THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: SEP 18TH/Kerr, 9-11 ceremony,

[StatManDu]

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: SEPTEMBER 18TH

 

1925: Dickie Kerr made the final start of his short and short-circuited career in the White Sox 11-6 loss at Washington. Kerr, a left-hander, won 13 games as a rookie for the 1919 White Sox and was untouched by the scandal that befell team in the World Series that year. In two starts in that fixed Fall Classic, Kerr was 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA and one shutout. The St. Louis native won 21 games in 1920 and 19 games in 1921 before a contract squabble essentially ended his career. Following the 1921 season, Kerr asked Charles Comiskey for a $500 raise but was turned down. Kerr then left the Sox to play “outlaw ball” and for that he was suspended by Commissioner Keensaw Landis. The suspension was lifted after four years and after Kerr had played one season with an “accredited” minor league team. Kerr returned to the White Sox on Aug. 15, 1925. The loss on this day was part of 12 mostly ineffective appearances. After the season, Kerr was sold to a minor league career and then embarked on a coaching career where he crossed paths with Stan Musial.

 

1971: Carlos May recorded the final inside-the-park grand slam by a White Sox player at Comiskey Park in a 5-1 win over the Angels before 4,612 at 35th and Shields. May victimized the Angels’ Tom Murphy in the first inning for the fourth in-the-park grand slam by a Sox player at Comiskey Park. He joined Bill Barrett (Aug. 4, 1926), Bud Clancy (July 15, 1927) and Ferris Fain (June 16, 1954) as the Sox players to accomplish the feat at home.

 

1979: Ken Kravec pitched 10 shutout innings and was rewarded with a win when Thad Bosley’s single scored Alan Bannister to give the White Sox a 1-0 win before 5,196 at Comiskey Park. Kravec took a no-hitter into the eighth and wound up giving up just three hits for his 13th win.

 

1983: There was no let down for the American League West champions. The day after they clinched their first American League West title, the Sox whitewashed Seattle 6-0 before a crowd of 40,984 at Comiskey Park. Prior to the game, White Sox veteran Mike Squires helped hoist the American League West title flag above Comiskey Park. Richard Dotson went the distance for his 20th win. The victory made the 24-year-old Dotson the second youngest pitcher in Sox history to win 20 games in a season and the youngest to reach that plateau in 70 years.

 

2001: In the first game after the Sept. 11 attacks, the White Sox fell to the New York Yankees 11-3 before an emotional gathering of 22,785 at Comiskey Park. Many of the fans on hand carried or displayed American flags and they were treated to a pregame ceremony that included members of the Chicago Fire Department and a color guard with representatives from each wing of the Armed Forces. The attacks forced postponement of the Sox three game series in New York (Sept. 11-13) and Minnesota (Sept. 14-16).

 

[Yossarian]

I know $500 used to be worth a lot more than it is today, but still had to wonder about Kerr trying to pry an extra $500 from his bosses, and essentially losing his career over it.

[southsider2k5]

The return game after 9-11 was an emotional game. I knew the woman who sang "God Bless America" and it was probably the best I have ever heard that song done live. I'll never forget it.