This Day In Sox History...November 27

November 27, 1938 - Sox star pitcher Monty Stratton, an American League All-Star in 1937 and one of the best young players in the game accidentally shot himself in the leg when his .22 caliber pistol discharged when he was replacing it in his holster. He had failed to engage the safety on the gun. He was out hunting rabbits near his Texas home.

Unable to get help, he crawled a half mile to a road leading into Greenville, Texas. The bullet pierced a femoral artery which stopped circulation to the limb above the knee and it had to be amputated the next day to stop the spread of gangrene. His five-year career was ended.

He eventually came back to play in a few minor league games using a wooden leg.

In 1948 Hollywood made ‘The Stratton Story,’ starring Jimmy Stewart, June Allyson and former Sox manager Jimmy Dykes. 

November 27, 1951 - Another one of G.M. Frank Lane’s best deals.

On this date, Lane sent five players to the St. Louis Browns for three players, one of whom would be catcher Sherm Lollar. Lollar would become a three-time All-Star and a three-time Gold Glove winner. He was considered the second-best catcher in the league throughout the 1950’s behind the Yankees Yogi Berra. Of the players sent to St. Louis, one of them, outfielder “Jungle” Jim Rivera, would be reacquired by the Sox that July. Both players would remain with the club through the early 1960’s.     

November 27, 1961 - In a bizarre coincidence both “Minnie” Minoso and Joe Cunningham were at the same sports banquet in Joliet, Illinois when word came that the Sox and Cardinals had made a trade.

The deal was Minoso for Cunningham!

Cunningham became perhaps the finest fielding first baseman in franchise history ranking right up there with Joe Kuhel and Tony Muser. In 1962 Joe would reach base 268 times and lead the Sox in walks, runs, sacrifice flies and bunts. He hit .295 and drove in 70 RBI’s. In July 1964 he’d be sent to the Senators as part of a deal bringing Bill “Moose” Skowron to the Sox.

November 27, 1981 - It was a move criticized at the time as Sox G.M. Roland Hemond sent outfielder Chet Lemon to the Tigers for outfielder Steve Kemp. The swap of All-Stars left Sox fans shaking their heads since Kemp would become a free agent after the upcoming season.

He’d eventually sign a big money contract with the Yankees after knocking in 98 runs and hitting .286 for the Sox.

However, what wasn’t known at the time was that the Sox weren’t going to re-sign Lemon either after he refused to sign a contract extension that was agreed to in principal because the Sox then went out and signed Carlton Fisk for more money than they had agreed to give Lemon.