October 23, 200718 yr THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: OCTOBER 23RD For more, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com! 2005: Let’s just call it the greatest game in the 106-year history of the franchise known as the Chicago American League ballclub. On a cold and wet Sunday night in Chicago, Scott Podsednik’s walkoff home run lifted the White Sox to a 7-6 mind-blowing win over Houston before 41,432 in Game 2 of the World Series at U.S. Cellular Field. Podsednik’s heroics, the 14th game-ending blast in Fall Classic history and the first by a player who had no dingers during the regular-season, came with one out in the ninth off Brad Lidge. The shocking blast put the White Sox up 2-0 in the Series. The Sox looked to be control of this one in the seventh when Paul Konerko’s grand slam – the first by a Sox player in postseason and the 18th in World Series history -- gave them a 6-4 lead. Konerko’s blast was the first slam in Series history that came in the seventh inning or later and erased a deficit. This game was not without controversy. With one out in the seventh, Jermaine Dye was hit by a pitch to load the bases. The Astros protested that the ball hit the bat and not Dye and replays backed that up. However, Dye took first and Konerko followed with the slam. Those feisty Astros tied the game with two in the ninth off Bobby Jenks with the tying run scoring on a close but clearly safe play at the plate. In the ninth, Juan Uribe led off with a fly out to center before Podsednik sent Lidge’s 2-1 pitch into the right field stands to put the Sox two wins from their first World Series title since 1917. When I walked out of the park that night – for the last time during that magical season – I knew I had not only witnessed the greatest game inthe history of the Sox but in the history of the great City of Chicago as well. 1978: The White Sox traded relief pitcher Jim Willoughby to the St. Louis Cardinals for outfielder John Scott. Willoughby logged 13 saves and a 3.86 ERA in 59 appearances in 1978 – his only season with the Sox. Scott never played for the White Sox. 1988: The White Sox hired Walt Hriniak as hitting coordinator. Hriniak, one of the most respecting hitting coaches in the game, served with the White Sox until 1995. The disciple of former White Sox hitting coach Charlie Lau, oversaw an offense that improved their average 22 points from 1993 to 1994 – the fifth highest increase in club history. In his last season with the club – 1995 – the White Sox finished second in the American League with a .280 average.
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