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Today in White Sox History: March 16

Chicago emerges on the American League scene

By Brett Ballantini
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Ed Walsh Kid Gleason Jimmy Callahan 1912
Nixey Callahan had some triumphs with the White Sox, but a manager, he was subpar.

1900

American League president Ban Johnson unveils a key new city for the junior circuit: Chicago. Charles Comiskey, tight with Johnson to the point of sharing office space with him in Chicago, will move his St. Paul Saints into town to join the AL.

Johnson brokers an agreement with the Chicago Orphans (Cubs) both to share the city and use the old NL nickname of White Stockings. In a hilariously strange and short-sighted concession, the NL club insists the White Stockings not use “Chicago” in their name (?).

The White Sox will win the AL’s first two pennants, in 1900 and 1901.

1903

Taking over for the successful but feisty and power-hungry Clark Griffith, Nixey Callahan is named the third manager in the four years of White Sox history. Callahan was a pitcher-turned-outfielder (he threw the first no-hitter in team history, on Sept. 20, 1902) who was a failure as a skipper. After a 60-77-1 finish in 1903 for the first losing season in White Sox history, Callahan lasted only 41 games into 1904 before resigning in order to concentrate on his duties as a player. He would return to the White Sox to manage from 1912 to 1914, but remained the first manager in White Sox history saddled with a losing record for his career.

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