50 FAVORITE WHITE SOX PLAYERS

[knightni]

47. Greg Luzinski

 

 

(4 of 27 lists - 43 points - highest ranking #8 Middle Buffalo)

 

Imagine if Bobby Jenks was a hitter.

 

You have Greg Luzinski.

 

Bios by Texsox and YASNY

 

Texsox -

Being a hometown guy is a huge head start in becoming a fan favorite. If you are a prototype slugger with a lunch bucket approach to the game, a four time all-star, and tons of personality, you pretty much can write your ticket. The youngin’s on the list may be thinking Jim Thome right now, and wondering why he is ranked so low. For those Soxtalk members with a mortgage and child seats in their SUVs, they know it must be Niles’ own “The Bull”.

 

Greg Luzinski was a big part of the 1983 Winning Ugly team that came along right when I was getting out of college, had some disposable income, and could attend games, lots of games. During the previous off season Jerry Reinsdorf and Co. outbid the world for the top free agent, Floyd “The Barber” Bannister, paying the unheard of sum of 5/$4.5 and drawing the ire of George Steinbrenner who felt the spending was excessive. LOL! How about some offensive to go with that pitching?

 

If you have never been to the “real” Sox Park, Comiskey, and witnessed, in person, a rooftop shot, you will not understand the goose bumps I get as I type this. That season the Sox had Harold Baines, the rookie Ron Kittle, and Luzinski all crushing balls off the roof. I was lucky enough to be sitting down the right field line as Luzinski launched one. I had never witnessed a baseball travelling that far. Talk about Hey Hey GOOD BYE!! The explosion of the scoreboard, the other fans, wow, just wow. I could probably list almost every player on that team as a favorite, but everyone loves the long ball.

 

YASNY -

 

Greg "The Bull" Luzinski was a big part of the '83 AL Western Division champion White Sox. My personal best memory of Luzinski was that he hit the only 'rooftop shot' I ever saw in person at Comiskey Park. He hit it off of Dennis 'Oil Can' Boyd and BoSox LF Jim Rice didn't even take a step. He just turned and watched it land on the roof.

 

The Bull played for the Sox from '81 through '84 and his OPS+ for the first 3 seasons was never lower than 129. His last season in the Majors was 1984. He played with Philadelphia after debuting with then in 1970 through 1980.

 

Luzinski was, along with Ron Kittle, Carlton Fisk and Harold Baines, part of a lineup in '83 that was one of the most successful and memorable Sox squads in quite some time. In fact, this was the first Sox team that I can actually recall finishing in first place, since I wasn't quite 2 years old when the Sox won the pennant in '59.

 

 

 

Please feel free to comment with any more info and favorite stories about this player or any other in this list.

 

 

[Texsox]

I see too many of our posters were not around for the 1983 season. For the guys on this board, imagine your kids leaving off Dye or Konerko from their favorite Sox players. That's what I'm thinking as I see he's only on 4 lists.

[greg775]

I also saw Luzinski and Kittle hit roof shots. My god what blasts. And of course Dick Allen deep liners to cf. The Bull could hit the ball. I forgot about him. He was one of my favorites too. I wonder what he's doing now and how big he is. He was a likeable lug sort of like Kruk only more powerful.

[Texsox]

I also saw Luzinski and Kittle hit roof shots. My god what blasts. And of course Dick Allen deep liners to cf. The Bull could hit the ball. I forgot about him. He was one of my favorites too. I wonder what he's doing now and how big he is. He was a likeable lug sort of like Kruk only more powerful.

 

He owns a BBQ concession at Philly's stadium. Still a huge fan favorite in Philly.

[knightni]

More bio stuff added.

 

Thanks guys!

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

The Sox most fans were used to was the Go-Go Sox but guys like Luzinski, Kittle, Bill Melton, Dick Allen, Oscar Gamble, Harold Baines , Carlton Fisk and Richie Zisk added punch to the lineups of the 70's and 80's.

[Jim Spencer]

The Sox most fans were used to was the Go-Go Sox but guys like Luzinski, Kittle, Bill Melton, Dick Allen, Oscar Gamble, Harold Baines , Carlton Fisk and Richie Zisk added punch to the lineups of the 70's and 80's.

 

Zisk and Gamble "Southside Hitmen" 1977 I was just a youngster, but man did I get excited watching them on channel 44.

 

The Bull and the rest of the "Winning Ugly" team was pretty exciting also.

 

[Baines3]

The bull was a good one. He was definately one the best.

[LosMediasBlancas]

Jorge Orta ( to this day I'm looking for an Orta jersey) Lamaar Johnson, Jim Essian? Eric Soderholm. THAT was the squad.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

Jorge Orta ( to this day I'm looking for an Orta jersey) Lamaar Johnson, Jim Essian? Eric Soderholm. THAT was the squad.

If I recall correctly Essian hit a rooftop shot once.

[TLAK]

If I recall correctly Essian hit a rooftop shot once.

Nope. From Rich Lindberg's Total White Sox

 

Home Runs hit over the roof at Old Comiskey Park

 

by the White Sox

 

Eddie Robinson (1)

Minnie Minoso (1)

Dave Nicholson (1)

Buddy Bradford (1)

Tom Egan (1)

Dick Allen (1)

Richie Zisk (1)

Greg Luzinski * (4)

Ron Kittle ** (7)

Carlton Fisk * (2)

Harold Baines * (1)

Dan Pasqua (1)

 

By opponents

 

Babe Ruth (1)

Lou Gehrig (1)

Jimmy Foxx (2)

Hank Greenberg (1)

Ted Williams (2)

Mickey Mantle (1)

Bill Skowron (1)

Elston Howard (1)

Boog Powell (1)

Don Mincher (1)

Harmon Killebrew (1)

Sal Bando (1)

Ruppert Jones * (1)

Kirk Gibson * (1)

George Bell * (2)

Brian Downing * (1)

Jose Canseco * (1)

Rob Deer (1)

Larry Sheets (1)

 

* Home runs hit during the period when home plate was moved eight feet closer to the outfield.

** Kittle hit 6 when the plate was moved, one when it was returned to the original distance.

 

[Texsox]

TLAK, was that over or on? I believe that list was on the roof.

[TLAK]

TLAK, was that over or on? I believe that list was on the roof.

Lindberg titled the list over and I just copied him, but I saw a couple of them myself (Kittle's) and they landed on the roof.