StatManDu

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: JANUARY 15TH For more see, www.whitesoxalmanac.com FORMER MVP IN THE FOLD? ROGER THAT 1927: The White Sox acquired former American League Most Valuable Player Roger Peckinpaugh in a three-player swap with the Washington Senators. In exchange for Peckinpaugh, a shortstop, the Sox gave up pitchers Hollis “Sloppy” Thurston and Leo Mangum. The 36-year-old Peckinpaugh didn’t have much gas in the tank when he arrived. In his only season with the Sox (and the last of his 17-year career), Peckinpaugh played in just 68 games and hit .295. This dropoff all a year removed from Peckinpaugh’s MVP season of 1925 when hit .294 for the American League champion Washington Senators. ONE BUSY DAY NETS AN ACE 2003: White Sox general manager Ken Williams executed two trades and ended up with one of the game’s best starting pitchers in Bartolo Colon. Williams first dealt pitchers Antonio Osuna and Delvis Lantigua, a minor leaguer, to the Yankees for pitcher Orlando Hernandez. Williams then sent Hernandez, pitcher Rocky Biddle and outfielder-first baseman Jeff Liefer to the Montreal Expos for Colon and a minor leaguer. Colon, in the final year of his contract, was a workhorse for the 2003 White Sox. He led the A.L. with nine complete games and went 15-13 with a 3.87 ERA with 173 strikeouts. The Sox tried to re-sign Colon but the Angels offered a more lucrative pact which he accepted.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: JANUARY 13TH For more see, www.whitesoxalmanac.com WEAVER TURNED DOWN 1922: Former White Sox third baseman Buck Weaver applied unsuccessfully for reinstatement to Major League Baseball after he was banished for life in 1921 for his role in the fixing of the 1919 World Series. History told us that Weaver did not participate in the fix but was banned for knowing of the fix and not reporting it to club or league officials. This would be one of many unsuccessful reinstatement efforts put forth by Weaver until his death in 1956. After his death, reinstatement efforts on Weaver’s behalf have been ongoing. BO KNOWS INJURY 1991: Los Angeles Raiders’ running back Bo Jackson suffered a football career-ending hip injury in an AFC playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals at the Los Angeles Coliseum. The injury, which occurred in a Raider loss, led to Jackson’s release by the Kansas City Royals, hisother employer, on March 18, 1991, paving the way for his signing with the Sox on March 10, 1992. With the White Sox, Jackson would make history by becoming the first player to play with an artificial hip. He left the team after the 1993 A.L. West Division championship team as one of the more popular players in team history, a distinction he still holds. THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: JANUARY 14TH For more see, www.whitesoxalmanac.com LEGENDARY LOOIE LEAVES 1963: The White Sox said goodbye -- it turned out temporarily -- to legendary shortstop Luis Aparicio when they dealt him to Baltimore in a six-player exchange. The Sox sent the popular Aparicio with third-baseman outfielder Al Smith to the Orioles in exchange for pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm, slugging outfielder Dave Nicholson, third baseman Pete Ward and shortstop Ron Hansen. While Aparicio gave the Orioles some good seasons, the Sox really got the best of this swap. Wilhelm had the best years of his Hall of Fame career pitching out of the Sox bullpen while Ward went on to earn American League Rookie Player of the Year honors from The Sporting News. Hansen provided the Sox with power from the shortstop position they had never seen before and didn't see again until Jose Valentin arrived on the scene in 2000. The only bummer of the barter for the Sox was Nicholson. He lasted three seasons on the Southside and did land one home run on the Comiskey Park roof but strikeouts prevented him from becoming a great player. He whiffed an A.L.-leading and club record 175times in 1963 -- his only year as a regular. As for Aparicio, he would eventually make it back to Chicago. The Sox re-acquired "Little Looie" from the Orioles following the 1967 season. 13 YEARS LATER, DRABEK RETURNS 1997: The White Sox signed veteran free agent pitcher Doug Drabek. It was a homecoming of sorts for Drabek, who won 130 National League games for the Pirates and Astros between 1987 and 1996. Drabek was originally drafted and signed by the White Sox in the 11th round of the June 1983 draft. He was dealt by the Sox to the Yankees with Kevin Hickey for Roy Smalley in 1984. Drabek pitched one year with the Sox, going 12-11 with a 5.74 ERA. ALLS WELLS THAT ENDS WELLS … NOT! 2001: In an effort to garner a No. 1 starter, general manager Ken Williams acquired 20-game winner David Wells from the Toronto Blue Jays in a five-player exchange. To get Wells and pitcher Matt DeWitt, the Sox had to surrender pitchers Mike Sirotka and Kevin Beirne and outfielder Brian Simmons. This trade didn’t work out for either team. Wells spent one unforgettable and disruptive year with the Sox, going 5-7 with a 4.47 ERA in an injury-shortened 2001 campaign. Sirotka, who won 46 games for the Sox between 1995 and 2000, never pitched again because of arm trouble. The rest of the players involved in the trade were marginal contributors – at best – in their careers.

