February 27, 200818 yr THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: FEBRUARY 27TH For more, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com/ ENJOY! A WAMPUM OF A CONTRACT 1973: The White Sox rewarded 1972 American League Most Valuable Player Dick Allen with the richest contract in Major League history. Allen signed a three-year contract for an estimated $325,000 after he hit .308 with 37 homers and 113 RBIs in the White Sox renaissance season of 1972. It would be a rocky three years for Allen and the White Sox. His 1973 campaign was cut short by a broken leg and he led the A.L. with 32 homers in 1974 but he retired on September 14. Allen was plagued by nagging injuries in 1974 and, according to White Sox historian Rich Lindberg, “crossed swords” with Ron Santo during the season. Allen came out of retirement for the next season but the Sox dealt him to Atlanta before the start of the 1975 season. HE GONE … BUT HE’LL BE BACK SOON 1996: A little less than two months after being signed as a free agent, 36-year old outfielder Tony Phillips announced his retirement. Phillips would unretire two days later and it’s a good thing he did. The feisty Phillips would go on to have one of the great offensive seasons in White Sox history in 1996. Phillips led the A.L. with 125 walks, was second with a .403 on-base percentage and ninth with 119 runs. A HOME DEBUT … SORT OF 1998: The White Sox played their first game in their new spring training home of Tucson Electric Park in Tucson, Ariz., but they were the visiting team while the co-tenant Arizona Diamondbacks were the home team. The Diamondbacks prevailed 6-5 before 11,269 as the Sox dropped to 0-2 in their inaugural Cactus League season. The Sox would play as the home team in TEP the next day.
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.