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This Day In Sox History...July 31


Lip Man 1
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July 31, 1910 - Lee Tannehill hit the first White Sox home run at Comiskey Park when his ball rolled under the fence. According to the rules at the time it was still considered a home run and a grand slam to boot.  It’s ironic that he’d be the first player to get a home run as he was considered one of the worst hitters in the early days of the American League.  The Sox lost to the Tigers that afternoon 6-5.

 

July 31, 1964 - Sox star left hander Juan Pizarro struck out 14 Senators in a 6-0 win in Washington. Pizarro allowed only four hits striking out at least once, eight of the nine starters. Pizarro would make the All-Star team that year and win 19 games with an ERA of 2.56

 

July 31, 1972 – It was another baseball rarity. Dick Allen’s magical season continued with two inside the park home runs in a single game. That tied the Major League record. It happened in Minnesota at old Metropolitan Stadium as the Sox beat Bert Blyleven 8-1.

Bobby Darwin was the Twins center fielder who misplayed both of Allen’s drives. He slipped on the first one which saw the ball bounce completely over his head in right center, then on the second one he mistimed his dive in left center and the ball got by him and rolled all the way to the wall. Allen was credited with five RBI’s on the day. It started a stretch that saw the Sox win 14 of the next 17 games.

 

July 31, 1977- It was the high point of the 1977 season. The “Southside Hit Men” had won the first two games of the crucial four game series with the Royals by coming from behind each time. In the first game of a Sunday double header, Chet Lemon’s two run home run in the last of the 10th tied the game at four, then Ralph Garr’s single drove in the game winner.

The Sox were now six and a half games in the lead, the franchise’s largest margin at the top since 1967. Three straight come from behind wins had the crowd of over 45-thousand in a frenzy.

The second game also produced fireworks as the Royals routed the Sox 8-4.

Hal McRae homered, then did a slow trot around the bases, tipping his cap as he touched home plate, mocking Sox fans who had called for ‘curtain calls’ all season long.

Sox fans reacted by throwing garbage at McRae and the Royals from the stands.

Pitcher Steve Stone, now a Sox announcer, always felt that manager Bob Lemon made a major mistake by not putting his best lineup out for the second game and going for the jugular. The Sox would finish the surprising season with a record of 90-72 in third place.

 

July 31, 1991 - The white-hot White Sox capped off a sizzling month with one of the most dramatic moments in team history. The Sox trailed the Rangers 8-6 going into the bottom of the ninth inning. Texas brought in former Sox All-Star pitcher Rich "Goose" Gossage to close things out. But the goose got cooked on this night as with two out, Robin Ventura hammered a grand slam into the right field stands winning the game 10-8.

A full house, which included noted Cub fan Bill Murray sitting almost directly behind home plate, went wild as Ventura was bodily lifted off the ground by massive Frank Thomas in a celebration hug at home plate. The Sox went 19-8 that month.

 

July 31, 1993 - With the Sox looking for any type of reliable starting pitching help in the middle of a pennant race, G.M. Ron Schueler was finally convinced to deal two of his ‘can’t miss kids,’ to Cincinnati for pitcher Tim Belcher. Belcher provided some consistency to help the rotation including throwing a shutout against Oakland, but came up big when it was really needed, in the post season.

In game #4 of the A.L.C.S., he relieved a shell-shocked Jason Bere, pitched nearly four innings, and picked up the win which tied the best of seven series at two games each.

 

July 31, 1996 - The White Sox infuriated their fans and angered their own players by refusing to make any significant trade moves at the deadline, settling for relief pitcher Tony Castillo later in August, to try to help a bullpen that was among the worst in baseball.

In fact, the 1996 White Sox would set the record (since broken) for most blown save opportunities. The Sox were in the midst of losing a substantial lead in the Wild Card race at the time after having started the season at 40-21 and fighting Cleveland for the divisional lead. The following week, Sox players, pitcher Roberto Hernandez and outfielder Tony Phillips ripped the organization to The Sporting News. The Sox ended the year a disappointing 85-77 and out of the post season.

