1976 – 1981: The Return of Veeck and the South Side Hitmen
On December 10th, 1975, Bill Veeck regained ownership of the team, and he vowed to make the White Sox an exciting team again. Besides his customary promotions, Veeck introduced retro uniforms and shorts. The shorts were only worn three times. The first time was during the initial game of a doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals at Comiskey Park on August 8th, 1976, followed by appearances on August 21st and August 22nd(7). The 1976 team was one of the worst White Sox teams ever, winning only 64 games (.398), drawing fewer than 915,000 fans.
Veeck’s strategy to make the team competitive quickly, dubbed “rent-a-player” by sports writers, involved acquiring star players entering the final years of their contracts. The theory was that the players would strive to put up huge numbers in hopes of getting a big contract at the end of season, and carry the club with them. The first of these acquisitions was made prior to the 1977 season and the last prior to the 1978 season. While this approach had the virtue of not having been tried, it was unsustainable. The Sox had to give up several young prospects in exchange for veteran players who invariably signed with other clubs after their single season in Chicago.
During this period the Sox acquired several players who were once stars but were past their primes. One was Don Kessinger, a shortstop who had his best years with the crosstown Cubs. Kessinger served as a player-manager in 1979. Another was outfielder Ralph Garr, who had his best seasons with the Atlanta Braves. A once-notable pitcher was John “Blue Moon” Odom, a former Oakland Athletics star. On July 28th, 1976, Odom combined with Francisco Barrios on a no-hitter against Oakland, which proved to be Odom’s last major league victory. The Sox also brought in Clay Carroll, a right-handed relief pitcher who was a key member of the Cincinnati Reds championship teams in the mid-1970’s.
Unlike most of his fellow owners, Veeck had no income apart from the White Sox. More or less out of necessity, Veeck looked for any edge he could find. The club held open tryouts during spring training in 1978. They looked at pretty much anyone who showed up. Each player’s name was sewn on his uniform, ostensibly to prove that the tryouts were legitimate and not just a stunt. This approach was the subject of an article in Sports Illustrated. The spring training tryout became a White Sox tradition that continues to this day.(8)
1977
The 1977 season was a memorable one for the South Siders, led by off-season acquisitions Oscar Gamble (.297 AVG, 31 HR, 83 RBI), Richie Zisk (.290 AVG, 30 HR, 101 RBI) and American League Comeback Player of the Year Eric Soderholm (.280 AVG, 25 HR, 67 RBI). The team, known by the press and fans as the “South Side Hitmen” hit a since-broken team record 192 home runs and were in first place in the American League West as late as August en route to a third-place finish (90 – 72). They also drew a team-record 1,657,135 fans to Comiskey (since broken as well). Manager Bob Lemon was named AL Manager of the Year by United Press International (UPI) for his efforts.(9)
1978
After the 1977 season Gamble and Zisk signed with other teams – Gamble with the San Diego Padres and Zisk with the Texas Rangers. Veeck’s attempt to replace them with Bobby Bonds and Ron Blomberg fizzled as the 1978 team lost 90 games. Bonds appeared in only 26 games for the Sox before dealing dealt to the Texas Rangers, and Blomberg’s major league career ended with the season’s final game.
Lemon was fired June 30th but landed on his feet less than a month later when he was hired by Yankees owner George Steinbrenner to replace his beleaguered manager, Billy Martin. Under Lemon’s cool hand, the Yankees erased a 14-game deficit in the American League East and defeated the Red Sox in a one-game playoff for the division championship, dispatched the Royals for their third consecutive pennant, and downed the Dodgers to repeat as World Series champions.
1979 – 1981
Two tough years followed: 87 losses in 1979 (including the infamous July 12th forfeit on Disco Demolition Night) and 90 losses in 1980. A bright spot emerged in August 1979 when Veeck replaced player-manager Don Kessinger with 34-year-old coach Tony LaRussa, who embarked on a Hall of Fame career which lasted over three decades.
Veeck began building a farm system that produced several noteworthy players including Harold Baines and Britt Burns. But Veeck could not compete in the free agent market of afford what he called “the high price of mediocrity”. By 1980, the White Sox were looking for new ownership. Veeck favored Ohio real estate tycoon Edward J. DeBartolo Sr., whose family owned the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins and had tried to buy several MLB teams and move them to New Orleans. DeBartolo pleaded to be allowed to but the White Sox and he promised to keep the team in Chicago. Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn blocked the deal, because he though DeBartolo would be bad for baseball.
1982 – 2004: The early Reinsdrof era
Instead, Veeck sold the team to an ownership group headed by accountant Jerry Reinsdrof and television producer Eddie Einhorn. The new owners moved quickly to show that they were committed to winning by signing All-Star catcher Carlton Fisk from the Red Sox as well as power-hitting outfielder Greg Luzinski from the defending champion Phillies during the 1980 – 1981 offseason. They also retained the club’s young, relatively unknown manager, Tony LaRussa.
1983: “Winning Ugly”
In 1983, the White Sox enjoyed their best success in a generation. After a mediocre first half, the White Sox decided that they needed speed at the top of their lineup. The Sox traded second baseman Tony Bernazard to the Mariners for Julio Cruz. With Cruz’s speed, they went 60 – 25 to close out the season, clinching the AL West title, which earned manager Tony LaRussa his first Manager of the Year Award.