THIS DATE IN SOX HISTORY: JANUARY 12TH For more, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com CLOSE CALL FOR LOOIE 1983: Former White Sox shortstop Luis Aparicio garnered 252 votes but failed to gain the necessary 75 percent for induction in voting for the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America. In his fifth year on the ballot, Aparicio’s vote total was a career-high and set the stage for his induction the following year. The news wasn’t as good for Aparicio’s former double play partner, the great Nellie Fox. He polled just 46.26 percent of the vote – a career-best in his 13th year on the ballot but still short of the total needed to get in. Fox would have two more unsuccessful elections but was elected into the Hall by the Veterans Committee in 1997. Brooks Robinson and Juan Marichal both received enough votes in 1983 to gain induction. VOTE TOTAL HEFTY FOR LEFTY 1991: Former White Sox pitcher Steve Carlton received a whopping 95.61 percent of the vote in earning induction into the Hall of Fame. “Lefty” was named on 436 of 456 ballots in voting by the Baseball Writers Association of America. He joined fellow 300-game winner Tom Seaver as the only players with Sox ties to earn induction into the Hall on the first ballot. Carlton went 4-3 with a 3.69 ERA in 10 starts for the 1986 Sox – his first foray into the American League after 695 starts and 319 wins in the National League. Former Sox coach Orlando Cepeda was second in the voting but did not garner the necessary 75 percent for induction. Others with Sox ties receiving votes were Ron Santo, Jim Kaat, Dick Allen, Ken Boyer, Minnie Minoso, Bobby Bonds and George Foster. BREW-TOWN BARTER 2000: General manager Ron Schueler pulled off one of his best trades when he acquired pitcher Cal Eldred and shortstop Jose Valentin from the Milwaukee Brewers for pitchers Jaime Navarro and John Snyder. Valentin and Eldred went on to become key players in the White Sox surprising run to the 2000 A.L. Central title while Navarro and Snyder did virtually nothing in Milwaukee. Eldred, who had been plagued by injuries throughout his later years in Milwaukee, was a resurgent 10-2 with a 4.58 ERA for the 2000 Sox before arm woes essentially KO’d his season on July 14. Dubbed “Cornfed” because of his Iowa upbringing, Eldred pitched briefly for the 2001 White Sox before stepping away from the game. He returned with the Cardinals in 2003 where he pitched until 2005. The sometimes defensively-challenged Valentin went on to become the most prolific home run hitting shortstop and switch-hitter (even though he abandoned his right-handed stance one year) in White Sox history. He hit at least 25 home runs in each of his five years with the White Sox and capped his career on the Southside with a career-high 30 roundtrippers in 2004.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: JANUARY 11TH For more, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com SORRY, CHARLIE 1977: The White Sox used their final pick in the secondary phase of the January draft on pitcher Charlie Lea out of Shelby )Tenn.) State Community College. The Sox would not be able to sign Lea, who went on to go 62-48 with a 3.48 ERA and threw a no-hitter in a seven-year career. The only player that the Sox signed out of this draft who made it to the bigs was Mark Esser. The eighth-round pick in the regular phase pitched in two games for the 1979 Sox. HELLO, HULETT 1980: The WhiteSox selected infielder Tim Hulett with their first round pick in the secondary phase of the January draft. The Springfield native was called up by the Sox for short stints in 1983 and 1984 and he became a regular in 1985. Hulett earned some all-rookie honors after hitting .268 with five homers and 37 RBIs in 1985. Hulett’s power numbers increased in 1986 with 17 home runs but he only logged 44 RBIs and struck out 91 times. Following an injury-shortened 1987 campaign, Hulett was dealt to Montreal on April 13, 1988. The only other player signed by the Sox out of this draft was Jim Siwy. The Sox third round pick in the regular phase, Siwy pitched in two games in 1982 and one in 1984 for the Sox. BERRYHILL SAYS NO 1983: The White Sox selected Damon Berryhill in the 13th round of the regular phase of the January draft but could not sign the switch-hitting catcher. The Sox took Berryhill, who would play 683 big league games between 1987 and 1997, out of Orange Coast (Calif.) Junior College. Berryhill eventually signed with the Cubs after they made him the fourth overall pick of the January 1984 draft. PUDGE HEADS FOR THE HALL 2000: On his second try, White Sox legend Carlton Fisk earned enough votes for induction into the Hall of Fame. “Pudge” received 397 votes or 79.56 in voting by members of the Baseball Writers Association of America. Fisk easily exceeded the 75 percent needed to qualify. Even though he played in more games with the White Sox than the Red Sox, Fisk chose to go into the Hall of Fame wearing a Boston cap. In his first year on the ballot, former Sox pitcher Rich Gossage had a more than respectable showing, picking up 166 votes (33.27 percent). Other former Sox players receiving votes were Tommy John, Jim Kaat, Charlie Hough and Steve Sax. WELLS ... HE GONE 2002: The New York Yankees re-signed pitcher David Wells after "Boomer" had spent one forgettable season with the White Sox. The left-hander was acquired in a trade with the Blue Jays to give the defending American League Central champions a No. 1 starter in order to go deeper into the playoffs. The burly and bombastic Wells went 5-7 with a 4.47 ERA in an injury-shortened campaign. It was an ironic end since Wells had ripped the injured Frank Thomas early in the 2001 campaign. THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY BONUS: ONES WHO GOT AWAY Today (January 11th) marks two anniversaries of two players – Charlie Lea and Damon Berryhill -- who were drafted but went unsigned by the Sox who went on to contribute in the big leagues. Here is a look at some players of significance who were drafted but not signed by the Sox who went on to have noteworthy big league careers (this list was amended to remove Jason Giambi, who was never drafted by the Sox, and add Geoff Zahn): Player, position Drafted by Sox Johnny Oates, c………………2nd round, June 1966 Geoff Zahn, p................34th round, June 1966 Mickey Rivers, cf……………1st round, January 1968 Duane Kuiper, ss…………….1st round, January 1970 Warren Cromartie, of……7th round, June 1971 Willie McGee, of…………….7th round, June 1976 Hubie Brooks, ss…………….1st round, June 1976 Charlie Lea, p………………..4th round, June 1977 Hubie Brooks, of…………….1st round, June 1977 Gary Gaetti, 3b………………3rd round, June 1978 Steve Buechele, ss…………1st round, June 1979 Jimmy Key, p………………..10th round, June 1979 Tim Teufel, 2b……………….3rd round, June 1979 Calvin Schiraldi, p…………17th round, June 1980 Damon Berryhill, c…………13th round, January 1983 Eric Gagne, p………………30th round, June 1994 J.J. Putz, p……………………3rd round, June 1995 Jeff Weaver, p………………..2nd round, June 1997 Tom Gorzelanny, p…………..38th round, June 2000

