Today in White Sox History: July 2

1909

The White Sox ran wild in an unusual 15-3 romp over St. Louis, stealing 11 bases including three steals of home and three double-steals. White Sox third baseman Bill Purtell led the way, with three swipes.

1910

The White Sox won their first game in the original Comiskey Park, besting the St. Louis Browns, 3-2. Doc White went the distance, allowing one earned run for the win. (White was called “Doc” because he graduated from Georgetown University dental school.)

1923

Future Hall-of-Famer Ted Lyons made his White Sox and major league debut, throwing a perfect inning in a 7-2 loss at St. Louis.

1930

Outfielder Carl Reynolds became the first White Sox player to homer three times in a game, when he did it at New York. It came in the second game of a twin bill that the Sox won, 15-4. Reynolds went 5-for-6 and scored four runs. He also became the first player in team history to drive home eight runs in a game. The Sox had lost the first game, 5-1.

1977

With first place at stake, the White Sox beat the Twins, 13-8. Jim Spencer, the Gold Glove-winning first baseman, became the first White Sox player to ever drive in eight runs twice in a season. He drove in eight for the first time on May 14, in an 18-2 slaughter of Cleveland. On this day, Spencer went 3-for-5 including a grand slam, a three-run home run and an RBI single.

1980

White Sox radio announcer Jimmy Piersall attacked Daily Herald sportswriter Rob Gallas after Gallas wrote a story speculating why Piersall was fired as a part-time outfield coach for the team. Bystanders, including White Sox historian/author Rich Lindberg, had to physically jump in and pull Piersall away as Piersall was choking Gallas.

Yes, this is the same Rob Gallas who later would become the team’s marketing director.

Later on, that same day, Ross Baumgarten one-hit the Angels, squeaking out a 1-0 win. Rod Carew got California’s only hit, with a single leading off the seventh inning.

2016

The White Sox tied a franchise record that had stood for almost 51 years. When J.B. Shuck pounded a home run in the fourth inning of a game in Houston, it marked the 15^th consecutive solo home run hit by the team. That tied the original mark, set between Sept. 2-25, 1965. The individual breakdown of the home runs saw Brett Lawrie with three, Shuck with three, Tim Anderson and Todd Frazier with two apiece and Tyler Saladino, Dioner Navarro, Alex Avila, Adam Eaton and Melky Cabrera each with one.

The Sox beat the Astros, 7-6.

2021

It was a nice way to start a major league career. Gavin Sheets, son of former major leaguer Larry Sheets, started off his White Sox career by setting a franchise record.

Sheets became the first player ever to have both a hit and an RBI in each of his first four games with the team. His impressive start came against the Twins at home, and the Tigers in Detroit.

In his first four games, Sheets went 6-for-15, with eight RBIs and two home runs.