THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: MARCH 20TH/Baines, Thornton

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: MARCH 20TH

For more, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com

NEW GIG FOR HAROLD

2004: A day after Joe Nossek retired, Harold Baines was appointed as White Sox bench coach. Baines took over for Nossek, who had been with the franchise for 14 seasons. The appointment was Baines’ first coaching job though he had been with the organization in different capacities since retiring in 2001. Baines would serve as manager Ozzie Guillen’s bench coach for the 2004 and 2005 seasons before taking the job as first coach for the 2006 campaign – a post he still holds.

THE WELCOME MAT FOR THORNTON

2006: General manager Kenny Williams acquired underachieving left-handed pitcher Matt Thornton from Seattle for underachieving outfielder Joe Borchard. Seattle’s first-round pick in 1998, Thornton didn’t make it to the bigs until 2004. With the Mariners, the Three Rivers, Mich., native was 1-6 with a 4.82 ERA in 74 outings. With the Sox, Thornton had a solid 2006, going 5-3 with two saves and a 3.33 ERA. A year later, Thornton dropped off, going 4-4 with two saves and a 4.79 ERA. Like he had with the Sox, Borchard was a disappointment with Seattle, lasting just six games.

Happy Birthday: Clyde Shoun 1912 (White Sox pitcher 1949); Vern Kennedy 1907 (White Sox pitcher 1934-1937); Al Widmar 1925 (White Sox pitcher 1952);

RIP: Gee Walker 1981 (White Sox outfielder 1938-1939);