THIS DATE IN SOX HISTORY: JANUARY 10TH For more, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com CLOSE BUT NOT INDUCTION 1945: Former White Sox Ed Walsh pitcher was one of a handful of legends who came close to induction into the Hall of Fame in balloting done by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Walsh finished third with 137 votes. His 55 percent of the vote was short of the 75 percent needed for induction. Frank Chance was first and Rube Waddell was second but they also fell short of the votes needed for induction. Walsh was eventually voted into the Hall by the Veterans Committee in 1946. LONG OVER-DOOIE FOR LITTLE LOOIE 1984: On his sixth try, former White Sox shortstop Luis Aparicio garnered enough votes for induction into the Hall of Fame. Aparicio topped the balloting performed by the Baseball Writers Association of America with 341 votes. Also getting more than the 75 percent needed for induction were Harmon Killebrew and White Sox television announcer Don Drysdale. The Hall of Fame vote touched off a year of tributes for Aparicio, who was one of the top fielding shortstops in history and one of the top base stealers of his era. In addition to his induction in Cooperstown, N.Y., the White Sox retired his No. 11 in a ceremony at Comiskey Park. A BUST OF A BLOCKBUSTER WITH THE BRONX BOMBERS 1992: Believing that they were well-stocked in the pitching rotation, the White Sox dealt right-hander Melido Perez to the New York Yankees for Steve Sax in a four-player exchange. In addition to Perez, the Sox sent promising minor league pitchers Bob Wickman and Domingo Jean to the Bronx. Sax, a five-time All-Star, turned out to be one of the bigger busts in recent Sox history. Sax was never able to give the Sox the punch at the top of the lineup which he did for the Dodgers and Yankees earlier in his career. He hit just .236 while committing an A.L.-high 20 errors for the 1992 Sox. By the end of his stint on the Southside, Joey Cora was firmly established as the White Sox second baseman and Sax was being shuttled around the outfield of all places. He hit .235 in 57 games for the 1993 A.L. West Division champions and while he was on the team’s postseason roster, Sax did not get into the League Championship Series against Toronto. On April 21, 1994, Sax’s bummer of a tenure with the Sox came to an end with his release. Perez never had a winning record in his four years in New York. The best player of this deal turned out to be Wickman, who went to become an accomplished closer who was still active in 2007. BRONZE MEDAL FOR GOOSE 2006: Former White Sox reliever Rich Gossage received a career-best 336 votes but still fell short of induction for the Hall of Fame in balloting performed by the Baseball Writers Association of America, the results of which were released on this date. Gossage, who pitched for the Sox from 1972 to 1976, finished third and was 54 votes shy of garnering the required 75 percent for induction. Reliever Bruce Sutter was the only player on the ballot who received the required votes for induction. Other players with Sox ties who received votes were Tommy John (154 votes, 29.6 percent), Albert Belle (40, 7.7 percent) and Ozzie Guillen (5, 1 percent). By Hall rules, Guillen – in his first year eligible for election -- was dropped from the ballot because he did not receive at least five percent of the vote. Former Sox pitcher Alex Fernandez was dropped as well after he was blanked in his first year of eligibility. This was Gossage’s seventh year on the ballot and he would eventually be voted into the Hall of Fame on Jan. 9, 2008.

