Today in White Sox History: May 1

1901

In the dead ball era, homers were sparse. In fact, the White Sox went their first four official American League games without one. But on this day, the offense exploded and buried Detroit, 19-9. The onslaught marked the first time in the AL that the White Sox hit two home runs in one game. Both Billy Hoy and Herm McFarland hit their first round-trippers of the season; Hoy’s a three-run shot and McFarland’s a grand slam — the first in White Sox history.

1924

In a game at Cleveland, White Sox outfielder Bill Barrett banged out four hits and stole home twice in a 13-7 win. Barrett went 4-for-5 with three runs and two RBIs for the afternoon.

1951

Minnie Miñoso (acquired on April 30) made his White Sox debut. The Cuban Comet became the first Black player in team history. In his first at-bat, he hit a home run off of Vic Raschi into the center field bullpen at Comiskey Park. The drive went an estimated 412 feet and drove in a pair of runs. Later in the same game, won by the Yankees, 8-3, Mickey Mantle hit the first of his 536 career home runs.

1954

White Sox pitcher Virgil Trucks tossed a one-hitter in beating the Red Sox, 3-0. The only hit he allowed came in the sixth inning, a single by future White Sox player Billy Goodman. It was the first of Trucks’ pair of one-hitters during the season.

1959

Early Wynn had one of the greatest days ever by a pitcher, when he did it all in a 1-0 White Sox win over Boston. Wynn tossed a one-hit complete game, striking out 14. In addition, he slammed a home run in the last of the eighth inning to account for the game’s only run.

The only hit Wynn allowed came to Pete Runnels in the first inning, a single to center field at Comiskey Park. Wynn would wind up taking the Cy Young that season, going 22-10 and throwing more than 255 innings.

1960

Al Smith connected on a Jim Bunning pitch and set off owner Bill Veeck’s new exploding scoreboard for the first time. The White Sox would win the game, 6-3, and then sweep the Tigers by taking the nightcap, 5-2.

1973

Dick Allen hit a lot of tape-measure home runs in his time with the White Sox, but this may have been his longest.

On a cool, damp night at Comiskey Park, Allen deposited a pitch from Baltimore’s Mike Cuellar onto the roof in left-center field. The pitch was unusual as it approached home plate, and many speculated that what Allen hit was a “Cuban Forkball” (i.e. spitball) that failed to break downwards. Allen hit one more home run on the night, in a 6-5 win.

1991

The White Sox lost one of the longest games in their history, 10-9, to the Brewers in Milwaukee. The Sox blew leads of 5-0 and 9-6 in this one. The game went 19 innings and ran 6:05.

The game went so long that WGN-TV sports director Dan Roan, who was covering the game, had to do his evening sportscast from a parking lot at a bar just inside the state line on Route 41. He couldn’t get back to the studio in northern Chicago in time!