THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: FEB. 13/WHITE HOUSE TRIP

[StatManDu]

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: FEBRUARY 13TH

 

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BOYD BROUGHT ABOARD

1951: The White Sox took another step towards breaking their color barrier when they purched African-American first baseman Bob Boyd from Colorado Springs, their affiliate in the Western League. The slugger, a star in the Negro Leagues, made his big league debut for the Sox in September, four months after Minnie Minoso broke the color barrier for the Sox.

 

MMM BOP … HANSEN DEALT TO D.C.

1968: The White Sox said goodbye to the most prolific power-hitting shortstop in their history when the dealt Ron Hansen to the Washington Senators as part of a six-player swap. In addition to Hansen, the Sox sent pitchers Dennis Higgins and Steve Jones to the Senators for infielder Tim Cullen and pitchers Buster Narum and Bob Priddy. Hansen set a Sox record for shortstops with 20 homers in 1964. The record stood until 2000 when Jose Valentin hit 25 home runs. Valentin would break the record again and settle on 30 homers in 2004. This would not be the last the Sox would see of Hansen. The Sox re-acquired Hansen from Washington for Cullen on Aug. 2, 1968.

 

TRAGEDY STRIKES

1970: Promising White Sox pitcher Paul Edmondson was killed in an auto accident in California one day after his 27th birthday. Edmondson, the Sox 21st round pick in the June 1965 draft, went 1-6 with a 3.70 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) for the 1969 Sox. The right-hander most memorable game was his first. Edmondson was brilliant in winning his Major League debut as the White Sox plastered the Angels 9-1 in the second game of a doubleheader in Anaheim on June 20, 1969. Edmondson went the distance and gave up two hits and three walks while striking out two as the Sox salvaged a split. Edmondson was also 2-for-4 with an RBI and scored on hits by Luis Aparicio in both the third and ninth innings.

 

HASSEY TRADED … AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN

1986: For the second time in about two months, the White Sox and Yankees swung a deal involving catcher Ron Hassey. Two months and a day after being acquired from the Yankees with Joe Cowley for Britt Burns and two minor leagers, the Sox returned Hassey to the Bronx. Hassey went back to New York with three farmhands in exchange for pitcher Neil Allen, catcher Scott Bradley, minor leaguer Glen Braxton and cash. This would not be the last the Sox would see of Hassey. The left-handed hitter came back to the Sox with Carlos Martinez the following July 30 in a wildly unpopular trade that sent fan favorite Ron Kittle, Wayne Tolleson and Joel Skinner to the Yankees. For all that movement, the Sox didn’t get much production out of Hassey. In just 98 games covering two seasons, Hassey hit .285 with six homers and 32 RBIs.

 

A NATIONAL MOVE: OWENS ACQUIRED

2005: The White Sox acquired Jerry Owens from Washington for fellow outfielder Alex Escobar. In the first trade executed between the teams, the Sox acquired a 24-year old speedster who hit .292 with 30 steals at Class-A Savannah in his first full year of pro ball. Escobar, claimed on waivers in August, never played for the Sox.

 

HAIL TO THE WHITE SOX

2006: The World Champion White Sox were honored at the White House in a ceremony that included President Bush but not manager Ozzie Guillen, who said he was on vacation. Many of the champs were at the ceremony and Jermaine Dye and Paul Konerko presented the Chief Executive with a White Sox jacket. The President, a former rival of the Sox as owner of the Texas Rangers, recognized many members of the Sox party and touched on many subjects during his remarks, which lasted about 11 minutes. Take a look and listen at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/20...0060213-3.html#.

Edited February 14, 2008 by StatManDu