In addition to Evers, Clark Griffith played for both the Sox and Cubs (pre-1900) while Sox manager Hugh Duffy played for the Cubs (pre-1900) as well.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: JANUARY 9TH For more, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com CHICO’S BACK BUT NOT FOR LONG 1960: The White Sox re-signed shortstop Chico Carrasquel. The former All-Star would not play for the White Sox. He was released by the White Sox on April 23, 1960, a move that ended his 10-year big league career. STODDARD DRAFTED 1975: The White Sox selected pitcher Tim Stoddard out of North Carolina State in the second round of the secondary phase of the January draft. Stoddard was the only player the Sox picked in this draft that made it to the big leagues with them. The Sox also selected catcher Bruce Bochy but failed to sign him. The 6-foot-7 Stoddard, a native of East Chicago, Ind., pitched in one game for the 1975 Sox before being released in 1977. BYE BYE BILL 2001: The White Sox announced that relief pitcher Bill Simas would miss the upcoming season after December ligament replacement surgery on his elbow. The big right-hander, who had been a contributor in the Sox bullpen since August of 1995, would never pitch again. He finished his big league career 18-19 with a 3.83 ERA and 23 saves. All but five of his saves came in the 1998 season.

I'll post more on the Goose and the Sox later but here is a link to a story I did on the relationship between Gossage and longtime Sox pitching coach Ray Berres. http://www.ksn.kenoshanews.com/view_articl...leNum=969698347

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: JANUARY 8TH For more, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com PROPS FOR LUKE 1941: The White Sox Luke Appling was named the shortstop on the Baseball Writers Association of America All-Star team for 1940, which was released on this date in The Sporting News. Appling earned the honor by hitting .348 with 197 hits (13 of which were triples) in a season where he was named to the mid-season American League All-Star team. KEEPING THE JUICE 1984: With a helping hand from broadcaster Ken Harrelson, the White Sox re-signed second baseman Julio Cruz. In the final year of his contract, Cruz was acquired from Seattle the previous June. “The Juice” played a key role in the Sox surge to the A.L. West Division championship but his return for 1984 looked to be in peril as the off-season wore on. The long-term deal was finally hammered out after Harrelson intervened. Unfortunately, Cruz never flashed his 1983 form for the Sox again. He struggled with injuries throughout the next three seasons. His disappointing tenure with the Sox came to an end when he was released on March 23, 1987. FISK IN THE FOLD 1986: The White Sox signed Carlton Fisk, who had filed for free agency the previous Nov. 12, to a two-year contract. This was the second of five contracts the future Hall of Famer would sign with the Sox. … Also on this date, former White Sox players Ken Boyer, Minnie Minoso, Ron Santo, Dick Allen, Don Larsen and Wilbur Wood all received votes in balloting for Hall of Fame induction conducted by the Baseball Writers Association of America. None came close to reaching the 75 percent needed for induction. Willie McCovey was the only player who received enough votes for induction. BRINGING BACK BAINES 2001: The White Sox inked Harold Baines to what would be his last contract. The minor league deal was for one year and included a non-roster invitation to spring training. Baines entered the year 145 hits shy of 3,000 but managed just 11 in 32 games in an injury-riddled 2001 season, which proved to be the final one in 22-year career.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: JANUARY 7TH For more, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com 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.

