Lip Man 1

EIGHT factoids today: August 3, 1920 - During a robbery attempt at the Illinois Vinegar Manufacturing Company, three-armed bandits gunned down highly-respected Detective Sergeant Frank McGurk, a veteran of the Chicago Police Department. His fellow officers were able to start arresting the individuals who committed the crime after getting tips from individuals. On August 26 thanks to another tip, police were able to stop another robbery attempt, this one was going to take the payroll of the Wilson & Company stockyard meat packers of around 40 thousand dollars. One of those arrested, James Ryan, confessed to being part of the group that killed Detective Sergeant McGurk and then told police that he and his gang were planning on robbing the Comiskey Park box office in mid-September after “Babe” Ruth and the Yankees came to town. Further, Ryan said they were going to kill everyone in the box office including Sox owner Charles Comiskey! Ryan said he knew Comiskey would be there because he had been advised by his doctors not to actually watch the games for health reasons. Thanks to the arrest of Ryan on that late August day, Comiskey’s life was spared as well as every other person who would be in the box office at that time. August 3, 1940 - At Comiskey Park the White Sox held off the Senators 7-6 to record the franchises 3,000th win. The Sox had a six run fourth inning which was the difference. Jack Knott picked up the win and helped his own cause as he doubled in two runs in the big inning. August 3, 1956 - The White Sox set the franchise record for most runs ever scored in the first inning of a game when they picked up 11 in Chicago against the Orioles. Billy Pierce got the win as the Sox cruised 13-3. Billy’s record improved to 17-4. Catcher Les Moss drove in four RBI’s to lead the way for the Sox. 14 Sox batters came to the plate in the inning with seven hits, an error and four walks. August 3, 1959 - At the second All-Star Game, this one played at the Los Angeles Coliseum; Nellie Fox of the White Sox had a splendid afternoon. Fox was on base when the Yankees Yogi Berra blasted a two-run home run giving the A.L. a lead they never relinquished in the 5-3 win. For the game Nellie had two hits and a walk and drove in a run with a seventh inning single scoring the Yankees Tony Kubek. 1959 was the first year two All-Star Games were played, an experiment that went from 1959-1962. August 3, 1986 - Sox rookie Russ Morman collected three hits in his first three at bats in the big leagues. Morman also tied the record set by Billy Martin by getting two of them in the same inning in his debut game. That happened in the fourth inning of a 10-1 win at Comiskey Park against Detroit. Morman led off that inning with a home run then later in the same frame had an RBI single. August 3, 1989 - Sox G.M. Larry Himes is best remembered for his drafting of future stars like Robin Ventura, Frank Thomas, Jack McDowell and Alex Fernandez but he’d pull off a good trade or two as well. Case in point, on this day, Himes shipped outfielder Mark Davis to the Angels for pitcher Roberto Hernandez. Hernandez would go on to save 134 games for the Sox with three seasons of 30 or more. August 3, 1997 - Sox All-Star second baseman, Nellie Fox finally entered the baseball Hall of Fame. Fox, the 1959 American League M.V.P. was voted in by the veterans committee after missing regular election to the hall by the fewest votes in the history of the shrine. Technically he received the 75 per cent needed by rounding out his original vote total but the Hall had no provisions for that, so his total of 74.6 per cent stood and was deemed short of the 75 per cent needed. Fortunately, he was finally admitted in. Nellie was an 11-time All-Star who hit .368 in those games and was one of the most beloved players in Sox history. August 3, 2001 - Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle threw a lot of big games both in the regular season and in the playoffs. This was one of his best as he beat Tampa Bay 4-0 at U.S. Cellular Field. Buehrle allowed only one hit, to Damian Rolls leading off the seventh inning. He was the only base runner on the day.

As would I.

Pie in the sky is completely right.

Cubs got a good one to be sure. We'll see if the Sox do anything more. It honestly wouldn't surprise me if they didn't which would be unfortunate.

Sure if you go back far enough. The Mets had a stretch like that too. I was commenting on the last time I can recall a team getting that hot. July 11, 2010 - The Sox closed out the first half of the season crushing the Royals 15-5 at U.S. Cellular Field. The win capped an incredible 30 game stretch heading into the All-Star break that saw the club go 25-5 and vault into first place in the division. The 25-5 sprint tied the Sox with the legendary 1975 Cincinnati Reds and the 1990 New York Mets for the best stretch of wins in baseball history heading into the second half. Included in the run were winning streaks of 11 and eight games. They also won their first game back after the All-Star break. They’d finish the season 88-74, second place in the division.