 

July 31, 1997 - Perhaps the lowest point in the history of the Chicago White Sox franchise occurred as owner Jerry Reinsdorf issued his "Anybody who thinks this club can catch Cleveland is crazy" comment and gutted the team.

Reinsdorf allowed General Manager Ron Schueler to trade Wilson Alvarez, Roberto Hernandez and Danny Darwin to the Giants with the Sox only three and a half games out of first. The Sox got back six minor league prospects.

The "White Flag Trade” resulted in catastrophic consequences for the team from an attendance and public relations standpoint both locally and nationally. No team before had ever traded their top pitchers when they were only a few games off the lead. Joe Morgan went on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight and angrily denounced Sox management saying how sorry he felt "For the fans and the season ticket holders." Dave Campbell echoed those remarks on the same show. Sports Illustrated had the “Sox Surrender” as their feature story the next week and quoted both Alvarez and Hernandez as stating that when manager Terry Bevington told them they were traded he was "Laughing."

Many Sox fans never forgave Reinsdorf and refused to ever attend games again in person.

Sox star third baseman Robin Ventura, who worked his way back from a grotesque injury to his lower leg in late March, then issued his famous "I didn’t know the season ended in August" quote.

 

July 31, 1998 - Albert Belle clocked his 16th home run in the month which set the Major League record at the time. The old mark was 15, set by Joe DiMaggio, Hank Greenberg, Juan Gonzales and Joe Adcock. The Sox would hammer the Rangers in Texas 10-2. He had 32 RBI’s for the month as well.

 

July 31, 2004 - At the trade deadline, G. M. Kenny Williams made a pitching swap that would dramatically alter the franchise. He sent former All-Star Esteban Loaiza to the Yankees for disappointing Jose Contreras and cash. In 2005, Contreras would become the best pitcher in baseball after the All-Star break and help lead the Sox to the World Championship. He then set the club record with 16 straight wins spanning the 2005 and 2006 seasons.

   

July 31, 2005 - In a very minor deal, the Sox picked up utility man Geoff Blum from the Padres for a minor league pitcher. Blum wrote his name into Sox history with his extra inning home run in game #3 of the 2005 World Series less than three months later, helping the Sox beat the Astros 7-5 in 14 innings.

 

July 31, 2007 - Less than two seasons removed from winning a World Series title, the Sox allowed the most home runs ever in a single game in franchise history. The Yankees hit eight of them in a 16-3 pounding at Yankee Stadium. Jose Contreras gave up three, Charlie Haeger a pair and Gavin Floyd the other three.

     

July 31, 2015 – He was one of the greatest players in franchise history and was a key part of the “Go-Go” Sox of the 1950’s. Pitcher Billy Pierce passed away on this day at the age of 78. Pierce was acquired from the Tigers in 1948 and immediately moved into the starting rotation the following season.

He’d win 183 games in a Sox uniform, represent them in seven All-Star games, starting three of them with four one-hitters and at various times led the American League in games started, complete games, strikeouts, wins and ERA. He was a two-time A.L. Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News and for one season, 1970 was color analyst on White Sox TV broadcasts. He was named to the team’s all-Century team in 2000.

By WAR Pierce was the highest rated pitcher for the decade of the 1950’s.

After retiring, for many years, he helped raise millions of dollars through Northwestern’s Cancer Research Charity for Children, and as a White Sox ambassador he’d visit kids, retirement homes, people at the ballpark… he was beloved by the city.

 

July 31, 2021 – It was a night to remember for Sox catcher Seby Zavala. The light hitting catcher blasted three home runs in a stunning 12-11 loss to the Indians. The White Sox had a 6-1 lead in the game before the bullpen gave it up. Zavala became the first player in big league history to hit his first three career home runs in the same game. In the losing effort he went 4 for 4 with four runs scored and six RBI’s.