YES ... Duh on my part ... I'll make the fix! Thanks!

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: JANUARY 6TH SPRING TRAINING DERBY 1903: The Chicago Tribune reported on this date that the White Sox were still searching for spring training sites after Cleveland leased the grounds in New Orleans. The Tribune indicated that owner Charles Comiskey was considering Selma, Ala., Mobile, Ala., and Hot Springs, Ark. He ultimately chose Mobile where the Sox trained for just one season. NEW-LOOK SOX 1964: The White Sox unveiled the powder-blue uniforms they would wear on the road for the 1964 season. The outfit, with Chicago in block letter emblazoned across the chest, replaced the greys the team had worn away from Comiskey Park since 1932. The Sox would go back to grey road uniforms for the 1969 season. DICK ALLEN’S LAST STAND 1997: Former White Sox players Dick Allen received just 79 votes, falling well short of the total needed for induction, in balloting by the Baseball Writers of Association for the Hall of Fame. The spot on the ballot was Allen’s last, leaving his Hall of Fame fate – still unrealized – to the Veterans Committee. Allen, the 1972 A.L. MVP for the Sox, never received more than 20 percent of the required 75 percent in any of his 15 years on the ballot. His best performance came in 1996 when he was listed on 19 percent of the ballots. Allen was one of six former Sox players to receive votes. The others: Ron Santo, Jim Kaat, Tommy John, Minnie Minoso and Bobby Bonds. Only 300-game winner Phil Niekro garnered enough votes to earn induction into Cooperstown. A.J. ON THE WAY 2005: The White Sox signed free agent catcher A.J. Pierzynski. Bucking his reputation as a clubhouse cancer, Pierzynski served as a unifying force on the 2005 White Sox. He hit .257 with a career-high 18 home runs and 56 RBIs for the 2005 World Series champion White Sox. In the A.L. Division Series, Pierzynski hit .444 with two home runs and four RBIs as the Sox swept Boston. He homered in the five-game win over the Angels in the American League Championship Series and then hit .267 with three RBIs in the World Series. His performance would earn him the admiration of the Sox fan base, which detested him when he played with Minnesota from 1998 to 2003, and earned him a three-year contract after the season.

THIS DATE IN SOX HISTORY: JANUARY 5TH For more see www.whitesoxalmanac.com BARTERING WITH THE BRONX BOMBERS 1987: The White Sox acquired pitcher Scott Nielsen and minor leaguer Mike Soper from the New York Yankees for pitcher Pete Filson and minor leaguer Randy Velarde. Nielsen had shown some promise with the 1986 Yankees but didn’t realize it with the Sox. The right-hander from BYU went 3-5 with a 6.24 ERA in 19 games for the 1987 Sox. He was returned to the Yankees in a five-player swap that netted the Sox Dan Pasqua and Steve Rosenberg Nov. 12, 1987. The gem of the deal turned out to be Velarde, who was a late-bloomer. His best season was 1999 when he logged 200 hits and hit .317 between the Angels and A’s. COOK IN THE BOOKS 1994: The White Sox signed reliever Dennis Cook. The feisty left-hander turned out to be an important part of the bullpen for the strike-shortened season. Cook was 3-1 with a 3.55 ERA in 38 apparances in what turned out to be his only season on the Southside.

Gagne and Weaver both never signed. Let me check on Dean Chance. That is intriguing. Also, they let Rudy May go if that means anything to anyone.

I am sure I'll add to this list and others can too. In light of the hubub made of trading the top two pitching prospects, I was trying to think of young arms unloaded by the Sox that wound up being good and I mean as good as hyped. I could only think of three in recent times: Doug Drabek Bob Wickman Denny McLain Other competents let go: Al Levine, Brendan Donnelley, John Hudek, Buddy Groom. Am I missing anyone?

