home runs were Brett Lawrie with two, Dioner Navarro, J.B. Shuck, Tim Anderson, Alex Avila and Adam Eaton.

I attended the 1964 SOX-CUBS game and it was by far the largest crowd I ever saw at old Comiskey. My girlfriend and I had to sit in an aisle in the upper deck down the right field line, there was nowhere for venders to sell their goodies except in the lower and upper deck walkways that separated the box seats from the grandstand seats. I still contend it was larger than the 55,000 that supposedly showed up on Bat Day in May of 1973, that was a big crowd that day but not as big as 1964 as fans were standing on the warning track from dead center field to the right field foul pole. To say they oversold the ballpark is putting it mildly.

Edited June 25, 2023 by The Mighty Mite