1952
White Sox outfielder Sam Mele set the franchise record with six RBIs in one inning.
In the fourth inning of a game at Philadelphia, Mele hit a three-run homer, then batted again and knocked in three more with a triple. The Sox scored sent 15 hitters to the plate and scored 12 runs in that frame (six unearned), and wound up winning it, 15-4.
They hit three home runs in the 12-run inning, including an inside-the-park, three-run home run by Hector Rodriguez. It would be the only home run he ever hit in the major leagues.
Also on this day, Chuck Comiskey came back to the White Sox as their vice president, re-elected to the board after being away for five months due to ongoing Comiskey family turmoil.
1961
With owner Bill Veeck in ill health, his group sold the White Sox to Chicagoan Art Allyn. For all his impact in his first go-around with the team, Veeck only owned it for 2 1⁄2 years. Allyn paid $2.5 million for a 54% share of the White Sox.
On the same day of the sale, the Sox made an eight-player deal that netted the team pitchers Ray Herbert, Don Larsen, infielder Andy Caray and outfielder Al Pilarcik from Kansas City. One week later, the Sox began a 12-game winning streak that saved their season, beating up on Minnesota, Cleveland, Washington and Detroit. Chicago rebounded from last place in May to finish fourth, at 86-76-1.
Herbert went on to win 20 games in his first full season with the White Sox, 1962.
1964
White Sox manager Al Lopez was hanged in effigy in the players’ parking lot by angry fans. It all stemmed from the feud that developed between Gold Glove outfielder Jim Landis and Sox management.
Landis, as the team player representative, went to management letting them know that unless the players got $50 instead of a radio for appearing on major radio or TV stations (like WGN) they would no longer appear.
GM Ed Short and Lopez took the players’ demands out on Landis, the messenger, benching him for long stretches of the season.
Sox fans, along with sports reporter/columnist Bill Gleason, organized a “Jim Landis Night” for the player, but it wasn’t recognized by the team and Landis was held out of the lineup by Lopez in favor of Minnie Miñoso. Sox fans showered the outfield with envelopes containing money for Landis — only to have Miñoso pick them up and tuck them into his pocket!
The Sox won the game against the Orioles, 2-1.
2011
White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko set a franchise record when he got an extra-base hit in his ninth consecutive game. The streak started on May 30 in Boston, and included games against Detroit, Seattle and Oakland. In that time frame, Konerko bashed six home runs and three doubles, driving in 12 runs.
2016
Future franchise icon Tim Anderson was called up from Triple-A and inserted into the starting lineup at home vs. Kansas City. Anderson yanked a 1-2 pitch down the left-field line for a double in his first MLB at-bat, later scoring on a José Abreu single. One at-bat later he singled, and had the odd experience of having his fourth at-bat simply end, as Avisaíl García was thrown out at second on a steal attempt to end the White Sox eighth in an eventual 7-5 victory.
Anderson had an outstanding rookie season, and despite the late start to 2016 ended the season with 2.4 WAR, placing him seventh on the team and fifth among hitters. He currently is tied for 35th all-time among White Sox hitters, with 18.1 — tied with fellow shortstop Ron Hansen.
Loading comments...