March 15, 1976 - After stepping in at the last minute to buy the franchise and prevent them from being moved to Seattle, Bill Veeck appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The caption said, “Baseball Couldn’t Shut Him Out. Bill Veeck of the White Sox.” Veeck would own the team from 1976 through 1980 in his second stint.

Then Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, a big Sox fan, was instrumental in contacting Veeck to see if he would get involved since Daley did not want to see the club relocated. The original plan by baseball was to move the Sox to Seattle thus ending the lawsuits filed by that city, King County and the state. Then Charlie Finley would move his Oakland A’s to the South Side. Originally the other owners voted down Veeck’s bid, demanding that he change financial ownership terms in it. Amazingly Veeck somehow got it done and the other owners reluctantly voted to let him have the franchise.

Beware of the Ides of March!

Jack Brickhouse  contacted one of the business people in Chicago who came up with  the rest of the money that Veeck needed. Brickhouse  was the announcer for the White Sox for years on Channel  9.  He didn't want to see the White Sox leave Chicago. He still had a soft spot in his heart for the White Sox.