THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: JANUARY 7TH

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THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: JANUARY 7TH

 

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SOX PICK WORTHAM, CHAPPAS

1976: The White Sox selected future big leaguers Leo Sutherland, Rich Wortham, diminutive shortstop Harry Chappas, Mark Esser, Fred Howard and Andy McGaffigan in the January free agent draft. The Sox made Jesse Baez their first round pick in the regular phase of the draft and Sutherland their top pick in the secondary phase. Of the players the Sox signed, Wortham, a pitcher, turned out to be the top contributor from this draft. The left-hander went 14-14 with a 4.90 ERA for the 1979 Sox. The 5-foot-3 Chappas did make the cover of Sports Illustrated one spring as a promising rookie but he succumbed the magazine’s cover jinx and fizzled. After struggling in 1980, the Sox dealt Wortham to Montreal for second baseman Tony Bernazard. Sutherland, Chappas, Esser and Howard all had “cups of coffee” on the Southside. McGaffigan, a right-handed pitcher, was the one that definitely got away in this draft. The Sox were unable to sign their fifth round pick out of Palm Beach (Fla.) Junior College in the regular phase. McGaffigan was drafted and signed by the Yankees in the June 1978 draft and went on to have a serviceable big league career, going 38-33 with a 3.38 ERA in 363 games (62 starts) for the Yankees, Giants, Reds, Expos and Royals between 1981 and 1991.

 

HOYT KNUCKLES INTO THE HALL; FOX ROBBED

1985: Hoyt Wilhelm, who had some of his best seasons with the White Sox, was voted into the Hall of Fame on his eighth try. The news wasn’t as good for White Sox legend Nellie Fox, who just missed induction by receiving 74.68 percent of the vote. Fox needed to get to 75 percent for induction. The Hall did not round up –claiming Fox did not receive a true 75 percent of the vote -- leaving Fox short of his deserved Hall of Fame induction. Nellie’s long overdue induction into the Hall would finally comein 1997. Wilhelm, who pitched for the Sox from 1963 to 1968, topped the balloting with 331 votes. He was named on 83 percent of the ballots cast by the Baseball Writers Association of America, easily surpassing the 75 percent needed for induction. Former Cub Lou Brock alsoreceived enough votes for induction. Wilhelm used his knuckleball to go 41-33 for the Sox between 1963 and 1968 and his ERA was under 2.00 in each of his last five seasons on the Southside. On July 24, 1968, Wilhelm made his big league record 907th appearance in the second game of a doubleheader against Oakland before 13,089 at Comiskey Park. Wilhelm tied Cy Young’s record in the Sox 1-0 loss in the first game of the doubleheader and then broke it in the 2-1 setback in the nightcap. The ageless knuckleballer finished his career in 1972 at age 49 with 1,070 appearances. Others with Sox ties receiving votes but falling short of induction were Ron Santo, Don Larsen, Dick Allen, Wilbur Wood, Don Kessinger, Denny McLain and Clay Carroll.

 

A TERRIFIC TALLY: TOM’S IN

1992: Former White Sox pitcher Tom Seaver received a record 98.84 percent of the vote to earn induction into the Hall of Fame. Seaver was named on 425 of the 430 ballots. “Tom Terrific” pitched for the White Sox from 1984 until being traded midway through the 1986 season to the Boston Red Sox. Seaver went 33-28 in 81 games (79 starts) for the White Sox. Seaver won his 300th game in a White Sox uniform, beating the New York Yankees in New York on Aug. 4, 1985. Rollie Fingers also received enough votes for induction. Former Sox players Ron Santo, Jim Kaat, Dick Allen, Minnie Minoso, George Foster and Bobby Bonds were named on ballots but did not receive enough votes in balloting by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

 

A POLIITTE MOVE

2004: The White Sox signed reliever Cliff Politte to a one-year contract with a club option. Politte was adequate in 2004 – a season which was shortened by an appendectomy before turning a spectacular 2005. A key member of the bullpen, Politte was 7-1 with one save and 2.00 ERA for the 2005 World Series champion White Sox. 2006 didn’t go as well. Politte had a whopping 8.70 ERA in 30 appearances before he was released on July 20, 2006.