Lip Man 1

January 8, 2014 – White Sox legend Frank Thomas, was elected to the Hall of Fame on his first try, with almost 84 per cent support. Thomas played the first 16 years of his career on the South Side, and was a five-time All-Star and two-time M.V.P. in 1993 and 1994. He also was the largest person both in height and weight to win a batting championship when he hit .347 in 1997. He also was the only player in history to hit over .300 with at least 100 runs, 100 RBI’s, 20 home runs and 100 walks in his first seven seasons.

January 7, 1985 - Former White Sox reliever Hoyt Wilhelm was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, garnering almost 84 per cent of the vote in his eighth year on the ballot. In the previous election of 1984, Wilhelm had fallen just 13 votes shy of enshrinement, with 72 per cent of the vote. Wilhelm pitched six full seasons for the White Sox, the most time logged with any of the knuckleballer’s nine franchises. He had a career White Sox ERA of 1.97, 41 wins and 99 saves. The ERA, considering the unpredictability of the pitch he threw, a knuckleball, was truly remarkable.

From my November 2022 story of the issues with the organization. This from one of six sources I spoke with: “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.”

Read a story tonight that was pretty interesting. Story said the U.S. Copyright Department for the second time has turned down the Athletics attempts to copyright the name "Las Vegas Athletics." Part of the issue is that the A's actually aren't in Las Vegas but Sacramento at least for the next two years. You talk about a total cluster#$%^ 😆

This. Even the idiot Matt Nagy had that one terrific season remember? After that all garbage.

Shocked that Harbaugh got the boot in Baltimore after all that he's accomplished. If the Bears hadn't already grabbed Johnson, I'd hire him in a second. He won't be unemployed for long.

He'd be doing both since the NBC broadcast if I remember right would be along the lines of the "Game of the Week..." Very few broadcasters today have "exclusive" contracts at that level prohibiting them for working as well for national outlets.

January 6, 1964 – The White Sox revealed their new road uniforms, a bold powder-blue that departed from traditional gray. The South Siders thereby kick-started a road uniform look that lasted for two decades across Major League Baseball. The base powder blue had navy blue accents trimmed in white. January 6, 2005 - Needing catching help, Sox G.M. Ken Williams took a gamble and inked catcher A.J. Pierzynski to a free agent contract. A.J., who had a reputation as a ‘clubhouse cancer’ turned out to be a model teammate and his contributions to the 2005 World Series champs, would be incalculable. Sox announcer Ken “Hawk” Harrelson pitched A.J. to the front office since he knew him for a number of years (both lived in Orlando, Florida) and got the organization to take the chance. Two of the most memorable A.J. moments took place in 2005. The first came on June 18 when he hit an opposite field home run to cap a four run ninth inning as the Sox beat the Dodgers 5-3. The Sox were wearing 1959 replica uniforms for the game. The second and far more important moment, came on October 12, the second game of the A.L.C.S. With the Sox down a game to the Angels and tied in the ninth, Pierzynski struck out then started running to first base as former Sox player Josh Paul, the Angels catcher, rolled the ball back towards the mound thinking the inning was over. A.J. thought the ball hit the dirt and was trapped which required a put out at first base. Umpire Doug Eddings agreed and Pierzynski got the base. The play led to the eventual winning run, evening the best of seven series which the Sox went on to win in five games to get to their first World Series since 1959. Another 'classic' A.J. moment came on May 20, 2006 during a Cubs/Sox game at U.S. Cellular Field. Scoring the first run in an eventual 7-0 Sox win, A.J. got tangled up with catcher Michael Barrett and went back to touch home plate. As he was doing so, he bumped Barrett which resulted in the Cub player losing it and sucker punching him. Four players wound up being ejected in the fight. A.J. would play for the franchise from 2005-2012.

https://awfulannouncing.com/nbc/jason-benetti-top-candidate-mlb-voice.html

With respect I can't subscribe to this notion for a second. That's the last thing Johnson would care about and so would Williams. As to the second bolded point Johnson swore in the postgame he was holding nothing back. Bottom line, the Bears came out flat, disinterested maybe arrogant and it bit them right on the ass. The #1 off season project has to be to get some game wreckers on defense via trade, free agent signings or a draft pick or two.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/01/04/bears-packers-nfc-wild-card-caleb-williams-ben-johnson

Bears 2026 schedule is set: https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/01/04/bears-2026-opponents-set-including-visits-to-bills-seahawks-home-games-vs-patriots-eagles

Great question. Can't wait to read WBWSF's answer!

Here's the other thing I don't understand about the way the Bears handled the final few minutes and I hope someone asks Johnson about this. Right after the interception the Bears have decent field position and there is still about 2:30 minutes left. Why in the world are you throwing on first and second down? Why are you stopping the clock and allowing Detroit to keep their last time out? Run the damn football. Even if you don't gain a yard you either burn off about 1:15 or force Detroit to use that time out and you still take some time off the clock. Detroit has less time to work with and no time outs. if they still score with no time outs and less time on the clock you tip your hat to them. Take the game to overtime. Just really bad decision making in my opinion.

Of course he will be. Let's just say the Bears have to fix a lot of things before next weekend. If they don't? It will be "one and done" in the playoffs. Detroit had nothing to play for today, NOTHING and shredded the Bears defense. And they did it with a lot of starters out. They're damn lucky Washington upset the Eagles or they'd be looking at the 49'ers again and that's a sure loss. This defense has been atrocious three straight weeks and has to be fixed this off season. Period. End of story. The Bears should be embarrassed by their performance today.

Glad you like them.

