Today in White Sox History: May 15

1929

White Sox outfielder Art “The Great” Shires (Shires, by the way, gave himself that nickname) and manager Lena Blackburne got into a fistfight during a game at Comiskey Park, won by the Sox 8-4 over Boston. Before the game, Blackburne had suspended and fined Shires for wearing a red felt hat during batting practice and for not taking the game seriously. Shires left the park but later returned and confronted Blackburne, and the two men exchanged blows.

Shires and Blackburne would get into another fistfight later that season, in September, in a Philadelphia hotel room.

---

1941

In a game in New York, White Sox pitcher Edgar Smith allowed a hit to Yankee great Joe DiMaggio. It would be the first hit in DiMaggio’s record-setting, 56-game hitting streak.

Chicago won the game, 13-1, with outfielder Taffy Wright driving in four runs. That year, he’d hit .322 and knock in 97 runs.

---

1951

As a testament to the managerial genius of Sox skipper Paul Richards, it had been 30 years since the league saw a move like this.

In the ninth inning of a game in Boston with the White Sox winning, 7-6, relief pitcher Harry Dorish was removed in favor of Billy Pierce to face the left-handed hitting Ted Williams — only Dorish wasn’t removed from the game, he was moved to third base! Pierce retired Williams on a pop-up, then was taken out of the game to return Dorish back to the mound. Boston eventually tied the game, but the White Sox would have the last laugh, winning 9-7 in 11 innings.

The victory marked the start of a 14-game win streak, with 11 of the wins on the road. By May 30, after sweeping the St. Louis Browns, the Sox record stood at 26-9.

Richards’ innovative move has come to be known (and popularized heartily by writer Rob Neyer) was a Waxahachie Swap, named for Richards’ hometown in Texas.

---

1954

With a 7-6, come-from-behind win over the Philadelphia Athletics at Comiskey Park, the White Sox secured the franchise’s 4,000th win. It was catcher Carl Sawatski’s single with two outs in the ninth inning that won the game. That year, the Sox went 94-60-1 … and still finished 17 games back of pennant-winning Cleveland!

---

1988

It is an obscure record, and one that will be almost impossible to break.

Outfielder Dave Gallagher was picked up over the winter by the White Sox after being released by the Mariners, and was called up to the club the day before. Playing in only his second game in a White Sox uniform, Gallagher hit a walk-off home run in the 11th inning to beat the Blue Jays, 6-5, at Comiskey Park. The blast came off of Toronto’s sidewinder, Mark Eichhorn. It is the team record for fewest games played before hitting a walk-off home run.

---

1990

Bobby Thigpen became the all-time White Sox saves leader, in a 3-2 win over Baltimore at Comiskey Park. Thigpen pitched a scoreless ninth inning in nailing down his 100th career save, surpassing Hall-of-Famer Hoyt Wilhelm on the White Sox all-time list. The save was Thigpen’s ninth of the year. Before his remarkable season was over, Bobby would nail down 57 saves, setting the major league record, and be named Relief Pitcher of the Year. Thigpen remains the all-time team saves leader, with 201 for the White Sox.

---

1996

The White Sox easily handled the Brewers in Milwaukee, 20-8. The Sox scored 20, yet only hit two home runs. Frank Thomas had one of them, and knocked in six runs on the night. Harold Baines and Robin Ventura each had three RBIs as well.

---