Edited by Lip Man 1
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57 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

July 31, 1910 - Lee Tannehill hit the first White Sox home run at Comiskey Park when his ball rolled under the fence. According to the rules at the time it was still considered a home run and a grand slam to boot.  It’s ironic that he’d be the first player to get a home run as he was considered one of the worst hitters in the early days of the American League.  The Sox lost to the Tigers that afternoon 6-5.

 

July 31, 1964 - Sox star left hander Juan Pizarro struck out 14 Senators in a 6-0 win in Washington. Pizarro allowed only four hits striking out at least once, eight of the nine starters. Pizarro would make the All-Star team that year and win 19 games with an ERA of 2.56

 

July 31, 1972 – It was another baseball rarity. Dick Allen’s magical season continued with two inside the park home runs in a single game. That tied the Major League record. It happened in Minnesota at old Metropolitan Stadium as the Sox beat Bert Blyleven 8-1.

Bobby Darwin was the Twins center fielder who misplayed both of Allen’s drives. He slipped on the first one which saw the ball bounce completely over his head in right center, then on the second one he mistimed his dive in left center and the ball got by him and rolled all the way to the wall. Allen was credited with five RBI’s on the day. It started a stretch that saw the Sox win 14 of the next 17 games.

 

July 31, 1977- It was the high point of the 1977 season. The “Southside Hit Men” had won the first two games of the crucial four game series with the Royals by coming from behind each time. In the first game of a Sunday double header, Chet Lemon’s two run home run in the last of the 10th tied the game at four, then Ralph Garr’s single drove in the game winner.

The Sox were now six and a half games in the lead, the franchise’s largest margin at the top since 1967. Three straight come from behind wins had the crowd of over 45-thousand in a frenzy.

The second game also produced fireworks as the Royals routed the Sox 8-4.

Hal McRae homered, then did a slow trot around the bases, tipping his cap as he touched home plate, mocking Sox fans who had called for ‘curtain calls’ all season long.

Sox fans reacted by throwing garbage at McRae and the Royals from the stands.

Pitcher Steve Stone, now a Sox announcer, always felt that manager Bob Lemon made a major mistake by not putting his best lineup out for the second game and going for the jugular. The Sox would finish the surprising season with a record of 90-72 in third place.

 

July 31, 1991 - The white-hot White Sox capped off a sizzling month with one of the most dramatic moments in team history. The Sox trailed the Rangers 8-6 going into the bottom of the ninth inning. Texas brought in former Sox All-Star pitcher Rich "Goose" Gossage to close things out. But the goose got cooked on this night as with two out, Robin Ventura hammered a grand slam into the right field stands winning the game 10-8.

A full house, which included noted Cub fan Bill Murray sitting almost directly behind home plate, went wild as Ventura was bodily lifted off the ground by massive Frank Thomas in a celebration hug at home plate. The Sox went 19-8 that month.

 

July 31, 1993 - With the Sox looking for any type of reliable starting pitching help in the middle of a pennant race, G.M. Ron Schueler was finally convinced to deal two of his ‘can’t miss kids,’ to Cincinnati for pitcher Tim Belcher. Belcher provided some consistency to help the rotation including throwing a shutout against Oakland, but came up big when it was really needed, in the post season.

In game #4 of the A.L.C.S., he relieved a shell-shocked Jason Bere, pitched nearly four innings, and picked up the win which tied the best of seven series at two games each.

 

July 31, 1996 - The White Sox infuriated their fans and angered their own players by refusing to make any significant trade moves at the deadline, settling for relief pitcher Tony Castillo later in August, to try to help a bullpen that was among the worst in baseball.

In fact, the 1996 White Sox would set the record (since broken) for most blown save opportunities. The Sox were in the midst of losing a substantial lead in the Wild Card race at the time after having started the season at 40-21 and fighting Cleveland for the divisional lead. The following week, Sox players, pitcher Roberto Hernandez and outfielder Tony Phillips ripped the organization to The Sporting News. The Sox ended the year a disappointing 85-77 and out of the post season.

 

July 31, 1997 - Perhaps the lowest point in the history of the Chicago White Sox franchise occurred as owner Jerry Reinsdorf issued his "Anybody who thinks this club can catch Cleveland is crazy" comment and gutted the team.

