6 hours ago6 hr Two factoids today:September 22, 1959 - The White Sox clinched the American League pennant beating the Indians 4-2 in Cleveland.Al Smith and “Jungle” Jim Rivera hit back-to-back home runs in the game. Smith also threw out former Sox star “Minnie” Minoso trying to score a run.A crowd estimated by the Chicago Sun-Times at 125,000 was at Midway Airport to greet the Sox when they returned home. All this on a night when Chicago fire commissioner Robert Quinn ordered the air raid sirens turned on to celebrate the title, causing fear and panic in a number of non-baseball fans who thought the Russians were attacking.The Sox would wind up winning the 1959 pennant by five games over the Tribe with a mark of 94-60. While they were near the bottom in most offensive categories the pitching was stellar and the defense had three Gold Glove winners in Nellie Fox, Luis Aparicio and Sherm Lollar. The Sox also won 35 games that season by one run with 15 losses.September 22, 1966 - In a game at Yankee Stadium, pitcher Joe Horlen and his teammates stopped New York to the tune of 4-1. Only 413 fans were in attendance at the gigantic stadium. It’s believed to be the smallest home crowd ever at a Yankee game.
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