Five factoids today:

July 9, 1912 - Looking for more pitching, Sox owner Charles Comiskey acquired Eddie Cicotte from the Red Sox after the pitcher argued with his manager and owner John Taylor.

Cicotte of course would pitch well for the Sox but then would be banned from baseball in 1920 because of his involvement in fixing the World Series. In eight and a half years with the Sox he won 156 games.

July 9, 1919 - In a twin bill in Chicago against the Philadelphia Athletics, Urban “Red” Faber won both games. The first one came in relief of starter Dickie Kerr. The scores were 8-7 and 6-2. He threw 11 innings combined allowing 10 hits and four runs. In the second game win he threw a complete game.

July 9, 1972 - With the Sox desperately needing a third baseman to replace the injured Bill Melton, G.M. Roland Hemond acquired Ed Spiezio from San Diego for pitcher Don Eddy.

Spiezio did a yeoman job holding down the fort the rest of the year as the Sox stalked the A’s and his dramatic extra inning home run against Oakland on August 12 off Rollie Fingers in the Coliseum, put the Sox into first place. It was the latest the Sox had been in first place in a season, since 1967. Spiezio from Joliet, Illinois also hit the first home run in San Diego Padres history.

July 9, 2002 - In the infamous 11 inning tied All-Star Game in Milwaukee, Paul Konerko tied the record for most doubles in the game with two. His teammate Mark Buehrle (P) joined him in the contest.

July 9, 2006 - Tadahito Iguchi’s single in the last of the 19^th inning gave the White Sox a dramatic 6-5 win over Boston at U.S. Cellular Field in the final game before the All-Star break. Jermaine Dye’s two out, ninth inning home run tied the game at three. Both teams scored two runs in the 11^th and the score stayed that way until the 19^th. The game took 6:19 to play. It also appeared to take something out of the World Champions; they lost 10 of the next 12 after the break and skidded to a 90-win season.

If memory serves me, Speizo owned a furniture store somewhere and during an interview (possibly w Harry Carey) I remember him saying he really appreciated manager Chuck Tanner allowing him some slack in showing up to Comisky a few minutes late because he had to close up the furniture store. Imagine that,, back then a pro player having to supplement his baseball salary by running a small business!

Lip I'm sure you remember Harry doing interviews in front of the Sox dugout and giving the Sox player a Timex watch as a gift. These days if you did this, the players would probably laugh and throw the watch into the stands!