Reinsdorf allowed General Manager Ron Schueler to trade Wilson Alvarez, Roberto Hernandez and Danny Darwin to the Giants with the Sox only three and a half games out of first. The Sox got back six minor league prospects.

The "White Flag Trade” resulted in catastrophic consequences for the team from an attendance and public relations standpoint both locally and nationally. No team before had ever traded their top pitchers when they were only a few games off the lead. Joe Morgan went on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight and angrily denounced Sox management saying how sorry he felt "For the fans and the season ticket holders." Dave Campbell echoed those remarks on the same show. Sports Illustrated had the “Sox Surrender” as their feature story the next week and quoted both Alvarez and Hernandez as stating that when manager Terry Bevington told them they were traded he was "Laughing."

Many Sox fans never forgave Reinsdorf and refused to ever attend games again in person.

Sox star third baseman Robin Ventura, who worked his way back from a grotesque injury to his lower leg in late March, then issued his famous "I didn’t know the season ended in August" quote.

 

July 31, 1998 - Albert Belle clocked his 16th home run in the month which set the Major League record at the time. The old mark was 15, set by Joe DiMaggio, Hank Greenberg, Juan Gonzales and Joe Adcock. The Sox would hammer the Rangers in Texas 10-2. He had 32 RBI’s for the month as well.

 

July 31, 2004 - At the trade deadline, G. M. Kenny Williams made a pitching swap that would dramatically alter the franchise. He sent former All-Star Esteban Loaiza to the Yankees for disappointing Jose Contreras and cash. In 2005, Contreras would become the best pitcher in baseball after the All-Star break and help lead the Sox to the World Championship. He then set the club record with 16 straight wins spanning the 2005 and 2006 seasons.

   

July 31, 2005 - In a very minor deal, the Sox picked up utility man Geoff Blum from the Padres for a minor league pitcher. Blum wrote his name into Sox history with his extra inning home run in game #3 of the 2005 World Series less than three months later, helping the Sox beat the Astros 7-5 in 14 innings.

 

July 31, 2007 - Less than two seasons removed from winning a World Series title, the Sox allowed the most home runs ever in a single game in franchise history. The Yankees hit eight of them in a 16-3 pounding at Yankee Stadium. Jose Contreras gave up three, Charlie Haeger a pair and Gavin Floyd the other three.

     

July 31, 2015 – He was one of the greatest players in franchise history and was a key part of the “Go-Go” Sox of the 1950’s. Pitcher Billy Pierce passed away on this day at the age of 78. Pierce was acquired from the Tigers in 1948 and immediately moved into the starting rotation the following season.

He’d win 183 games in a Sox uniform, represent them in seven All-Star games, starting three of them with four one-hitters and at various times led the American League in games started, complete games, strikeouts, wins and ERA. He was a two-time A.L. Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News and for one season, 1970 was color analyst on White Sox TV broadcasts. He was named to the team’s all-Century team in 2000.

By WAR Pierce was the highest rated pitcher for the decade of the 1950’s.

After retiring, for many years, he helped raise millions of dollars through Northwestern’s Cancer Research Charity for Children, and as a White Sox ambassador he’d visit kids, retirement homes, people at the ballpark… he was beloved by the city.

 

July 31, 2021 – It was a night to remember for Sox catcher Seby Zavala. The light hitting catcher blasted three home runs in a stunning 12-11 loss to the Indians. The White Sox had a 6-1 lead in the game before the bullpen gave it up. Zavala became the first player in big league history to hit his first three career home runs in the same game. In the losing effort he went 4 for 4 with four runs scored and six RBI’s.

Attended the July 31,1977 DH, 50,000 on hand and when the Sox came back and won the first game the place went insane, I never heard the place as loud as that day, it was actually shaking all the way to the rafters. I’ve always wondered what would have happened if we won that second game but we didn’t and a week later the Royals swept us in KC and went on to take the division. Too bad for the Sox but 1977 was still one of the most fun years in White Sox history with the Southside Hitmen pounding the baseball like Sox fans had never seen before including 192 homers which IIRC broke the club record by 54. 
 

