THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: MARCH 3rd/Jordan, Pudge, Oil Can

[StatManDu]

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: MARCH 3rd

 

For more, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com

 

THE FORERUNNER TO THE DH

1967: The White Sox were given permission to use a semi-designated hitter during spring training. With the OK of the home club, teams will be permitted to use a “designated pinch-hitter” twice in a game.

 

ONE LAST PACT FOR PUDGE

1993: Catcher Carlton Fisk signed what turned out to be his final contract with the White Sox when he signed a minor league agreement. The 45-year old Fisk entered the season 24 games shy of the all-time games caught record. He would eclipse the mark in June and then be released.

 

JORDAN COMES UP EMPTY IN SCRIMMAGE

1994: Michael Jordan went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in an intrasquad game before 1,736 at the White Sox minor league camp in Sarasota, Fla. Jordan batted sixth and played for coach Joe Nossek’s team. In his first at bat, Jordan made good contact against James Baldwin but Warren Newson snared the liner in left with a backhanded grab. In his final two at bats, Jordan was whiffed on offspeed pitches by Rodney Bolton and Scott Christman. “It was my first game and I felt nervous out of element,” said Jordan, who signed a minor league contract with the Sox on Feb. 7. “Hopefully, I’ll get another chance and be a little more comfortable.”

 

‘MOCK’ SOX PREVAIL IN DEBUT

1995: Behind starter Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd’s three strong innings and Shawn Buchanan’s “walkoff” single, the White Sox – absent of any union players – defeated the Kansas City Royals 4-3 in their Grapefruit League opener before 1,504 at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fla. With the owners and players still at loggerheads, spring training games went ahead as scheduled with teams fielding non-union veterans and minor leaguers. The 35-year old Boyd, who hadn’t pitched in a big league game since 1991, gave up one run on four hits while striking out two. “I feel good to be in a game atmosphere,” said Boyd, who indicated he was not worried about being labeled a strikebreaker. “It’s what I live for. I showed I can still pitch and that’s what it’s all about.” The Sox tied the game in the ninth and then won it in the 10th on Buchanan’s RBI single. Among those in the Sox lineup were Pete Rose Jr., former Cub Fernando Ramsey, ex-Angel Kent Anderson and one-time Sox players Chris Cron and Bill Lindsey.

 

A HOME WIN … FINALLY

1998: A split squad of White Sox defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-4 for their first victory as the home team at Tucson Electric Park. The victory was witnessed by 3,262 fans, came against the Sox co-tenant at TEP and improved them to 2-5 in their inaugural season in the Cactus League.

 

LONG OVERDUE FOR LARRY

1998: Former White Sox outfielder and manager Larry Doby was elected to the Hall of Fame via the Veterans Committee. Doby, the first African American to play in the American League, played for the Sox in 1956 and 1957 and 1959 and he managed the team in 1978. Also elected by the Vets was George Davis, the starting shortstop on the White Sox 1906 “Hitless Wonder” team that beat the Cubs in the World Series.