Today in White Sox History: May 21

1905

Frank Smith tossed a one-hitter, the first of his career and fifth in White Sox history.

The proceedings didn’t begin as a Smith masterpiece, as the righty actually trailed in the game after walking Senators leadoff man Charlie Jones, Jones sacrificed to second by Hunter Hill, then driven home on a Jake Stahl (with throngs ... OK, 117 fans ... from his hometown of Champaign, Ill. present) single. But that was the first and only Washington hit for the game, and later on Smith helped his own cause with a double (the only extra-base hit in the contest) in the fifth inning, sacrificed to third by Fielder Jones, and scoring on a bobbled ground ball at shortstop — the second and decisive Sox run of the game.

Smith would throw two more one-hitters in his White Sox career, and only Doc White, Ed Walsh and Billy Pierce have more all-time South Side one-hitters than him.

1915

Red Faber won his seventh straight game in a 17-inning win over the Red Sox at Comiskey Park, 3-2. Both Faber and Boston loser Carl Mays, rotation members, came on in relief and essentially pitched a second complete game on the day.

Faber went 10 scoreless innings on six hits, giving up one walk and whiffing eight to improve to 9-2. The White Sox as a team stood at 20-12, alone in first place in the American League.

The 17 innings were played in three hours, 25 minutes!

2009

The White Sox tied their team record for worst defeat when they were annihilated, 20-1, by the Twins at U.S. Cellular Field. The 19-run margin was first set on May 10, 2002 in Anaheim.

Bartolo Colón, Lance Broadway and Jimmy Gobble gave up all the runs. Colón at least had something of an excuse — of the eight runs he allowed, seven were unearned!