Billy Pierce was my second favorite White Sox player of all time and was a great person, it stinks he’s not in the Hall of Fame. Tears came to my eyes 8 years ago today when he passed

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16 minutes ago, The Mighty Mite said:

Attended the July 31,1977 DH, 50,000 on hand and when the Sox came back and won the first game the place went insane, I never heard the place as loud as that day, it was actually shaking all the way to the rafters. I’ve always wondered what would have happened if we won that second game but we didn’t and a week later the Royals swept us in KC and went on to take the division. Too bad for the Sox but 1977 was still one of the most fun years in White Sox history with the Southside Hitmen pounding the baseball like Sox fans had never seen before including 192 homers which IIRC broke the club record by 54. 
 

Billy Pierce was my second favorite White Sox player of all time and was a great person, it stinks he’s not in the Hall of Fame. Tears came to my eyes 8 years ago today when he passed

Mine as well when I had to write his obit for the Chicago Baseball Museum.

And speaking of 1977:

https://www.southsidesox.com/2023/7/31/23813733/dish-deluxe-3-the-1977-chicago-white-sox-best-july-record-ever-chet-lemon-steve-stone-eric-soderholm

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9 minutes ago, The Mighty Mite said:

Attended the July 31,1977 DH, 50,000 on hand and when the Sox came back and won the first game the place went insane, I never heard the place as loud as that day, it was actually shaking all the way to the rafters. I’ve always wondered what would have happened if we won that second game but we didn’t and a week later the Royals swept us in KC and went on to take the division. Too bad for the Sox but 1977 was still one of the most fun years in White Sox history with the Southside Hitmen pounding the baseball like Sox fans had never seen before including 192 homers which IIRC broke the club record by 54. 

You are absolutely right many Sox fans have not seen likes of the 1977 Hitmen, unless of course they were around for the great 1994 team that was screwed of their chance to do damage in the playoffs, due to the fine efforts of their owner Reinsdorf and a few others, that made sure the 1994 season was cancelled. 

1977 Sox: .278/.344/.444/.788

1994 Sox: .287/.366/.444/.810

Those were two of my favorite four Sox teams, along with the '83 winning ugly team and the '05 WS champs.

 

 

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11 minutes ago, The Kids Can Play said:

You are absolutely right many Sox fans have not seen likes of the 1977 Hitmen, unless of course they were around for the great 1994 team that was screwed of their chance to do damage in the playoffs, due to the fine efforts of their owner Reinsdorf and a few others, that made sure the 1994 season was cancelled. 

1977 Sox: .278/.344/.444/.788

1994 Sox: .287/.366/.444/.810

Those were two of my favorite four Sox teams, along with the '83 winning ugly team and the '05 WS champs. 
 

  

 

 

 

 

 

The 83 team from late May to the end of the season played the best baseball that I’ve ever seen by a Sox team, it felt like they were unbeatable and then came the playoffs with the Britt Burns game still giving me heartburn. 
How about the 2000 team? 975 runs scored, 216 homers, .286 BA and an .826 OPS

 

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12 minutes ago, The Mighty Mite said:

The 83 team from late May to the end of the season played the best baseball that I’ve ever seen by a Sox team, it felt like they were unbeatable and then came the playoffs with the Britt Burns game still giving me heartburn. 
How about the 2000 team? 975 runs scored, 216 homers, .286 BA and an .826 OPS

 

That 2000 team was really fun until their entire rotation got hurt.

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34 minutes ago, The Mighty Mite said:

The 83 team from late May to the end of the season played the best baseball that I’ve ever seen by a Sox team, it felt like they were unbeatable and then came the playoffs with the Britt Burns game still giving me heartburn. 
How about the 2000 team? 975 runs scored, 216 homers, .286 BA and an .826 OPS

 

You're right the second half was the exciting part of the .83 team.

