THIS DATE IN SOX HISTORY: FEB. 2

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THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: FEBRUARY 2ND

 

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GOODBYE RUDY

1948: The White Sox gave slugging first baseman Rudy York his walking papers after the Alabama native had slugged 15 home runs in 400 at bats in 1947. The Sox acquired York, who led the A.L. in homers and RBIs for the ’43 Tigers, from Boston in June of 1947. At the time, his 262 homers were the most a player ever had upon joining the Sox. York’s release paved the way for Tony Lupien, the reigning Pacific Coast League MVP, to take over at first base. Lupien, who had played with the Boston Braves and Philadelphia A’s in the mid-1940s before joining navy. The 1948 campaign proved to be the last for Lupien and York, who had hooked on with the A’s.

 

A RED LETTER DAY

1964: Legendary White Sox pitcher Urban “Red” Faber was elected to the Hall of Fame through the vote of a special Veterans Committee. The native of Cascade, Iowa won 254 games for the White Sox between 1914 and 1933. Faber, a member of the Sox All-20th Century Team, retired as the franchise’s all-time leader with 254 victories, a total that would eventually and only be surpassed by Ted Lyons, who also eventually made it to the Hall. Faber, a spitballer, was a four-time 20-game winner. In the 1917 World Series against the Giants, he went 3-1 with a 2.33 ERA and went the distance in the Sox clinching victory in Game 6 at the Polo Grounds.

 

TOP (COMPENSATION) DRAFT CHOICE

1981: The White Sox made a little history when they became the first team to acquire player with a pick from the free agent compensation pool that was part of the settlement of the protracted strike that fractured the 1981 campaign. After losing stopper Ed Farmer to free agency, the Sox selected 21-year old catcher Joel Skinner, who was left unprotected by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Skinner, the son of former big league pitcher Bob Skinner, was coming off a year in which he hit .266 with 11 homers and 63 RBIs for the Pirates’ Class-A Greenwood affiliate. General Manager Roland Hemond made this choice with an obvious eye to the future because, as they say, Carlton Fisk wasn’t getting any young. Skinner was called up by the Sox for short stints in 1983, 1984 and 1985. Skinner was given the starting job and Fisk was moved to left field in 1986 – Ken Harrelson’s only season as Sox GM -- but he was never able to blossom. With Skinner hitting just .154, Fisk regained his familiar spot behind the plate on May 12. On July 30, Skinner’s time with the Sox ended when he was dealt to the Yankees in a six-player swap. … Also on this date, the White Sox signed Bill Almon to a minor league contract.