Lip Man 1

January 29, 1964 - Pitcher Jim Brosnan was given permission from the White Sox to seek a deal with another team, after G.M. Ed Short told him he would no longer be allowed to write stories and articles on the side. Brosnan previously had authored the classic book, “The Long Season”, as well as “Pennant Race” when he was with the Reds and also wrote for Sports Illustrated. Brosnan, who was acquired during the 1963 season and threw extremely well out of the pen with a 2.84 ERA and 15 saves for the pennant-chasing White Sox, would be released by the team on February 25. Brosnan never pitched another game in the majors, his career was over at age 34. Part of the reason Short may have felt he had the upper hand was because with relief pitchers like Hoyt Wilhelm, Eddie Fisher and Don Mossi the White Sox had one of the best bullpens in the game. January 29, 1981 - Jerry Reinsdorf and Eddie Einhorn gained control of the White Sox after American League owners turned down Bill Veeck’s attempt to sell to Eddie DeBartolo Sr. Reinsdorf’s original partner was William Farley but he dropped out, in part, because the Sox went out and signed free agents Ron LeFlore and Jim Essian while Bill Veeck was still in control. Farley didn’t approve of the team spending three million dollars for them even though Veeck got the money for the signings from DeBartolo. Reinsdorf originally was part of a group trying to buy the New York Mets. Einhorn originally was part of a group trying to get the San Diego Padres. DeBartolo was turned down over concerns that he might have ties with organized crime and his horse racing interests as well as not having any local or business ties to Chicago.

January 28, 1901 - The American League moved from minor-league status to the majors, admitting the Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia A’s and Boston Americans to join the existing Washington Nationals, Cleveland Blues, Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago White Sox. Three clubs (Indianapolis, Buffalo and Minneapolis) were cut from the A.L. The league played a 140-game schedule in 1901 and commenced a raid on National League talent. The White Sox had won the final Western League pennant, in 1900, and would finish first in the American League in 1901, with a record of 83-53-1. Both pennants ended the White Sox seasons, as there was no World Series in those years.

My interview with Ray: https://www.southsidesox.com/2023/1/27/23573893/ray-herbert-white-sox-in-memoriam-1929-2022-obituary

January 27, 1953 - It was one of those deals that was too good to be true and unfortunately that turned out to be the case, as the Sox acquired two-time A.L. batting champ Ferris “Burrhead” Fain from the Philadelphia A’s as part of a five-player deal. Fain never approached those numbers in Chicago, was a distraction off the field, got hurt himself, and was rumored to have gotten into a fight with second baseman Nellie Fox that resulted in injuries. Lockers were supposedly pushed on Fox during the altercation and he was pinned under them. The fight was thought to have taken place after a game in Washington D.C. against the Senators. In 1953 he walked 108 times and in 1954 he hit .308 but despite those numbers and two All-Star appearances he was sent to Detroit after the 1954 campaign. January 27, 2005 - So who needs scouts? (Just joking...) Sox G.M. Ken Williams signed Japanese second baseman Tadahito Iguchi after watching video tape on him. Iguchi turned into a very solid second baseman and second hitter in the lineup… delivering defense, home runs and RBI’s to a team that would go on to take the World Series. Iguchi's three run home run in game #2 of the 2005 A.L.D.S. turned that game around and gave the Sox a commanding two game lead in the best of five series and then the following year in 2006, his single in the 19th inning on July 9 beat the Red Sox 6-5. That game was tied for the fifth longest in franchise history. His best offensive game came a few weeks earlier in a 10-9 extra inning loss to the Astros. Iguchi drove in seven runs, five scoring on home runs in both the eighth and ninth innings at U.S. Cellular Field. On April 15 of that same year he turned in one of the most incredible defensive plays in Major League history throwing out the Blue Jays Bengie Molina in the ninth inning of a 4-2 White Sox win. Iguchi threw the ball to first base sailing horizontally off the ground and from a most unusual throwing angle.