January 4, 1941 - The White Sox made a savvy purchase, acquiring righthander Joe Haynes from the Washington Senators. For next to nothing, Chicago secured a valuable pitcher throughout the decade. Haynes came to the White Sox as a reliever, and in his first full season on the South Side, 1942, led the A.L. in games (40) and games finished (35), picking up six saves with a 2.62 ERA. Eventually, Haynes would move more or less fully into the starting rotation, and in 1947 finished with a 14-6 record and league-best 2.42 ERA. He was rewarded by being selected for the 1948 All-Star Game. For his career with the Sox Haynes won 55 games and saved 14 others. He was traded to Cleveland after the 1948 season for Joe Tipton. The Sox then traded Tipton a year later for a youngster named Nellie Fox. January 4, 1993 – The Sox signed off-injured outfielder Ellis Burks to a one-year deal. Burks would have a breakout season in 1993 and finally stop the revolving door in right field (at least for that season.) Burks would produce 17 homers, 71 RBI’s and hit .275 in the divisional championship season. He’d catch the final out to clinch the division title that season as well. In the six game A.L.C.S. he’d hit .304 with seven hits including a double and a home run and drive in three RBI’s. He also walked four times. Unfortunately, then G.M. Ron Schueler, wouldn't give Burks the multi-year deal he was looking for when the season ended and he left for Colorado where he became an All-Star.

January 3, 2005 - As part of a plan to add more depth to the rotation, the Sox signed veteran hurler Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez. “The Duke” started strong in 2005, faded somewhat down the stretch but pitched perhaps the most historic inning in franchise history when he came in to a bases loaded, no out situation at Boston in game #3 of the A.L.D.S. with the Sox only leading 4-3 in the sixth inning. He proceeded to get two pop outs and a strike out as the Sox held on to win 5-3 and advance to the A.L.C.S. For the 2005 season Hernandez went 9-9 with a save in 128 innings of work. He was traded that off season as part of a deal bringing Javier Vasquez to the White Sox. January 3, 2008 – The White Sox were looking for another solid hitter to join the lineup and G.M. Kenny Williams thought he had found him as he made a deal with Oakland and acquired outfielder/first baseman Nick “Dirty 30” Swisher for Ryan Sweeney, Fautino De Los Santos and Gio Gonzalez. Unfortunately the deal fell far short. In 2008 Swisher put up decent numbers 21 doubles, 24 home runs and 69 RBI’s but he turned into a distracting presence in the clubhouse, was benched by manager Ozzie Guillen towards the end of the year and was then traded to the Yankees…where he promptly regained his Oakland form in four solid seasons. Sweeney hit higher than .286 in three of his four years with the A’s while Gonzalez blossomed into a solid starting pitcher for the A’s and then later the Nationals where he won 21 games in 2012. The Sox signed him as a free agent for the 2020 season but he was injured and only started four games in the 60-game pandemic shortened year.

Who cares? It's just a name. Don't lose any sleep over this.

Good let them talk. "You are looking live" at the Hammond Bears. 😉 The politicians have made it pretty clear until the Bears pay off the renovation debt from 2002 they aren't getting any cooperation. Let them go to Indiana, they'll still be the Chicago Bears.

We haven't done this for a few years and some posters wrote that they enjoyed reading these so I'm bringing it back for the year 2026. Have added a number of new entries particularly from the first four decades or so of the franchises history. I hope you will enjoy them. Feel free with comments, memories that you have for any of the factoids. Maybe you were at the game mentioned, or watched on TV...things like that. January 2, 1986 – Former two-time owner of the White Sox, Bill Veeck died at the age of 71. Veeck owned the club from March 1959 through June 1961 and then again from December 1975 to January 1981 when he sold it to the group headed up by Jerry Reinsdorf and Eddie Einhorn. Veeck buying the team the second time, with considerable help from then Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, a big Sox fan, saved the franchise from being moved to Seattle with the Oakland A’s relocating to the South Side. Major League Baseball was trying to settle the lawsuits filed by Washington state, the city of Seattle and King County over the Pilots being relocated to Milwaukee in 1970. Moving the financially strapped White Sox to the Pacific Northwest would have ended the legal issues. Veeck saved the team but never really had the financial resources to make them competitive especially with the advent of free agency in his second time owning them. Part of his syndicate included some of the richest people in America but he had made a promise to never go to them for additional funds and to always turn them a profit. He was however known for his promotions, stunts and off-the-wall ideas which ranged from installing a shower in the center field bleachers at Comiskey Park, to broadcaster Harry Caray leading the crowd in singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” in the seventh inning to the infamous “Disco Demolition” night. Veeck was voted into the baseball Hall of Fame in 1991. January 2, 2020 – The White Sox signed Luis Robert to a multiyear contract without him having played a single Major League game. The future Gold Glove winner agreed to $50 million for six years, with team options worth $38 million more over two final seasons. Robert showcased five-tool talent finally staying healthy in 2023 with 38 homers, 36 doubles, 80 RBI’s and 20 stolen bases in an All-Star season, but injuries always seemed to dampen his great potential and limit him.

It depends on how the contract is written. Guys actually have been paid during labor situations. And that could be something his agents are demanding.

It would be a wonderful get but I continue to think the labor unrest and lockout is going to factor into the thinking here and moving forward with significant investments. There are no guarantees there will even be a season in 2027 if owners continue to chase a salary cap.

JR has always said his "philosophy" for wont of a better word is OPM (Other Peoples Money)

From MLB.com: "A report from Yahoo Japan indicated the White Sox were emerging as contenders for Imai, though Feinsand reported that Chicago is a longshot to ink the righty."