The issue with speech to text is that you have to go back and correct everything the text got wrong, just like on your phone. I retired from broadcasting in March and was supposed to do some writing for Idaho State's sports information department and cover their football program for the Idaho State Journal but that's on hold. It was simply things that happened over the years from pitching to working out at Planet Fitness, it finally snapped in May. It could have been worse... originally they thought I was going to have to have reverse shoulder reconstruction (look it up) but because the main tear is in the back of the shoulder they can fix it arthroscopically.

We'll find out soon enough.

Since late June Boston is now 28-5. Incredible. Last time I can recall a team getting that hot was when the White Sox went 26-5 in 2010.

Jim: Speaking with someone involved in the process a few years ago and was told other more highly qualified people applied for the job when Benetti left, why John was hired is a mystery. That being said since when has the Sox front office / P.R. / marketing folks even really cared what the fan base wanted? I think he gets a new deal and we are stuck with him. Brooks isn't going to fire the guy and basically admit he screwed up the final decision. Now it's possible John leaves on his own but I'd be surprised if that happened.

Agree with your comments.

Do: Can you please DM me with your full name and physical address? Even though the Sox haven't won 63 games yet they aren't going to lose 100 and I need to get the check out in the next few days. Thursday I undergo rotator cuff surgery on my left (dominant) arm and I'm going to be in a sling for six weeks. I may not be able to actually write for a while. Thanks!

Just saw that, those Twins just keep doing late inning crap, like the grand slam walk off with two out.

Can someone help answer this. I know the Sox are the only team to have never given out a nine-figure deal. K.C., Pittsburgh and the A's have done so in recent years but I can't remember who Sacramento gave it to. Was it Kurtz? Thanks!

https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2026/08/02/luis-castillo-chicago-white-sox-gm-chris-getz-mariners-boston-smith-nolan-jones-erick-fedde-noah-schultz

I actually agree with this, there should be limits on how long you can defer a contract down the line. I'm guessing this could be a point both sides could compromise on in negotiations. This seems reasonable to me.

There's some truth in your comment. But I'm just being realistic. The MLBPA simply will not agree to a salary cap so the owners are going to have to figure out some other way to 'equalize' things if they are so concerned about 'competition.' Hint: They aren't in the slightest as Ken Rosenthal reported by the way. They want a salary cap for one reason only. They want the value of their franchises to equal what the NFL is getting... but I digress. 🙂 So, since the union isn't going to budge the owners either decide to start competing and bring in people to franchises who are willing to do that, or they tuck their tails between their legs and shut up keeping the status quo making their millions. Like I wrote this is going to be a very long lockout in my opinion and the only question really is how many regular season games are going to be missed.

In a word, no... Greene's injury history is pretty scary to start with although when healthy he's very good. And because the Reds are going to want more. Two of the guys you list are questionable in their own right.

Certainly if they make it worth his while. Just stating that it could complicate things.

They aren't getting Miller. Would be absolutely shocked.

Doesn't Gausman have a no trade to the Sox as part of his deal?

They do what they have to do to win, regardless of cost...have to respect that attitude myself. Man do they love getting sluggers.

I'd love to have Dan join on a regular basis.

Certainly possible. All depends on which owners start putting pressure on the others to settle as they have always done in the past, and how soon it happens. I say that because I can't see the MLBPA breaking ranks on the salary cap demand.

I'm guessing if (when) the Sox acquire another starter, Schultz goes back to Charlotte. Again not the kids fault, he's learning on the job at the highest level and that's tough to do.

All I can say is the broadcast mistakes especially going into his third season are inexcusable. They aren't understandable for a professional broadcaster. Yes we all make mistakes, I did as well but I also wasn't working for the White Sox. The franchise deserves better in all areas including the broadcasting end of things. That being said, if they make the playoffs and wind up having a winning season I think he stays with maybe a new two year deal. Brooks won't want to rock the boat. Although again so much depends on who may be running the team next season from an ownership standpoint.