This Day In Sox History...December 7

[Lip Man 1]

December 7, 1984 - Another small move but it was important. The Sox sent Vance Law to Montreal for relief pitcher “Bullet” Bob James. James would come of age in 1985 with 32 saves, eight wins and a 2.13 ERA. He’d remain with the team through 1987 but was never the same after a knee injury in Baltimore in July 1985.

 

December 7, 2005 - Frank Thomas, probably the best hitter in team history became a free agent after the Sox declined to pick up his 10-million-dollar option.

Sox G.M. Kenny Williams had no choice in the matter...Thomas was coming off back-to-back injury plagued seasons. At his age and weight and with the addition of slugger Jim Thome and the resigning of first baseman Paul Konerko, there was no longer a place for him in the lineup. Thomas would eventually sign an incentive laden deal with the A’s in late January and continue his Hall of Fame career.

 

December 7, 2020 – He was credited by some, including Sox G.M. Roland Hemond, as being the man who saved the franchise. Dick Allen, the 1972 American League M.V.P. died at the age of 78.

Allen was acquired in a trade with the Dodgers by Hemond and manager Chuck Tanner, from the Dodgers at the 1971 winter meetings. His impact was immediate as he played the 1972 season at a near Triple Crown pace leading the league in home runs and RBI’s and finishing third in batting average. He was named the M.V.P. that November.

In three years with the Sox Allen led the league in home runs twice and was named to the All-Star team three seasons.   

His exciting play kept fans attending games at Comiskey Park and helped keep the team financially solvent. Twice Allen has missed induction into the Hall of Fame by one vote. In one of his last interviews he said if ever he was elected, he wanted to go in wearing a White Sox hat on his plaque.