THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: MARCH 2ND

[StatManDu]

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: MARCH 2ND

 

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BAD NEWS FOR RAD

1994: The White Sox placed ailing reliever Scot Radinsky on the 60-day emergency disabled list. The left-hander, who had been a stalwart in the Sox pen since 1990, was disabled after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease prior to spring training. Radinsky would spend the 1994 season undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments at his home in Southern California. Radinsky came back in 1995 and appeared in 46 games for the Sox. He later pitched with the Dodgers, Cardinals and Indians before leaving the game in 2002.

 

PHILLIPS RETURNS

1996: Tony Phillips rejoined the White Sox at their spring training site in Sarasota, Fla., after unretiring. Phillips, slated to be the Sox leadoff hitter and left fielder, retired two days earlier citing family problems. "I wouldn't call it a comeback," Phillips said in the Chicago Tribune. "Actually, what really happened is I retired and went home and my wife said, `No, no.' " There was some speculation that Phillips left the game because he was disgruntled over a lowball salary despite a career year in 1995. Reports had Dusty Baker and Dave Stewart coaxing Phillips back to baseball.

 

A YANKEE DOODLE VICTORY

1997: The White Sox treated a crowd of 10,232 in Tampa to a 2-1 Grapefruit League win over the New York Yankees. The Sox improved to 2-1 in exhibitions, marking the only time all spring they would be above .500.

 

FINALLY, A WIN IN THE DESERT

1998: On their fifth try, the White Sox finally posted their first Cactus League victory and it couldn’t have come against a better opponent. Before 7,384 in Mesa, Ariz., the White Sox defeated the Cubs 8-3 in their first Cactus League tilt with their city rivals to improve to 1-4. Mike Sirotka was the Sox pitching star. The crafty left-hander faced one over the minimum in three innings while striking out three including Sammy Sosa. This was also the first win for rookie manager Jerry Manuel.

 

THE FIRST OF THE SPRING

2003: With Mark Buehrle and Bartolo Colon both tossing three innings – and looking sharp – the White Sox topped Arizona 3-2 as the visiting team at Tucson Electric Park to pick their first Cactus League win of the season in game No. 3.

 

THE FIRST OF 207 GAMES

2005: The White Sox began their journey to the 2005 World Series title with an 8-4 loss to Colorado in their Cactus League opener before 2,864 at Tucson Electric Park. Scott Podsednik made a good first impression, going 3-for-3 with a stolen base.