I totally blanked and forgot about that 2000 team. They were awesome with the Big Hurt, Carlos Lee, Magglio Ordonez, Paul Konerko, Jose Valentin and Ray Durham.  The pitching was bad and if we had better pitching that year we might have gone far in the playoffs. 

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19 minutes ago, The Kids Can Play said:

You're right the second half was the exciting part of the .83 team.

I totally blanked and forgot about that 2000 team. They were awesome with the Big Hurt, Carlos Lee, Magglio Ordonez, Paul Konerko, Jose Valentin and Ray Durham.  The pitching was bad and if we had better pitching that year we might have gone far in the playoffs. 

Look at these insane numbers from 2000. 

  Name Age   G   R   H 2B HR  RBI  BB    BA  OBP   SLG   OPS
C Mark Johnson 24   75    29   48 11   3   23   27  .225  .315  .319   .635
1B Paul Konerko 24 143   84 156 31 21   97   47  .298  .363  .481   .844
2B Ray Durham 28 151 121 172 35 17   75   75  .280  .361  .450   .810
SS Jose Valentin 30 144 107 155 37 25    92   59  .273  .343  .491   .835
3B Herbert Perry 30 109   69 118 29 12   61   22  .308   .356  .483   .839
LF Carlos Lee 24 152 107 172 29 24    92   38  .301  .345  .484   .829
CF Chris Singleton 27 147   83 130 22 11   62   35 . 254  .301  .382   .683
RF Magglio Ordonez 26 153 102 185 34 32 126   60  .315  .371  .546   .917
DH Frank Thomas 32 159 115 191 44 43 143 112  .328  .436  .625 .1.061

 

 

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7 hours ago, Lip Man 1 said:

July 31, 1972 – It was another baseball rarity. Dick Allen’s magical season continued with two inside the park home runs in a single game. That tied the Major League record. It happened in Minnesota at old Metropolitan Stadium as the Sox beat Bert Blyleven 8-1.

Bobby Darwin was the Twins center fielder who misplayed both of Allen’s drives. He slipped on the first one which saw the ball bounce completely over his head in right center, then on the second one he mistimed his dive in left center and the ball got by him and rolled all the way to the wall. Allen was credited with five RBI’s on the day. It started a stretch that saw the Sox win 14 of the next 17 games.

 

July 31, 1977- It was the high point of the 1977 season. The “Southside Hit Men” had won the first two games of the crucial four game series with the Royals by coming from behind each time. In the first game of a Sunday double header, Chet Lemon’s two run home run in the last of the 10th tied the game at four, then Ralph Garr’s single drove in the game winner.

The Sox were now six and a half games in the lead, the franchise’s largest margin at the top since 1967. Three straight come from behind wins had the crowd of over 45-thousand in a frenzy.

The second game also produced fireworks as the Royals routed the Sox 8-4.

Hal McRae homered, then did a slow trot around the bases, tipping his cap as he touched home plate, mocking Sox fans who had called for ‘curtain calls’ all season long.

Sox fans reacted by throwing garbage at McRae and the Royals from the stands.

Pitcher Steve Stone, now a Sox announcer, always felt that manager Bob Lemon made a major mistake by not putting his best lineup out for the second game and going for the jugular. The Sox would finish the surprising season with a record of 90-72 in third place.

Great memories.  I remember watching that day game at Minnesota in '72 on TV, and I was at that doubleheader in '77.  Two of my favorite years as a White Sox fan.

Thanks, Lip, for always sharing these "Day in Sox History" posts.  It's fun to remember the pre-Einhorn/Reinsdorf days.

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4 hours ago, Lip Man 1 said:

Speaking of the "White Flag Trade" a detailed look from both the Sox and Giants perspectives:

https://www.southsidesox.com/2022/7/31/23286626/white-sox-white-flag-trade-theres-a-hole-in-the-toe-of-my-white-sox

Love how they laid out the fact the Giants owner built on these trades, had regular postseason success and on that pledged to build his own very highly profitable stadium. He didn't shake down taxpayers for his hideous Section 8 Ode to Brooklyn Dodgers Stadium. The Cubs did the same, paid for their upgrades and are banking mint.

