ELEVEN factoids today: September 29, 1908 - Sox starting pitcher Ed Walsh fired two complete games in a double header against the Red Sox. He won both by the scores of 5-1 and 2-0 allowing only seven total hits. That season Walsh would have arguably the greatest pitching year in the history of the game, winning 40 times with an ERA of 1.42. He appeared in 66 games, started 49, with 42 complete games, 11 shutouts and a mind-boggling 464 innings pitched. He also would have received credit for six saves had that been a statistic used during the season. September 29, 1917 - With a 3-1 win in the second game of a double header in New York, the Sox won their 100th game of the season. It is still the most wins in a single season in franchise history. Ed Cicotte picked up the win, his 28th of the year. September 29, 1920 - With the Sox trailing the Indians by only a half game with 10 days left in the season, pitcher Eddie Cicotte and outfielder Joe Jackson confessed (without an attorney present) that they helped throw the 1919 World Series. Charles Comiskey suspended eight players; the Sox collapsed down the stretch losing two of the final three games to the St. Louis Browns and blew a possible pennant, losing out to the Indians by two games ending up at 96-58. The losses to the Browns were 8-6 and 16-7. September 29, 1921 - One of the clean Sox, pitcher Dickie Kerr was honored with a day at Comiskey Park. Kerr then went out and fired one of his best games blanking Cleveland on six hits winning 5-0 for his 19th win. He was given a 52-piece silverware set in a mahogany chest. September 29, 1967 - The Sox still had a chance for the pennant before they lost 1-0 to the Senators. The only run was set up when first baseman Tommy McCraw wasn’t able to catch a pop up off the bat of Washington’s Fred Valentine in the first inning. NBC-TV had erected a barrier for their field level cameras in case the World Series came to Comiskey Park and Valentine’s pop fell into that enclosed area near the visitor’s dugout. Valentine then singled driving in the only run. Two errors by the Sox in that first inning led to the unearned run. That season marked the 17th straight year that the Sox finished better than .500 at 89-73. September 29, 1968 – The White Sox ended the 1968 season with a 7-6 win against the Angels in Anaheim. It was the 74th one-run game the Sox played that season, an American League record. They lost 44 of those one-run games which set the Major League record for most one-run losses in a year. It was a big reason why after 17 straight winning years beginning in 1951, the team lost 95 games and finished next to last, 36 games behind the Tigers. September 29, 1990 - The last night game ever played at the original Comiskey Park was won by the Sox 5-2. Frank Thomas slapped a two-run single up the middle with two out, off Mariners starter Matt Young to drive in the go ahead runs in the seventh inning. September 29, 2005 - The Sox beat the Tigers in Detroit 4-2 clinching the Central Division title. Carl Everett’s two run triple in the first inning gave the Sox a lead they never relinquished. Paul Konerko also hit his 40th home run of the season later in the game. The Sox won 99 regular season games and led the division every day of the season. They were one of the few teams to go wire to wire in baseball history. The Sox then blitzed through the post season going 11-1 on their way to the World Championship. They swept Houston in four games to get it. September 29, 2008 - Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez set the Major League rookie record (since tied) when he hit his fourth grand slam of the season in an 8-2 win over the Tigers. The home run would also set the franchise record for most grand slams in a year with 12. This was the middle game of a three game ‘must win’ set against three different opponents that propelled the Sox into the playoffs. They had to beat Cleveland, Detroit and Minnesota on consecutive days to get in which they did behind Mark Buehrle, Gavin Floyd and John Danks respectively. September 29, 2019 – Despite going 0-2 in his final game of the season Sox shortstop Tim Anderson won the American League batting title with a .335 average. That average not only was the best in the league but the best in all of baseball. Anderson joined Luke Appling and Frank Thomas as the only franchise players to win the crown. In the same game Sox first baseman/DH Jose Abreu took the American League RBI title as he drove in 123 runs on the year. He also had a .284 batting average and 33 home runs. He joined Dick Allen as the only Sox players to lead the league in that category. Abreu would win the RBI title again in 2020 during the 60-game pandemic season. September 29, 2020 – The White Sox played in their first postseason game since 2008, facing the Athletics in the Oakland Coliseum and it was a memorable afternoon for Lucas Giolito. The Sox All-Star right hander who had already thrown a no-hitter on August 25 was perfect for the first six innings as the Sox won the first game of the Wild Card series 4-1. Giolito allowed only two hits striking out eight in seven innings. He got support from three Sox home runs hit by Adam Engel, Jose Abreu and Yasmani Grandal. Unfortunately, this would be the highlight of the series as the Sox would lose the next two games including a 3-0 lead in the deciding game three, to be knocked out by a team that had lost nine consecutive elimination games going back to 1973.
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