MAX SUKRONT: THE WHITE SOX FIRST FAT SIGNAL

1950: Before there was Bobby Jenks, there was Max Sukront.

 

On this date, the White Sox demoted portly pitcher Max Sukront, who – like Jenks -- was summoned from the bullpen by a manager using the “wide” sign.

 

Sukront, listed by baseballreference.com at 6-foot-1, 195-pounds, was shipped to minor league Sacramento “with no strings attached,” according to the Chicago Tribune after leading the 1949 White Sox with 44 appearances.

 

While Ozzie Guillen affectionately used the signal to ID Jenks in the 2005 World Series, there was no jolliness attached to Sukront’s beef. “Sox release Sukront and his appetite” blared the Tribune headline of Feb. 5.

 

The Tribune reported Sukront’s “tendency toward heft not only handicapped the righthander, but sometimes was a source of family embarrassment, according to accounts.”

 

One such source was manager’s Jack Onslow using the “fat signal” to bring in Sukront from the pen. Sukront asked for a halt to the practice because it offended his wife.

 

Said the Tribune, “The situation, however, did not cause Max to stay away from the chuckwagon and that’s the main reason he’s departed.”

 

The 27-year old Sukront was 3-5 with a 4.78 ERA for the 1949 Sox wearing No. 16, the number Ted Lyons made famous.

 

Sukront won 18 games at Sacramento in 1950 but never pitched again for the White Sox. He went to pitch in the National League through 1957.

Return of statmandu, love it

Return of statmandu, love it

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Funny that 6'1, 195lb's was considered "wide".

THANKS! I am also @SoxNerd on the Twitter FYI

 

Ha! I wondered who that was!

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Funny that 6'1, 195lb's was considered "wide".

 

I'm guessing perhaps the listed measurements may have been innacurate.