Also note this was the second step in the serious erosion of fan interest post new Stadium. The White Sox outdrew the Cubs until the 1994 cancellation, after which the Cubs took a slight hit and then fully recovered, whereas the Sox took a major hit for which they have never rebounded. This is primarily due to Jerry's hardline anti player pro cancellation stance post lockout and White Flag Trade douchebaggery vs. the Tribune being far more inept on the field but silent and not antagonistic toward fans.

  • New Stadium - Winning Teams - High interest despite terrible Bush recession (2.6M-2.9M):
    • 1991 2.9M (+12) (Cubs 2.3M -6)
    • 1992 2.7M (+10) (Cubs 2.1M -6)
    • 1993 2.6M (+26) (Cubs 2.7M +6)
  • Phase One Jerry's World Series Cancellation Era (1.6M-1.9M): 
    • 1994 1.7M (+21) 65% of schedule played due to Jerry and Bud trying to break the union and failing miserably. (Cubs 1.8M -15)
    • 1995 1.6M (-8) 88% of schedule played due to owner lockout and attempt to field scab players. (Cubs 1.9M +2)
    • 1996 1.7M (+8) (Cubs 2.2M -10)
    • 1997 1.9M (-1) (Cubs 2.2M -26)
  • Phase Two Jerry's White Flag era (1.3M-1.9M):
    • 1998 1.4M (-2) (Cubs 2.6M +17)
    • 1999 1.3M (-9) - New Stadium low which will likely be broached in 2024 and beyond. (Cubs 2.8M -28)
    • 2000 1.9M (+28) - 700,000 lower than the 1993 Division Winning Team (Cubs 2.8M -32)
    • 2001 1.8M (+4) (Cubs 2.8M +14)
    • 2002 1.7M (0) (Cubs 2.7M -28)
    • 2003 1.9M (+10) (Cubs 3.0M +14)
    • 2004 1.9M (+4) (Cubs 3.2M +16)

Also, what an odd end to the article:

Quote

The White Flag Trade wasn’t as bad as the Black Sox or Disco Demolition … but it was close.

How could forfeiting a meaningless game to the Tigers and faux embarrassment people are making documentaries about celebrating DD the equivalent of either the White Flag debacle or fixing a World Series?

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11 hours ago, South Side Hit Men said:

Love how they laid out the fact the Giants owner built on these trades, had regular postseason success and on that pledged to build his own very highly profitable stadium. He didn't shake down taxpayers for his hideous Section 8 Ode to Brooklyn Dodgers Stadium. The Cubs did the same, paid for their upgrades and are banking mint.

Also note this was the second step in the serious erosion of fan interest post new Stadium. The White Sox outdrew the Cubs until the 1994 cancellation, after which the Cubs took a slight hit and then fully recovered, whereas the Sox took a major hit for which they have never rebounded. This is primarily due to Jerry's hardline anti player pro cancellation stance post lockout and White Flag Trade douchebaggery vs. the Tribune being far more inept on the field but silent and not antagonistic toward fans.

  • New Stadium - Winning Teams - High interest despite terrible Bush recession (2.6M-2.9M):
    • 1991 2.9M (+12) (Cubs 2.3M -6)
    • 1992 2.7M (+10) (Cubs 2.1M -6)
    • 1993 2.6M (+26) (Cubs 2.7M +6)
  • Phase One Jerry's World Series Cancellation Era (1.6M-1.9M): 
    • 1994 1.7M (+21) 65% of schedule played due to Jerry and Bud trying to break the union and failing miserably. (Cubs 1.8M -15)
    • 1995 1.6M (-8) 88% of schedule played due to owner lockout and attempt to field scab players. (Cubs 1.9M +2)
    • 1996 1.7M (+8) (Cubs 2.2M -10)
    • 1997 1.9M (-1) (Cubs 2.2M -26)
  • Phase Two Jerry's White Flag era (1.3M-1.9M):
    • 1998 1.4M (-2) (Cubs 2.6M +17)
    • 1999 1.3M (-9) - New Stadium low which will likely be broached in 2024 and beyond. (Cubs 2.8M -28)
    • 2000 1.9M (+28) - 700,000 lower than the 1993 Division Winning Team (Cubs 2.8M -32)
    • 2001 1.8M (+4) (Cubs 2.8M +14)
    • 2002 1.7M (0) (Cubs 2.7M -28)
    • 2003 1.9M (+10) (Cubs 3.0M +14)
    • 2004 1.9M (+4) (Cubs 3.2M +16)

