February 26, 200818 yr THIS DATE IN SOX HISTORY: FEB. 26/Veeck, Cactus For more, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com/ ENJOY! VEECK AS IN … HALL OF FAMER 1991: Former White Sox owner Bill Veeck was elected to the Hall of Fame through a vote of the Veterans Committee. Veeck had two stints as White Sox owner with the latter coming amidst reports that the team was headed out of Chicago in 1976. Veeck was in control of the club from 1959 to 1961 and from 1976 to 1980. In addition to the many wacky promotions which ranged from martian landings to blowing up disco records, Veeck gave White Sox fans two memorable teams. Under Veeck’s watch, the White Sox won the 1959 American League pennant and pounded their way into contention as the rollicking “Hit Men” in 1977. “Barnum Bill” or “Veeck as in Wreck” was elected to the Hall five years after his death. Veeck was the first person with White Sox ties to be voted into the Hall since pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm was approved in 1985. DESERT DEBUT 1998: The White Sox opened their first Cactus League season with an 11-8 loss to the Colorado Rockies before 3,425 at Hi Corbett Field in Tucson, Ariz. For the record, Magglio Ordonez hit the White Sox first Cactus League home run. Thiswas the franchise’s first spring training in Arizona after spending the previous 44 years in Florida. The White Sox would make their debut in their Arizona home stadium – Tucson Electric Park – two days later.
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