This Day In Sox History...September 1

[Lip Man 1]

September 1, 1970 - With the Sox about to end their worst season in franchise history, G.M. Ed Short was fired after nine years on the job.

Short would make brilliant off season deals in the mid-1960’s to net the club players like Hoyt Wilhelm, Pete Ward, Ron Hansen, Tommy John, Wilbur Wood and Tommy Agee but starting in 1968 his moves backfired and lost the club players like Agee, Tommy McCraw, Don Buford and Bob Locker without getting anything back of substance in return.

Sox owner John Allyn, who bought the team from his brother the year before, also fired field manager Don Gutteridge, scouts and other front office personnel in a massive house cleaning. Short actually began his White Sox career in 1950 when he was hired to serve as publicity director and then later as traveling secretary.

 

September 1, 1998 - Albert Belle hit his 42^nd home run of the season in Baltimore. In the same game he got his 337^th total base of the season. Both milestones set the franchise record in their respective categories in the Sox 9-5 win. Belle ended the year with 49 home runs, 152 RBI’s, a .328 batting average, 42 doubles, 200 hits and 399 total bases.

Later he’d say, with some truth, that he had a better year than the much-publicized duo of Mark McGwire and former Sox outfielder Sammy Sosa.