Also, what an odd end to the article:

How could forfeiting a meaningless game to the Tigers and faux embarrassment people are making documentaries about celebrating DD the equivalent of either the White Flag debacle or fixing a World Series?

because like the White Flag Trade it made the Sox a national embarrassment. 

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3 hours ago, Lip Man 1 said:

because like the White Flag Trade it made the Sox a national embarrassment. 

The White Sox have been a national afterthought since the Black Sox. Nobody outside of Chicago, and many within Chicago, don't even know about Disco Demolition or the White Flag trade,

Fixing a World Series vs. the other two is similar on scale to WWII vs. invading Grenada,

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7 hours ago, Lip Man 1 said:

because like the White Flag Trade it made the Sox a national embarrassment. 

Wild guess here that JR didn't want to pay the top two of the pitchers dealt whose contracts were up so he used 3 1/2 games out as an excuse, thinking no one would notice.  For a smart guy, he's a world class moron.

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35 minutes ago, Stinky Stanky said:

Wild guess here that JR didn't want to pay the top two of the pitchers dealt whose contracts were up so he used 3 1/2 games out as an excuse, thinking no one would notice.  For a smart guy, he's a world class moron.

An excerpt from my story that I posted the link for:

"On July 31, according to Schueler, Reinsdorf called Scott Boras (Hernandez’s agent) to see one final time if a contract extension could be reached. Boras said it would have to be at least for four years. Schueler told the Chicago Tribune that at that point, he knew he’d have to make a trade because the Sox would not offer pitchers that long of a deal. (Ironically, after accusing Tapani of faking a hand injury and rebuffing the efforts of Roger Clemens’ agents to have him join the White Sox saying Clemens was “over the hill,” Schueler signed Jamie Navarro to a four-year $20 million deal.)

Navarro was an unmitigated disaster. At the time of the Giants trade, he was 8-9 with a high ERA and a disruptive clubhouse presence."

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On 7/31/2023 at 1:48 PM, The Kids Can Play said:

Look at these insane numbers from 2000. 

  Name Age   G   R   H 2B HR  RBI  BB    BA  OBP   SLG   OPS
C Mark Johnson 24   75    29   48 11   3   23   27  .225  .315  .319   .635
1B Paul Konerko 24 143   84 156 31 21   97   47  .298  .363  .481   .844
2B Ray Durham 28 151 121 172 35 17   75   75  .280  .361  .450   .810
SS Jose Valentin 30 144 107 155 37 25    92   59  .273  .343  .491   .835
3B Herbert Perry 30 109   69 118 29 12   61   22  .308   .356  .483   .839
LF Carlos Lee 24 152 107 172 29 24    92   38  .301  .345  .484   .829
CF Chris Singleton 27 147   83 130 22 11   62   35 . 254  .301  .382   .683
RF Magglio Ordonez 26 153 102 185 34 32 126   60  .315  .371  .546   .917
DH Frank Thomas 32 159 115 191 44 43 143 112  .328  .436  .625 .1.061

 

 

Stomach is churning from seeing those OBP's.   Has the game changed that much?

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12 hours ago, Stinky Stanky said:

Stomach is churning from seeing those OBP's.   Has the game changed that much?

great debate and great question. All I know is you had 7 of 9 Sox players in that starting lineup over .340 OBP, which is obviously amazing. Today there are 57 players in baseball over .340 OBP. Maybe we were just fortunate to have a great group assembled together one year. Plus we are talking about one of the top 5 teams arguably in Sox history from 1959-present. 

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