THIS DATE IN SOX HISTORY: JANUARY 4TH For more, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com NIFTY PURCHASE 1941: The White Sox purchased some versatility for their pitching staff when they picked up Joe Haynes from the Washington Senators for $3,000. Haynes had suffered from a sore arm with Washington but was healed by the Sox medical staff and turned in solid campaigns in 1942, 1943 and 1944 before suffering a compound fracture in his ankle in June of 1945 that cost him the rest of the season. The right-hander was back for the 1946 season and then he fashioned the best year of his career by going 14-6 with an American League best 2.42 ERA in 1947. In his final year with the team, 1948, Haynes was named to the A.L. All-Star squad for the game at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis. Haynes did not pitch in the A.L.’s 5-2 win. Following the season, the Sox dealt Haynes to Cleveland for Joe Tipton. COME HERE, SHANE 1977: The White Sox hired 28-year-old Mary Shane to work on their television broadcast team. Shane, who came from Milwaukee, became the first female television play-by-play announcer in big league history for the 1977 White Sox. She teamed with Harry Caray, Jimmy Piersall and Lorn Brown in the WSNS booth for one season. ELLIS BURKS: ONE-YEAR WONDER 1993: The White Sox signed outfielder Ellis Burks to a one-year contract in what proved to be a great move. Burks, who had struggled with back injuries during the later stages of his career in Boston, turned in a stellar season as the White Sox right fielder. Under the watchful eye of trainer Herm Schneider, Burks played in 146 games and hit .275 with 17 home runs and 74 RBIs in helping the Sox win the American League West. Burks emerged as a team leader as the season wore on and was often seen sporting a “Go Hard or Go Home” t-shirt late in the year. In the playoffs, Burks hit .304 with a homer and three RBIs as the Sox lost the American League Championship Series in six games. He provided the Sox with one of the lasting moments in their history when he gloved the final out in the A.L. West Division-clinching victory over Seattle Sept. 27, 1993 at Comiskey Park. Burks signed with Colorado after the season and played there until 1998. His big league career lasted until 2004. GOOSE GETS CLOSER 2005: In his sixth year of eligibility, former White Sox pitcher Rich Gossage crept closer to the Hall of Fame. The right-hander, who played for the White Sox from 1972 to 1976, was named 55.2 percent of ballots in voting performed by the Baseball Writers Association of America released on this date. The output was an improvement over the 40.7 percent he received the year before and was his best showing in the voting. Only first-year candidates Wade Boggs and Ryne Sandberg received the required 75 percent for induction. Other former Sox players getting votes were pitchers Tommy John (23.8 percent) and Jim Abbott (2.5 percent).

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: JANUARY 3RD For more, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com LUKE CALLED TO DUTY 1944: The United States military gave American League pitchers a breather by calling White Sox shortstop Luke Appling to duty. “Old Aches and Paines” reported for military duty at Camp Lee, Virginia on this day on the heels of one of the great seasons in franchise history. The 36-year-old Appling won the 1943 American League batting championship with a .328 average and topped the circuit with a .419 on-base percentage while playing in a league-best 155 games at shortstop. “Lucious Luke’s” military tenure cost him all of the 1944 campaign and all but 18 games of the 1945 season. Appling became a regular again in 1946 and responded by hitting at least .301 in each of the next four seasons. Appling closed out his Hall of Fame career by playing in 50 games in 1950. LUKE CALLED HOME 1991: White Sox Hall of Famer Luke Appling died suddenly at age 83, in Cumming, Georgia when he was felled by an abdominal aneurysm. Except for a brief stint in the military in 1944 and 1945, Appling was a pillar at shortstop on the Southside from 1930 to 1950, winning two batting championships and earning a spot on four All-Star teams. His No. 4 was retired in 1975 and Appling, who was known to foul off dozens of pitches during an at bat, still ranks in the franchise’s top 10 in games (first, 2,422), hits (first 2,749), RBIs (second, 1,116), singles (first, 2,162), total bases (second, 3,528) doubles (second, 440), extra-base hits (second, 587), average (seventh, .310), triples (third, 102), at bats (first, 8,856), runs (second, 1,319), walks (second, 1,302) and steals (eighth, 179).

