This Day In Sox History...June 4

[Lip Man 1]

June 4, 1959 - 1959 was a year for marathon games for the White Sox. This was the first one that went at least 17 innings, and all took place against Baltimore. In this game first basemen Earl Torgeson’s solo home run in the last of the 17^th, off Jerry Walker, was the difference in the Sox 6-5 win at Comiskey Park. Bob Shaw pitched five relief innings to get the victory. The Sox rallied from 4-2 and 5-4 deficits to get the win. The game lasted 4:37.

 

June 4, 1972 - It is forever known as the “Chili Dog Game” one of the most electrifying games ever played in team history.

In the second game of a double header with the Yankees, the Sox having already won the first game 6-1,  Sox manager Chuck Tanner wanted Dick Allen to be ready to pinch hit in the last of the ninth inning if needed. Allen at the time was wolfing down a chili dog since he had played in the first game, was sitting out the nightcap and was hungry. He quickly had to put on a uniform getting the last of the chili dog all over the top of it which caused the clubhouse boys to give him a new, clean jersey.  

With two men on and the Sox losing 4-2, Allen was called to hit. On the third pitch from future Sox relief pitcher Al “Sparky” Lyle, Allen deposited the ball into the left field lower deck for a 5-4 win and a sweep of the twin bill. A bat-day crowd of almost 52-thousand exploded.

One of the greatest one-liners in Sox history took place as Lyle was walking in from the bullpen. Mike Andrews was on first base. He and Lyle were roommates when both were with the Red Sox. As Lyle approached the mound Andrews called out, “Sparky”, you’re in deep s%*# now!”

As a side note, future sportscaster Keith Olbermann, a Yankee fan, wrote about listening to this game in his book that he co-authored with Dan Patrick “The Big Show”. Olbermann wrote that when Allen hit the home run, he threw his radio out of the second-floor window of his parent’s house.

 

June 4, 1973 - Sox pitching ace Wilbur Wood appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated. At the time it looked like Wood was on his way to 30 wins, given he already had 13 before June 1. The cover’s caption read, “Wizard With A Knuckler. Chicago’s Wilbur Wood.” But because of a massive number of injuries to the team Wood would ‘only’ finish with 24 wins. He started 48 times, had an ERA of 3.46 and threw an incredible 359 innings.

The Sox that year wound up using the disabled list 38 times.

   

 

June 4, 1977 - In a game at Comiskey Park versus the Yankees, Richie Zisk, the “Polish Prince,” hit a rooftop home run near the left field line off Don Gullett. It was a solo shot in the second inning. He’d become the seventh Sox player to do this. Unfortunately, the Sox would lose the game 8-6 as the Yankees had a seven-run top of the second.

 

June 4, 2016 – It was a trade that could wind up living in infamy. G.M. Rick Hahn sent young hurler Erik Johnson and 17-year-old Fernando Tatís Jr. to San Diego for veteran starter James Shields.

Tatís, the son of a former Major League slugger, had been signed less than one year earlier and had yet to play a single game in the White Sox system. Three years after the trade, Tatis was in the Major Leagues, was garnering M.V.P. votes and was considered one of the top young stars in the game. Prior to the 2021 season, Tatis signed a 14-year, $330 million contract extension with the Padres, anointing him as perhaps the premier talent in all of baseball.

It was suspected that Tatis was inserted into the deal to help persuade San Diego to eat some of Shields’ onerous remaining salary; that short-sighted gambit succeeded, as the Padres sent $31 million along with Shields, lowering the White Sox obligation to Shields to $27 million over four years.

Shields’ 5.31 ERA ranks second only to Jaime Navarro for highest in team history among pitchers allowed to throw at least 400 innings for the club. The warning signs were there…in his last start for San Diego, Shields allowed 10 runs against the Mariners and was publicly ripped by the Padres owner.