THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: DECEMBER 14TH

[StatManDu]

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: DECEMBER 14TH

 

For more, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com

 

A JUAN-DERFUL DEAL

1960: The White Sox snared a staple of their rotation for the next six years and it all cost them was aging slugger. On this date, the Sox acquired left-hander Juan Pizarro from the Reds with fellow pitcher Cal McLish in exchange for third baseman Gene Freese. Pizarro went on to become an All-Star in 1963. The following year he went 19-9 with a 2.56 ERA. In McLish, the Sox had the player with one of the longest names in big league history in the fold. Calvin Coolidge Julius Caesar Tuskahoma McLish would pitch just one season for the Southsiders. … Also on this day, the Sox lost Earl Averill, Ted Kluszewski, Jim McAnany and Ken McBride to Los Angeles and Dick Donovan, Joe Hicks and Ed Hobaugh to Washington in the Expansion Draft.

 

BEWARE THE BRAT

1965: The White Sox hired Eddie Stanky to succeed Al Lopez as manager. This signaled a major departure in managerial styles at Comiskey Park. The Sox replaced the affable, cerebral Lopez with the bombastic Stanky, who was known as “The Brat” for obvious reasons. Stanky pushed, pulled and cajoled the 1967 light-hitting White Sox to within a hair of one of the most improbable pennants in history. On July 12, 1968, 78 games into the season, Stanky resigned and was replaced by the man he replaced, Al Lopez.

 

DEALING BLACK JACK

1994: With a new player compenstation system looming because of the on-going work stoppage, the White Sox sent pitcher Jack McDowell to the New York Yankees for minor leaguer Keith Heberling and a player to be named later. The Sox dealt potential free agent McDowell for fear of getting nothing in return. The deal was completed April 22, 1995 when the Yankees sent outfielder Lyle Mouton to Chicago. McDowell was a two-time 20-game winner and Cy Young Award winner with the White Sox. He was a battler in the true sense of the word. Sadly, one of the legacies he left was his failure in two starts in the 1993 American League Championship Series.

 

ROYCE ROLLS INTO TOWN

2000: The White Sox gained and lost a shortstop all on the same day. In a trade with Texas, the Sox acquired slick-fielding Royce Clayton from Texas for pitchers Aaron Myette and Brian Schmack. Also on this day, the Sox lost the enigmatic Mike Caruso on waivers to the Seattle Mariners. After his sterling rookie season of 1998, Caruso’s production dipped so dramatically in 1999, he spent all of 2000 at Triple-A Charlotte while the team he was supposed to be a major part of was winning the division. Clayton continued his fine fielding but his presence immediately caused friction because Jose Valentin was an offensive force for the 2000 A.L. Central champions at shortstop. Clayton’s stay on the Southside lasted just short of two years and ended when he was released Sept. 8, 2002 amid controversy.