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1912
Future Hall of Fame catcher Ray Schalk made his major-league debut after being acquired from Milwaukee on August 9. He’d wind up leading the league in games caught in a season seven times.
1941
In the first game of a doubleheader at Comiskey Park between the Browns and White Sox, a fight broke out.
It happened in the seventh inning, when St. Louis pitcher Elden Auker hit Joe Kuhel in the shoulder with a pitch. As Kuhel was going to first base he said something, and Auker charged him. Kuhel hit him in the face with a punch, and blows were exchanged before Sox coach George “Mule” Haas and pitcher Ed Smith pulled Auker away. Browns utility infielder Alan Strange left the bench to join the fight.
Kuhel then challenged Auker to meet him under the stands to continue the fight. Umpire John Quinn then ordered Auker taken into police protective custody to avoid any more incidents. During the melee, White Sox manager Jimmy Dykes jumped on the back of the St. Louis mascot, Louie the Elf, and drove him to the ground!
Kuhel, Auker and Strange were ejected.
The Sox wound up winning the opener, 14-9, but lost the nightcap, 10-3.
1964
The White Sox finally won a game against the Yankees, 6-4, having lost 10 straight to them that season. Then, they made it a doubleheader sweep, winning 8-2 in the nightcap.
Why was this so important? Simple … the Sox won 98 games in 1964 — and finished one game behind New York!
The fight was season-long between the two teams, with the White Sox closing out 1964 winning nine straight — but the Yankees reeled off a streak of 15 wins in their last 19!
1965
White Sox star lefthander Juan Pizarro came his closest to a no-hitter. In the nightcap of a doubleheader at Comiskey Park, Pizarro fired a one-hitter in beating the Senators, 7-0. The only hit came in the fifth inning, a single to right off the bat of future White Sox player Woodie Held. Pizarro also walked two hitters, but those three were the only baserunners.
1969
Promising White Sox outfielder Carlos May lost part of his right thumb while serving with the Marine Reserves in California. A number of mortar rounds were fired off on the range, but apparently the mortar in May’s unit didn’t. The misfire was never noticed in the confusion. May was ordered to swab the barrel out, as everyone thought the shell went off, and he when he pushed a metal rod with a swab at the end into it, the shell made contact with the firing pin and went off. The rod, as it was ejected, took off part of May’s thumb, which was later found by another major league player, Bob Watson — too late to surgically reattach it.
Intensive rehabilitation followed, and May had to have a special batting glove made to protect his right hand.
Even though May’s season ended prematurely, he was named American League Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News.
May would come back and have some very good years — especially 1972, when he was named to the All-Star team.
1972
It was one of the longest games in White Sox history, and was the start of a four-game series that may have been the best of the decade.
The White Sox went to Oakland fighting the Athletics for first place in the division. On the day before, the game was called by curfew, with the score tied 3-3 after 17 innings. It was resumed on this day, and went another two innings before Joe Rudi ended matters with a two-run home run off of Stan Bahnsen with one out in the 18th, as the A’s won, 5-3. White Sox slugger Dick Allen walked five times in his eight appearances in the game, tying a team record. The game ranks as the ninth-longest in White Sox history.
In the regularly-slated game, Cubs castoff Dave Lemonds and Cy Acosta outdueled Catfish Hunter, allowing two hits in a 1-0 win. The two teams split the final two games of the series after that, with the White Sox holding their own.
1973
White Sox catcher Brian Downing got his first major league hit, an inside-the-park home run off of Detroit’s Mickey Lolich at Tiger Stadium. The last time Downing had played a game against Detroit, it was in Chicago, in his major league debut back on May 31. He had just entered the game when he dove to catch a foul pop-up and tore up his knee — an injury that sidelined him until this game.
1991
In only his second major league start, White Sox southpaw Wilson Álvarez tossed a no-hitter against the Orioles in Baltimore. Álvarez was handed a big lead early on and made the most of it, shutting down the Birds. Lance Johnson made a diving catch in right-center field in the eighth inning to preserve it, as Alvarez had his greatest moment in winning, 7-0.
2011
Mark Buehrle tied the franchise record when he made his 18th consecutive start allowing three runs or fewer. Buehrle tied the record in a 6-3 win at Baltimore. He went eight innings allowing three runs on six hits with six strikeouts.
The record was originally set by Frank Smith — 102 years earlier.
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