This Day In Sox History...July 8

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July 8, 1941 - Edgar Smith became the first Sox pitcher to win an All-Star Game. He got the decision in the A.L.’s 7-5 win even though he gave up two runs on two hits in two innings. This was the game where Ted Williams hit a three-run home run in the last of the ninth to win it in Detroit.

Smith was joined on the team by Luke Appling (SS) and Thornton Lee (P) of the White Sox.

 

July 8, 1943 - Sox pitcher Orval Grove almost got himself a no-hitter and against the Yankees to boot. Joe Gordon’s bloop double with two out in the ninth spoiled it, but Grove did win the game 1-0 at Comiskey Park. It ran his record to 7-0 at the time. He’d finish 15-9 with a 2.75 ERA for the year.

 

July 8, 1947 - White Sox shortstop Luke Appling played a key role in the A.L.’s 2-1 win in the All-Star Game, held across town at Wrigley Field. Appling, 40, had been named to his seventh and final All-Star Game as a substitute.

With the A.L. trailing, 1-0, Appling pinch-hit for John “Buddy” Lewis of the Senators, to lead off the sixth inning and singled off of Harry “the Cat” Brecheen. Ted Williams singled Appling to third, and “Ol’ Aches and Pains” came home with the tying run when Joe DiMaggio grounded into a double play.

The next inning, pinch-hitter Stan Spence singled in Bobby Doerr for the A.L.’s eventual game-winner. The other Sox representative that year was Rudy York (1B)

 

July 8, 1958 - Sox ace pitcher Early Wynn got the win in the All-Star Game in Baltimore as the A.L. defeated the N.L. 4-3.

Wynn entered the game in the sixth inning with the score tied at 3-3. He pitched a perfect inning. Then in the last of that inning the American League scored the eventual winning run on a single by the Yankees Gil McDougald scoring Frank Malzone of the Red Sox.

In addition to Wynn, the Sox representatives were Luis Aparicio (SS), Nellie Fox (2B), Sherm Lollar (C) and Billy Pierce (P). Fox and Aparicio were named starters.

 

July 8, 2016 – In a game at home against the Braves, the White Sox pulled off their third triple play of the season. That hadn’t happened in Major League Baseball since 1979. It happened in the third inning of an 11-8 loss. Shortstop Tim Anderson fielded a Freddie Freeman ground ball, tagged out lead runner Chase d’Arnaud before stepping on second base to force out former Sox infielder Gordon Beckham and then threw to first baseman Jose Abreu to throw out Freeman. Both the Red Sox and A’s accomplished the feat of three triple plays during the 1979 season, according to the Society for American Baseball Research’s triple play database. The White Sox turned a triple play on April 22 against the Rangers and turned the second on May 18 against the Astros.