Another great Sox pitcher of the 1960's, only Tommy John is left now. Here are some of his highlights: May 14, 1963 - Sox pitcher Ray Herbert fired his fourth consecutive shutout beating the Tigers 3-0 at Comiskey Park. Herbert allowed six hits and struck out seven. His shutout streak began on May 1 when he blanked the Orioles. That was followed by shutouts over the Senators and the Yankees. In the shutout stretch he only allowed 15 hits in 36 innings with 22 strike outs. The previous season Ray won 20 games and was the winning pitcher for the American League in the second All-Star Game played that year. It took place at Wrigley Field. May 19, 1963 - Sox starter Ray Herbert’s consecutive scoreless inning streak ended controversially in (where else?) Baltimore. Herbert, a 20-game winner in 1962, had thrown 38 straight scoreless innings when he faced the Orioles Johnny Orsino in the third inning. Orsino then hit what appeared to be a home run to left field...or did he? Both manager Al Lopez and outfielder Dave Nicholson argued that the ball Orsino hit passed between the top of the wall and an iron railing mounted on top of it with support posts to help keep fans from falling over on to the field of play. By going through the gap, it should have been ruled a ground rule double. They lost the argument; Herbert lost his scoreless streak but the Sox won the game 4-3 in 10 innings to get a double header split. June 10, 1961 - With owner Bill Veeck in ill health, his group sold the White Sox to Chicagoan Art Allyn. Veeck only owned the club for two and a half years the first time around. Allyn paid $2,500,000 for the team. On the same day of the sale, the Sox made an eight-player deal that netted the team pitchers Ray Herbert, Don Larsen and infielder Andy Caray from Kansas City. One week later the Sox began a 12-game winning streak that saved the season. They beat up Minnesota, Cleveland, Washington and Detroit during it. They’d rebound from last place in May to finish fourth at 86-76-1. Herbert would then go on to win 20 games in 1962. July 30, 1962 - Sox starting pitcher Ray Herbert, who would eventually win 20 games on the season, was named as a last-minute replacement for the All-Star Game. Herbert then got the win, pitching three innings, as the A.L. beat the N.L. 9-4 in Wrigley Field. He was joined on the team by Luis Aparicio (SS) and Jim Landis (OF). In his three innings of work, he allowed only three singles, two of the infield variety.

With this organization anything is possible but it may have more to do with the Sun-Times story today.

My interview with Gary: https://www.southsidesox.com/2023/1/26/23572959/gary-peters-in-memoriam-chicago-white-sox-1937-2023-interview-obituary

May 5, 1968 - Sox pitcher Gary Peters became the last pitcher to hit a grand slam for the franchise as he connected in the fourth inning of a 5-1 win over the Yankees at Comiskey Park. It was the first game of a double header. In addition, he threw a complete game with nine strikeouts allowing only six hits in the win. Peters would hit 15 home runs as a member of the Sox. The only other Sox pitchers to hit a grand slam were Monty Stratton and Tommy Byrne. Byrne’s grand slam was as a pinch hitter. May 6, 1963 - Making an emergency start in Kansas City, Sox pitcher Gary Peters hit the first of his 19 career home runs, 15 came as a member of the White Sox. It came in the third inning off Ted Bowsfield. Peters would toss eight innings allowing one run in the Sox 5-1 win. It was the first win in 1963 for Gary, who’d go on to collect 19 of them and win Co-Rookie of the Year honors with teammate Pete Ward. Peters had 189 strike outs to go along with a 2.33 ERA. Peters was told that he would be starting this game on the airplane flying into Kansas City by Sox pitching coach Ray Berres after scheduled starter Juan Pizarro got sick with a case of the flu. May 14, 1967 - Sox pitching great Gary Peters authored his second career one-hitter beating the Angels 3-1 at Comiskey Park. It was the second game in a double header sweep. Peters allowed only a second inning home run to former Sox first baseman Bill “Moose” Skowron and struck out 10. Peters would make the All-Star team for the second time in his career that season going 16-11 with a 2.28 ERA throwing 260 innings. May 26, 1968 - In an effort to jump start a stagnant offense, Sox manager Eddie Stanky batted pitcher Gary Peters in the #6 slot in a game in New York. Peters who had 19 career home runs, was listed in the order ahead of Luis Aparicio, Duane Josephson and Tim Cullen. The move didn’t help though as the Sox lost 5-1 to Mel Stottlemyre. Peters went 0 for 2 in the contest as the Sox only managed four hits. July 4-5, 1964 - During the 1960's the White Sox were synonymous with outstanding pitching...pitching that was the envy of most of Major League baseball excluding only perhaps, the Dodgers. The best example of this were these two days in Chicago over the Fourth of July holiday in 1964. In a time span of roughly 28 hours, the White Sox threw three straight complete game shutouts against the Indians. On the Fourth of July itself, Gary Peters blanked the Tribe on three hits, winning 4-0. In the Sunday doubleheader it was Juan Pizarro in game one, tossing a seven hitter, winning 2-0. Then in the nightcap it was Joe Horlen with a 5-0 blanking on four hits. In 27 innings, Cleveland managed no runs on 14 hits with seven walks. Now that’s pitching!!! July 15, 1963 - Sox pitcher Gary Peters, on his way towards being named Co-Rookie of the Year, threw a one-hitter at Comiskey Park in beating the Orioles 4-0. Future Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts got the start for Baltimore and got that team’s only hit… in fact he would be the only O’s base runner on the night. That hit came in the third inning a single to center field. J.C. Martin and Tommy McCraw blasted two-run home runs for the Sox. Peters would strike out 13 that night and would finish the year with 19 wins despite not getting his first start until May 6 in Kansas City.

