This Day In Sox History 10/12...

Three factoids today:

October 12, 1966 - Another one of then Sox G.M. Ed Short’s best moves. He sent two-time former All-Star pitcher Juan Pizarro, nursing a bad arm, to the Pirates for minor league pitcher Wilbur Wood.

Wood would blossom in Chicago thanks to his knuckleball, first as a record setting relief pitcher then as a four-time 20 game winner. Wood would also make three All-Star teams.

He pitched for the Sox through the 1978 season. In that four-year span, from 1971 through 1974, he totaled 90 wins. He started 181 games and in those four years pitched at least 320 innings with a high of 377 innings in 1972.   

At various times he led the league in games, games started, games finished, innings pitched, batters faced and wins.

October 12, 2005 - In one of the strangest endings to a post season game in history, the Sox beat the Angels 2-1, in game #2 of the A.L.C.S.

With the game tied in the ninth inning catcher A.J. Pierzynski ran to first on a third strike that bounced in the dirt. Angels catcher Josh Paul, the former Sox player, thought he struck out normally and never threw down to first base as required by the rules. Home plate umpire Doug Eddings agreed with Pierzynski and let him remain at first base.

After pinch runner Pablo Ozuna stole second, Joe Crede’s two strike double brought home the game winner and tied the series at a game apiece.

October 12, 2021 – The Sox were beaten 10-1 by the Astros in game #4 of the A.L.D.S. eliminating them from the playoffs and ending their season.

But the Sox, despite numerous injuries that caused key players to miss significant stretches of time, still won 93 games and the Central Division title.

They had consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 2003-2006 and for the first time in the 120-year history of the franchise made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.

They also beat their crosstown rivals the Cubs, five out of six meetings.