THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: DECEMBER 12TH/'45 Cubs, Bernazard

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THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: DECEMBER 12TH

 

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IT WASN’T THE GOAT … IT WAS SKEETER

1944: While they didn’t know it at the time, the White Sox played a part in the Cubs’ loss to the Tigers in the 1945 World Series. On this date, the Sox traded light-hitting shortstop Skeeter Webb to the Detroit Tigers for infielder Joe Orengo. While he hit only .199 for the A.L. champion Tigers, Webb did do some damage against the Cubs in what turned out to be their last World Series appearances … 62 years ago. Webb ignited the Tigers’ five-run first in Game 7 at Wrigley Field with a single. He later scored the first run of the frame as the Tigers went on to win 9-3. Orengo was just 1-for-15 in his only 17 games for the Sox in 1945 but who really cares, right? This deal got the job done. … Also on this date, the Sox dealt outfielder Eddie Carnett to Cleveland for outfielder Oris Hockett.

 

OPEN FOR BUSINESS

1975: On the busiest trading day in team history, the White Sox and general manager Roland Hemond executed four trades involving 11 players. When the dealing was done, the Sox had outfielders Buddy Bradford, Ralph Garr (who was celebrating his 30th birthday), pitchers Greg Terlecky and Clay Carroll and infielder Jack Brohamer. Players dealt by the Sox were speedster Lee “B.B.” Richard, Ken Henderson, Dick Ruthven, Ozzie Osborn, Larvell “Sugar Bear” Blanks and Rich Hinton. The flurry activity was new owner Bill Veeck’s attempt to give the team a makeover. In the end, the only player that made any kind of impact for the Sox was Garr, who hit .300 in each of his first two years with the Sox.

 

THE TONY BERNAZARD STORY

1980: General manager Roland Hemond pulled off another one of those quietly effective deals when snared switch-hitting second baseman Tony Bernazard from the Montreal Expos for erratic left-handed pitcher Rich “Tex” Wortham. Bernazard was a rock for the Sox, especially in 1982 when he hit .256 with 11 homers and 56 RBIs. Any chance the Sox had at winning the West that year ended when Bernazard suffered a season-ending leg injury Sept. 12 in Oakland. After playing 59 games in 1983, Bernazard was dealt to Seattle in a June 15 deadline deal in which the Sox got fellow second baseman Julio Cruz, who played an instrumental role in the team’s surge to the A.L. West title. It must have been crushing for Bernazard to watch his old team celebrate the division title on Sept. 17, 1983 when the Sox clinched with a 4-3 win over Seattle before 45,646 at Comiskey Park. Eight years later, Bernazard was on the other side of another historic White Sox moment though he probably enjoyed this one a little more than he did in 1983. Bernazard went 1-for-2 off the bench in the Tigers’ 16-0 win over the White Sox in the first game at “new” Comiskey Park April 18, 1991. Bernazard also presented the ball that Frank Thomas hit for the first All-Star home run in White Sox history to the “Big Hurt” in 1995. The home run traveled into the second deck and landedin the Players’ Association suite where Alex Fehr, the nine-year old nephew of union chief Donald Fehr caught the ball. White Sox Manager of Scoreboard Operations Jeff Szynal, who also serves as the team’s Hall of Fame curator, left his seat in the left field stands to retrieve the ball. Szynal and Bernazard, who was in the MLPA suite, took the ball to the American League clubhouse and gave it to Thomas. As for Wortham, he had one game left in his arm and it came in 1983 for Oakland.

 

BRITT TO THE BRONX

1985: The White Sox dealt left-handed pitcher Britt Burns to the New York Yankees for pitcher Joe Cowley and catcher Ron Hassey. Burns had a great 1985, going 18-11 with a 3.96 ERA with 172 strikeouts but he never pitched again. A degenerative hip condition ended Burns’ career when it should have been hitting its stride. Cowley gave the Sox one season before being dealt to Philadelphia for outfielder Gary Redus. Hassey was dealt back to the Yankees during spring training but was later acquired again from the “Bronx Bombers” in a mid-season blockbuster swap July 30, 1986.