January 26, 1983 - The Sox and G. M. Roland Hemond embarrassed the Cubs by hinting through the media that they might select pitcher Fergie Jenkins after the Cubs left him unprotected in the free agent draft. Jenkins, the future Hall of Famer, was getting close to the magical 300-win mark in his career. The Sox were entitled to compensation after losing outfielder Steve Kemp to the Yankees. The Cubs were forced to trade Scott Fletcher, Dick “Dirt” Tidrow, Randy Martz and Pat Tabler to the Sox for a promise not to take Jenkins, along with pitchers Steve Trout and Warren Brusstar. The Sox then traded Tabler for Jerry Dybzinski. After it was all said and done, Cub G.M. Dallas Green was quoted as saying, “To say I’m relieved probably would be an understatement.” Fletcher would be a part of the 1983 divisional champion but his bigger impact perhaps came in 1990, for the “Doin' the Little Things” White Sox, who shocked baseball by winning 94 games. Fletcher was a defensive rock at second base and executed small things like bunting, hitting behind a runner and to the opposite field and driving in key runs exceptionally well. Tidrow did just about everything a relief pitcher could do in 1983 and Dybzinski stabilized a shaky infield in the early part of that same season. Unfortunately, his base running error in game #4 of the A.L.C.S. is what he is best remembered for. The Sox starting staff was so deep in 1983, with seven pitchers on the roster who all won at least 10 games in a Major League season, that Martz never really got a chance. He only made one emergency start that year in a game at Detroit. Those other pitchers who won at least 10 games were LaMarr Hoyt, Richard Dotson, Floyd Bannister, Britt Burns, Jerry Koosman and Steve Mura.

Knew Gary for a long time, my first White Sox hero. The first game I ever attended in person was on July 15, 1963 when he threw a complete game one-hitter beating the Orioles 4-0 at Comiskey Park. The only guy to get a hit was Baltimore pitcher and future Hall of Famer Robin Roberts. The two lived about a mile from each other in Sarasota and Gary told me every time he saw Robin, Robin would give him grief about being the only guy to get a hit or get on base that night. Peters was "sneaky fast" had an easy delivery and then the ball exploded on a hitter. Made two All-Star teams, was a 20 game winner, led the league in ERA. Was a terrific pitcher. Basically only Hebert and John are left from those incredible staffs from the 1960's.

From my story "Sox and the media": September 28, 1995 – Cub relief pitcher Randy Myers was attacked on the mound by 27 year old John Murray after giving up a home run to a member of the Astros. Myers used his kung fu training to handle the attacker. May 16, 2000 – Dodger catcher Chad Kreuter, sitting in the bullpen in right field, had his head slapped and his hat stolen by a fan that ran up into the stands. Kreuter and some of his teammates charged into the stands and an ugly fight ensued. Arrests and suspensions followed. June 26, 2007 – After giving up a three run home run to the Rockies, Cub relief pitcher Bob Howry saw a fan run out of the stands and charge towards him. The fan, Brent Kowalkoski, was tackled right before he stepped on the mound area. Former Cub players LaTroy Hawkins, Milton Bradley and Jacques Jones accused Wrigley fans of racial insults and throwing items at them. On at least two occasions Cub games had to be stopped and security and cleanup crews had to go on to the field to pick up numerous amounts of garbage thrown from out of the bleachers. And there was the terrible situation where a fan was murdered near Wrigley Field soon after a Cub game but newspaper accounts afterwards never mentioned ‘Wrigleyville’ the term used by all for the area. Instead a more obscure name was used to describe the neighborhood where the incident took place. By contrast when the Sox had the two incidents take place the name of their stadium and the neighborhood, Bridgeport, was prominently mentioned and mentioned for days afterwards including when the Ligue’s and Dybas had their legal day in court. Mentioning Dybas also brought up another point which left many, even non-conspiratorial individuals wondering what may have been going on. The following day after the incident both Dybas’ girlfriend, Kelly Sherwood and his roommate, said on various Chicago radio stations that they were shocked that Dybas was even at a Sox game. Both said he was a dedicated Cub fan who had been drinking heavily at the afternoon Cub game before deciding to go to the Sox game that night.

Once again Jim Margalus of Sox Machine with a sane, sober look at this situation and the ramifications and possible outcomes: https://soxmachine.com/2023/01/best-case-scenario-for-mike-clevinger-white-sox-doesnt-exist/

Wacha and Reyes are still out there I think.