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: JANUARY 2ND For more, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com BACKUP BACKSTOP BEANTOWN BOUND 1908: The White Sox dealt catcher Ed McFarland to the Boston Red Sox for utility player Al Shaw. McFarland had been with the White Sox since 1902 and was behind the plate for no-hitters by James Callahan on Sept. 20, 1902 against Detroit and Frank Smith Sept. 6, 1905 at Detroit. McFarland was getting pretty good playing time until Billy Sullivan became a regular catcher in 1904. McFarland still managed to hit .275 in 1904 and .280 in 1905 but he was limited to 12 games in 1906 for the World Champion “Hitless Wonder” White Sox. McFarland went 0-for-1 in the 1906 World Series against the Cubs, grounding out as a pinch-hitter to leadoff the ninth inning of the Sox 1-0 loss in Game 4, As Sullivan’s top backup in 1907, McFarland concluded his Sox career by hitting .283 in 52 games in 1907. McFarland played just 19 games for the 1908 Red Sox. The White Sox didn’t get much more use out of Shaw. He played just 29 games for the 1908 White Sox – his only year with the team. UNCLE ALEX ACQUIRED 1946: The White Sox purchased pitcher Alex Carrasquel from the Washington Senators. The uncle of future Sox All-Star shortstop Chico Carrasquel hadn’t pitched since 1945 when he completed a competent seven-year stint as a swingman for the Senators. The native of Caracas, Distrito Federal Venezuela didn’t make it to the White Sox until 1949 and things did not go well. When the Sox dealt him to Detroit for pitcher Luis Aloma on Aug. 5, 1949, the right-hander had posted a 14.73 ERA in three games appearances covering 3.2 innings. UNCLE JOE SOLD 1975: The White Sox sold pitcher Joe Henderson to the Cincinnati Reds. The uncle of future Red Sox ALCS hero Dave Henderson, Joe Henderson went 1-0 with an 8.40 ERA in five appearances (threestarts) for the 1974 Sox.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: JANUARY 1ST SOX SIGN DENNY McLAIN 1962: The White Sox signed 17-year old high school phenom Denny McLain setting in motion one of the most colorful careers in recent big league history. The Sox gave McLain a $17,000 bonus after a sensational career at Chicago’s Mount Carmel High School. At age 18, McLain went 1-0 for Harlan of the Appalachian (Rookie) League and 4-7 for Clinton of the Class-A Midwest League in 1962. Under the rules of the day, the Sox were allowed to keep only one first-year bonus player. The Sox had to decide between pitcher Bruce Howard and McLain. The Sox pitted the two against each other in an exhibition game. Howard was the winner and was assigned to Double-A Knoxville. McLain was placed on waivers April 8, 1962 and ultimately claimed by the Detroit Tigers where he embarked on a memorable journey which would include a31-win season, two Cy Young Awards, a World Series title and plenty of controversy.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: JANUARY 1ST RIP HI BITHORN 1952: Former White Sox pitcher Hi Bithorn died in northern Mexico when he was shot by a policeman. Bithorn pitched in two games for the 1947 White Sox and went 1-0 in two scoreless appearances. Bithorn’s appearances with the White Sox were the last of his four-year big league career. The circumstances of Bithorn’s death were mysterious. Police said Bithorn told a hotel clerk that he was trying to sell his car because he was broke but the right-hander reportedly was in possession of $2,000 when he was killed. A prominent stadium in Puerto Rico is named in honor of Bithorn. … Note: Retrosheet.org has Bithorn’s date of death as Dec. 30, 1951. Every other source I checked had it as Jan. 1, 1952.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: DECEMBER 31ST For more see, www.whitesoxalmanac.com/ ENJOY! BIG ED SENT PACKING 1916: The long and storied Hall of Fame playing career of the great Ed Walsh came to an end when the White Sox released the legendary pitcher. The right-hander hadn’t pitched regularly since 1912 because of arm troubles. “The Big Reel” went 195-125 with a 1.81 ERA in 426 games (312 starts) in 13 seasons with the Sox. He departed as the franchise’s leader in virtually every pitching category and is still first in ERA, fewest runners per nine innings (9.12), strikeout/walk ratio (2.85), shutouts (57) and hits per nine innings (7.10). The spitballer’s best season came in 1908 when he went 40-15 with a 1.42 ERA. Walsh pitched briefly with the Boston Braves in 1917. He served as a White Sox coach in 1923 and 1924 and managed the team briefly (three games) in 1924 between Johnny Evers and Eddie Collins. He returned as a coach for the 1928 and 1929 season, which coincided with part of his son’s (Ed Jr.) undistinguished tenure with the team. The Sox honored the Walsh with two testimonial days – one after the 1911 campaign and one on June 22, 1958 at Comiskey Park. He died less than a year later. KID REPLACES PANTS 1918: Charles Comiskey ushered out the old year by replacing Clarence “Pants” Rowland with Kid Gleason as White Sox manager. Rowland managed the Sox from 1915 to 1918 and guided the team to the 1917 World Series title. With star players contributing to the war effort, the team tumbled into sixth place in 1918, prompting Comiskey to make the change. Gleason managed the Sox until 1923. He was the manager for the infamous 1919 World Series. He knew the fix was in but had no proof to offer Comiskey. Gleason hung with the team trying to rebuild the team but wasn’t up to the task, according to Rich Lindberg’s “Total White Sox.” He left the Sox after the 1923 season and never managed in the bigs again. SO LONG, MR. PERFECT 1925: The St. Louis Browns claimed pitcher Charlie Robertson, the only man in franchise history to throw a perfect game, off waivers from the White Sox. Robertson’s perfecto came April 30, 1922 and was just one of his 49 big league wins.