Today in White Sox History: May 18

1957

Historically if it was Baltimore, it usually meant strange things for the White Sox. Case in point, on this night the Sox had to catch a train to Boston after the game, and the Orioles agreed to end the game at 10:20 p.m. regardless of the outcome. The Sox trailed, 3-0, going into the seventh inning — when they scored four runs. (That half-inning was strange in itself, because the Sox used five pinch-hitters and two pinch-runners in it!)

The Sox were still leading, 4-3, in the ninth inning. Paul LaPalme was brought in to protect the lead. With 30 seconds remaining until curfew, LaPalme elected to pitch to Dick Williams. League rules did not allow for a suspended game under these circumstances, so the Sox could have legally stalled the final seconds away. Unfortunately, they didn’t. LaPalme threw ... Williams swung ... home run ... tie game. Actually, make that a suspended tie game, which had to be completely replayed from the first inning on, later in the season.

1983

Still another bizarre moment in Baltimore. On this night, White Sox pitcher Rich Dotson tossed a complete game one-hitter.

Only he lost it, 1-0!

Dotson’s only mistake came when “Disco” Danny Ford lofted a pitch down the right-field line at Memorial Stadium that fell into the first row of seats. The “blast” went about 312 feet, an out in most other parks. The hit came in the eighth inning.