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Today in White Sox History: October 19

One of the smallest players in franchise history arrived in one of the biggest trade heists.

By Mark Liptak
JUN 1 1962, AUG 6 1963, FEB 14 1986, MAR 18 1986; Complete with his chaw.; White Sox Star; The littl
“The little man with the giant chaw of tobacco,” Nellie Fox, was acquired by the White Sox in a steal of a deal on this day, 72 years ago.
The Denver Post via Getty Images

1949

White Sox GM Frank Lane struck again.

Lane dealt backup catcher and malcontent Joe Tipton to the Philadelphia A’s for a young, diminutive second baseman named Jacob Nelson “Nellie” Fox. Tipton had gotten into a fistfight with Sox manager Jack Onslow during the 1949 season, and wasn’t going to be kept.

All Fox did was eventually get to the Hall of Fame, have his No. 2 retired by the White Sox in 1976, make 12 All-Star teams, win the AL MVP award in 1959 and become one of the faces of the “Go-Go” Sox during the 1950s and early 1960s.

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