This Day In Sox History...July 25

Lip Man 1 · July 25, 2023

July 25, 1925 - Sox catcher and future Hall of Famer Ray “Cracker” Schalk played in his 1,576^th game behind the plate…at that time it was the Major League record. He played his entire career except for five games with the Sox between 1912 and 1928.

July 25, 1954 - In the first game of a twin bill at Boston, Sox pitcher Jack Harshman set the franchise record by striking out 16 Red Sox. Harshman, a converted first baseman, was taught a ‘slip pitch,’ a variation of a palm ball by manager Paul Richards. He’d get the win 5-2. At the time it was two off the Major League record. 13 of his strikeouts were swinging on the day. The Sox would then sweep the double header taking the second game, 4-2.

July 25, 1955 – As part of the class of 1955 White Sox pitcher Ted Lyons entered the Hall of Fame on this day. Lyons spent his entire 21-year career with the White Sox winning a total of 260 games. 17 times he won at least 10 games in a season and in three of those years he won over 20. He saved 25 games and had a staggering 356 complete games!

July 25, 1955 –On the same day former White Sox pitcher Ted Lyons entered the Hall of Fame, former White Sox catcher Ray Schalk garnered the same honor. The two were actually teammates for a little over five seasons on the South Side. Schalk caught over 17-hundred games in his career which was the Major League record at the time. He led the league in fielding, putouts, assists and chances for a single season and caught four no-hitters including a perfect game with the team thrown by Charlie Robertson. He was the best defensive catcher in baseball in the early part of the 20^th century.

July 25, 1959 - Marathon game #2 of the 1959 season took place again against the Orioles and again at Comiskey Park. This one was another 17-inning affair that saw the Sox tie the game in the ninth and then win it thanks to Harry “Suitcase” Simpson’s single, scoring Sammy Esposito. The final was 3-2. Bob Shaw started and went 11 innings, Omar “Turk” Lown then went the last six innings and got the win.

July 25, 2020 – Some afternoons you just can’t miss. Such was the case for Sox utility player Leury Garcia. In a game against the Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field, Leury homered from both sides of the plate in a 10-3 pasting of Minnesota. His first home run came hitting left-handed off of Zach Littell. The other long ball came hitting right-handed off of Devin Smeltzer. On the day he’d go 3 for 4 with two runs scored and four RBI’s. He became the eighth White Sox player to pull off this feat.