Today in White Sox History: September 1

1970

With the White Sox approaching the end of their worst season in franchise history, GM Ed Short was fired after nine years on the job. Short made brilliant offseason deals in 1963 and 1964 to net the club players like Hoyt Wilhelm, Pete Ward, Tommy John and Tommie Agee, but starting in 1968 his moves backfired and lost the club players like Agee, Tommy McCraw, Don Buford and Bob Locker without getting anything substantial in return.

Sox owner John Allyn, who bought the team from his brother the year before, also fired field manager Don Gutteridge, scouts and other front-office personnel in a massive house cleaning.

1980

Ed Farmer and Tigers outfielder Al Cowens put their feud to rest before a 11-3 White Sox win at Tiger Stadium. In 1979, Farmer broke Cowens’ jaw with a pitch, and on June 20, 1980, Cowens attacked Farmer on the mound instead of running to first base on a grounder (an attack that permanently debilitated Farmer, who had a genetic kidney condition). Cowens had been suspended for seven games for that attack, while Illinois issued an arrest warrant that prevented Cowens from playing an August series in Chicago.

Farmer said he would drop the charges against Cowens in exchange for a handshake, and thus the two players exchanged lineup cards and shook hands before the game on this day.

1998

Albert Belle hit his 42nd home run of the season in the same game he got his 337th total base of the season. Both milestones set a franchise record, in Chicago’s 9-5 win at Baltimore. Belle ended the year with 49 home runs and 399 total bases. Later he’d say, with some truth, that he had a better year than the much-publicized duo of Mark McGwire and former Sox outfielder Sammy Sosa.