THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: APRIL 30TH (Perfect game/Santo)

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THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: APRIL 30TH

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THE ONLY PERFECT GAME IN WHITE SOX HISTORY

1922:

Rookie Charlie Robertson pitched the only perfect game in White Sox history by shutting down the Tigers 2-0 in Detroit. Making his second start of the season, Robertson mesmerized the sellout crowd of 25,000 at Navin Field with his fastball and slider. So frustrated by Robertson were the Tigers, they insisted he was doctoring the ball. The great Ty Cobb personally inspected every inch of Robertson's uniform but could not find any foreign substances. The Tigers managed just one hard ball off Robertson, who struck out six, but Johnny Mostil ran it down in left field while fighting off spectators and mounted police. The spectators were on the field -- a common practice during this era -- and the police were there to keep the crowd in check. The Sox scored twice in the second inning on Earl Sheely's single, which scored Harry Hooper and Mostil. When Robertson retired pinch-hitter Johnny Basler to end it, he had the sixth perfect game in big league history and even earned a standing ovation from the normally harsh Detroit faithful. The "perfecto" was the highlight of the Texan's big league career. Robertson played for the Sox in 1919 and from 1922 to 1925. He pitched for the Browns in 1926 before finishing his career with the Boston Braves in 1927 and 1928. Robertson won 14 games for the 1922 Sox and then 13 for the Sox the next season. After that, Robertson never won more than eight games in a season. (Source: Rich Lindberg's White Sox Encyclopedia).

 

SANTO MAKES HIS FIRST SOX HR COUNT

1974:

Ron Santo’s two-run home run off Jim Palmer in the seventh was all Stan Bahnsen needed in a 2-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles before 5,836 at Comiskey Park. Santo, starting at second base, followed Ken Henderson’s leadoff single with his first home run in a Sox uniform. Bahnsen went the distance giving up seven hits and three walks while fanning six.