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Today in White Sox History: July 18

A trial and a bum deal — but also some stellar hitting!

‘Black Sox’ Scandal Headline
Front page headline of the New York Times, describing the so-called Black Sox scandal in which players of the American League’s Chicago White Sox threw the World Series reads “Eight White Sox players are indicted on charge of fixing 1919 World Series; Cicotte got $10,000 and Jackson $5,000. Comiskey suspends them; Promises to run them out of baseball if found guilty,” Sept. 29, 1920. Inset headline reads “Yankee owners give praise to Comiskey and offer him use of their whole team.” Charles A. Comiskey was the owner of the White Sox. Pitcher Eddie Cicotte and left fielder ‘Shoeless’ Joe Jackson were popular and successful players involved in the scandal.
New York Times Co./Getty Images

1921

The trial for eight White Sox players known as the “Black Sox” began in Chicago. The players were accused of trying to defraud the public by throwing the World Series. A jury found the players innocent; however, commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis banned them for life and destroyed one of the finest teams in baseball history.


1936

White Sox outfielder Rip Radcliffe became the first player in franchise history to collect six hits in a game. He went 6-for-7 with four RBIs and four runs in Chicago’s 21-14 win over the Athletics in Philadelphia.


1948

In the first game of a doubleheader in Philadelphia, White Sox outfielder Pat Seerey hit four home runs against the A’s. The Sox would win the slugfest, 12-11, in 11 innings. Seerey is the only Sox player to ever hit that many in a single contest. He went 4-for-6, with seven RBIs and four runs.


1984

The White Sox made a dud of a deal, with long-term implications, trading Chicago native and relief pitcher Kevin Hickey along with prospect Doug Drabek (as the player to be named later) to the Yankees for Roy Smalley.

Smalley would do nothing on the South Side, while eventually Drabek would wind up as the ace of the great Pirates teams of the early 1990s, winning a Cy Young. Drabek finally pitched for the Sox, in 1997, going 12-11 with a 5.74 ERA.


2008

The White Sox brought their hitting shoes to the park for a game with the Royals, as the first eight batters reached base safely as part of a six -run first inning. They’d wind up winning the game, 9-5. Orlando Cabrera led off with a single, A.J. Pierzynski singled, Carlos Quentin was hit by a pitch, Jermaine Dye singled, Jim Thome singled, Paul Konerko singled, Nick Swisher singled and Joe Crede singled.

The hits all came off of Zach Greinke.