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY DEC. 30: HAPPY BIRTHDAY AJ PIERZYNSKI! GO TELL IT TO THE MOUNTAIN 1926: The Chicago Tribune reported the Detroit Tigers threw a four-game series to the White Sox in 1917 which aided the Southsiders’ march to the pennant and ultimately the World Series championship. Within a week, Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis launched an investigation into the claims which were put forth by Swede Risberg, one of the eight players booted from the game for his role in the 1919 “Black Sox” scandal. Landis was unable to find any witnesses to corroborate Risberg’s claims and eventually dropped the investigation. BRING ON THE BLOTTER 1944: The White Sox picked up one of the great nicknames in their history when they purchased Floyd “The Blotter” Baker from the St. Louis Browns. Baker was the White Sox regular third baseman from 1947 to 1949 and earned his colorful monicker for his prowess around the bag. Dubbed “vastly underrated” by Rich Lindberg in “Total White Sox,” Baker led A.L. third basemen with a .977 fielding percentage in 1949. Not a bad hitter, Baker hit at least .264 in four of his five full seasons on the Southside. After seasons as a part-timer in 1950 and 1951, Baker was dealt to Washington for infielder Willie Miranda on Oct. 24, 1951.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: DECEMBER 29TH For more, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com POST-CHRISTMAS SHOPPING SPREE 1939: In one of their more active days in recent memory, the White Sox executed three transactions – two sales and one trade. The trade turned out to be a darn good one. The Sox acquired versatile infielder Don Kolloway from Oklahoma City for catcher Tony Rensa and second baseman Jesse Landrum. Neither player the Sox surrendered ever played in the bigs again but Kolloway went on to have some productive years for on the Southside despite having his career interrupted during the World War II years. Kolloway’s best season was 1942 when he hit .273 with three homers, 60 RBIs and a league-leading 40 doubles. Also on this day, the Sox sold part-time outfielder Hank Steinbacher and little-used catcher Norm Schlueter to the St. Louis Browns. Neither move would ever haunt the team. WAS 27 HIS LUCKY NUMBER? 1992: The White Sox signed catcher Rick Wrona. The journeyman’s only noteworthy spot in Sox annals was that he was the catcher who replaced Carlton Fisk after the Sox had released Fisk. Wrona played in just four games while the Sox waited for recent signee Mike LaValliere to get ready to complement Ron Karkovice. Wrona also had the dubious distinction of wearing the No. 27 which was Fisk’s number in Boston. When Fisk came to Chicago, he reversed the number giving him the familiar 72 he would wear with the Sox. At the time, it was all a little puzzling.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: DECEMBER 28TH For more, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com/ENJOY! COMISKEY … CARDINALS … CROWN 1947: Comiskey Park hosted its only National Football League Championship game as the Chicago Cardinals defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 28-21 before 30,759 fans. This was the only NFL title game held at Comiskey Park, which the Cardinals called home from 1922 to 1925 and from 1929 to 1958. CAPTAIN KIRK LANDS 1991: The White Sox signed pitcher Kirk McCaskill. The Sox brought the right-hander on to round out their rotation but really found his niche in the bullpen midway through the A.L. West Division championship season of 1993. The highlight of McCaskill’s tenure with the Sox came on Sept. 30, 1993 when he was on the mound for the division-clinching victory at “new” Comiskey Park. D.J. ON THE WAY 1993: A little more than a month after losing Ellis Burks, the White Sox signed Darrin Jackson to play right field. Burks hit .275 with 17 homers as the starting right fielder for the A.L. West champs but went the free agent, big money and big years route to Colorado. In Jackson, the Sox got one of the best glove men in the game, who – like Burks before him – was coming off an injury-riddled time in his career. Like Burks, Jackson took full advantage of the everyday opportunity afford to him by the Sox. In 104 games in the strike-shortened campaign, “D.J.” hit .312 with 10 homers and 51 RBIs for the A.L. Central champion Sox. Following the season, Jackson, like his Sox teammate Julio Franco, headed for Japan. He wouldn’t play again in the U.S. until resurfacing with Minnesota in 1997. Two years later, he finished out his playing career with the Sox. RAINES SENT AWAY 1995: The White Sox dealt outfielder Tim Raines to the New York Yankees for a player to be named later. Raines spent the previous five seasons with the Sox, serving mostly as the left fielder and DH. With the Yankees, Raines went to the postseason in each of his three years with the team and played in four of six games as the “Bronx Bombers” won the 1996 World Series. The deal was completed when the Sox received minor leaguer Blaise Kozeniewski on Feb. 6, 1996. Kozeniewski never played in the bigs. JON STAYS ON 2005: The White Sox and pitcher Jon Garland agreed to terms on a three-year contract.

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