Karma is a b****, baseball gods are saying "it's time" (remember that slogan?) for new ownership. Just heard from a member of the mainstream Chicago media to get their thoughts, this was the reply: "The best sports organizations do their own background checks and don’t need to rely on the commissioner’s office. I knew about the baggage when they signed Clevinger, but I thought it was related to something else indirectly tied to his former Cleveland teammate. Rick Hahn should be called on the carpet for this. Who does background checks for this organization, Barney Fife?"

Martin left his last start with the dreaded "forearm soreness." Sox have said nothing since then, until he's on the mound and shows he is OK you can't make any assumptions.

If you are referring to the drug conviction (and I assume you are) that's got nothing to do with his time with the Sox, that's no different than any other player in my notations. When they leave the Sox that's really not relevant unless they remain say as an "ambassador."

Another example of how this organization is inept, dysfunctional and incompetent. And until the owner is no longer around the baseball gods are going to keep dumping on it.

January 24, 2003 - Sometimes luck plays a part in things...sometimes a very big part. On this date, Sox G.M. Kenny Williams signed free agent pitcher Esteban Loaiza to a contract. Loaiza was expected to round out the back end of the rotation...he did more than that. By season’s end he had won 21 games, started the All-Star Game and led the A.L. in strikeouts with 207. His ERA was 2.90. He could have won the Cy Young Award but a pair of 1-0 losses to Detroit appeared to be the difference in doing so. He ended up second in the voting. The next year he was traded to the Yankees at midseason, for pitcher Jose Contreras…another deal that worked out to the White Sox advantage! He was reacquired off of waivers by the Sox on June 4, 2008 and appeared in three games before being given his release and retiring.

With respect I know everything about it. I was a contributor to Dr. Fletcher's book on Dick and the 72 season, "Chili Dog M.V.P." I'm also a consultant on his next two books, the one on the 1990 team and the stadium controversy and then on the 93/94 clubs and the labor impasse.

It was three years and Allen's impact went far beyond the field. He did something TJ never would be able to do, keep the Sox financially solvent, enable them to get a brand new radio deal and keep the turnstiles spinning.

The problem is though the Sox brass will cater to him rather than lay down the law, he'll play in the outfield, do something stupid like run into a wall or the netting, have a serious injury and miss two months. All because of his ego.

I appreciate his desire to play the outfield but I suspect this is more ego driven. Bottom line is this. How many times does he have to miss games because of injuries when he is in the outfield before it gets through to him that if he wants a long career, if he wants to make more money and if he wants to help his team, he becomes a DH?

Nellie Fox had a Hall of Fame career and was an M.V.P. The only way Madrigal gets into the Hall is if he buys a ticket. Laughable that you seem to discount everything Fox did because it doesn't fit today's mold of what a player should do/be. Personally I wish the Sox had two or three Fox's in the lineup, guys who could get on base, run, do little things to drive in runs. In other words figure out ways to score runs when you aren't hitting home runs. The word is balance.

Again this is what I was told about this situation from one of my multiple sources in the "State of the Sox" story: “Jason Benetti’s deal with the Sox is up, the Sox hold the option for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He went to Fox to negotiate that deal with them after he was told to do it and then come back to the Sox and they’d work something out. Jason wanted to get the deal done with the Sox first and then go to Fox or ESPN or whoever. Turns out when he came back to the Sox and said that he needs 40 days off so he can do the Fox work he was told, ‘no, that’s not happening.’ So I don’t know what’s going to happen to him or Steve Stone.”

January 22, 1960 - The White Sox introduced the first Major League baseball jersey that had a player’s name on the back. It was the brain child of owner Bill Veeck. At first the name was only on the road jersey but starting in 1961 names were also on the backs of the home jerseys. The White Sox then removed the player names in 1971 before bringing them back in 1976. Names were removed again from 1987 to 1990, but were added only on the road uniform midway through 1990. Their alternate black uniform would have player names when first introduced in 1991. Player names would return to the home uniform in 1997. January 22, 1996 - The Sox dealt two minor leaguers to Oakland for slugger Danny Tartabull. The enigmatic Tartabull who had as much talent as anyone, but often didn’t show it, put together a very good season on the South Side, with 27 home runs and 101 RBI’s. The two minor leaguers sent to the A’s were never heard from again. Danny then signed a free agent deal with the Phillies the following year. His best game for the White Sox came in Boston on September 14 that season when he drove in six runs in a 13-5 win at Fenway Park. He went 2 for 4 with two runs scored. Four of his RBI’s came on an eighth inning grand slam.