Doug Rader, then-manager of the Texas Rangers, derisively accused the team of “winning ugly” for their style of play, which reflected a tendency to win games through scrappy play rather than strong hitting or pitching. Rader also thought that if the White Sox played in the Eastern Division, they would finish fifth behind powerhouses such as Baltimore, New York, and Milwaukee. Chicago media and White Sox fans picked up on the phrase, and turned “Winning Ugly” into the team slogan. While they had a great run in the regular season, they were not able to carry that over into the postseason as they lost to a powerful Baltimore Orioles team three games to one in the AL Championship Series. LaMarr Hoyt led the White Sox to a 2 – 1 victory in Game 1, but the Orioles clinched the series with a 3 – 0 tenth inning victory in Game 4. White Sox pitcher Burns pitched a “gutsy” game, throwing 9 1/3 shutout innings before a home run before Tito Landrum broke up the game and the hearts of the Southside faithful.
The 1984 season was remembered for two games at Comiskey, one bad (Jack Morris throwing a no-hitter for the Tigers in a nationally televised game) and one good (a 25-inning victory over the Brewers, a game which took eight hours, six minutes over two days and is still the longest in American League history by innings and time) for the White Sox.
1985 -1989
The club slid back into mediocrity for the rest of the 1980’s, contending only in 1985. Before the 1985 season began, the White Sox traded pitcher LaMarr Hoyt to the San Diego Padres in exchange for flashy shortstop Ozzie Guillen. Guillen would win the AL Rookie of the Year award. In 1986, broadcaster-turned-general manager Ken “Hawk” Harrelson fired LaRUssa after a poor start. The club would not contend again until 1990, the final year in Comiskey Park.
1990’s: “Good Guys Wear Black”
1990
That season, most of their young talent blossomed. Closer Bobby Thigpen established a then record 57 saves. In addition to that, first baseman Frank Thomas, pitchers Alex Fernandez and Jack McDowell, and third baseman Robin Ventura would make their presences felt on the South Side. The White Sox of 1990 won 94 games, but finished 9 games behind the powerful Oakland Athletics.
On July 11th, as part of the celebration of Comiskey Park, the White Sox played a Turn Back the Clock game against the Milwaukee Brewers; the Brewers won 12 – 9 in 13 innings after posting a 6-run rally in the 8th inning to tie the game. The White Sox wore their 1917 home uniforms. This was the first Turn Back the Clock game in the major leagues and started what has become a popular promotion. New Comiskey Park opened in 1991, and was completed at a cost of $167 million.
1993
The team reached the American League Championship Series (ALCS) in 1993. The White Sox were led by Thomas, Ventura, multi-sport star Bo Jackson, Cy Young Award winner McDowell and All-Star closer Roberto Hernandez and won the last AL West before realignment with a 94 – 68 record. However, the White Sox were a big disappointment in the ALCS, losing to the defending World Champion Toronto Blue Jays in six games. The Jays would go on to win the World Series again in 1993.
1994
The White Sox led the new American League Central at the time of the 1994 players’ strike.
1995 – 1999
Although struggling in the 1995 season, the Sox maintained some consistency through the rest of the 1990’s, managing to finishing in second place every year after, including 1997, the year of the notorious White Flag Trade.
2000 – 2004
2000: The Kids Can Play
Under manager Jerry Manuel, the White Sox fielded a talented but chronically under-achieving team. In 2000, however, the White Sox had one of their best teams since the 1983 club. This team, whose slogan was “The Kids Can Play”, won 95 games en route to an AL Central division title. The team scored runs at a blistering pace, which enabled them to overcome the effects of a mediocre pitching staff, led by Mike Sirotka and James Baldwin. Frank Thomas nearly won his third MVP award with his offensive output; he was helped by good offensive years from Magglio Ordonez, Paul Konerko, Carlos Lee and Jose Valentin.
As in 1983 and 1993, the 2000 team could not carry its success over into the postseason, getting swept by the wild-card Seattle Mariners in the Division Series. Despite new club records for hits (1,615) runs scored (978), RBI (926), home runs (216), and doubles (325), the White Sox hit only .185 in the American League Division Series (ALDS) and failed to score a run after the third inning in any of the three games.
2003 – 2004
In 2003, Comiskey Park was renamed after cell phone company U.S. Cellular bought the naming rights at $68 million over 20 years, a very unpopular move among fans. In 2003, the All-Star Game was held for the first time at their new park. Although briefly leading the central in September (the first time since 1906 both Chicago teams were in first place at the same time), the Sox ultimately finished four games behind the Twins.
In 2004, the team named Ozzie Guillen as the 37th manager in team history. Although again finishing in second place, losing streaks in August and September, along with various injuries, sunk the team. Several changes were made in the offseason, including Carlos Lee to the Brewers for Scott Podesedenik. Although Magglio Ordonez was nearly traded to the Red Sox for Nomar Garciaparra, the deal fell through and Ordonez left as a free agent to sign with the Tigers.
2005: The drought ends
The changes made an immediate impact on the team. In 2005, the White Sox posted the best record in the major leagues for much of the year, before a late season slump saw the St. Louis Cardinals overtake them (100 wins vs. 99 wins). Though a serious challenge for their dominance of the division was mounted late in the year by the Cleveland Indians (the Tribe actually reduced what was once a 15-game lead for the White Sox down to a 1 ½ games at one point only to lose the last 7 games), Chicago scored a 4 – 2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on September 29th to win their first AL Central Division title since 2000. Finishing at 99 – 63 (.611) tied their 1983 record, and won the division by six games. The last time they had a higher percentage than that was 1920, when they finished second league thanks to the late-season “Black Sox” suspensions. The combination of the league’s best record with the American League victory in the All-Star Game gave the White Sox the home field advantage throughout the 2005 postseason (perhaps unnecessary as the White Sox won ever post-season road game they played in 2005).
The ALDS also set the tone for what would be an unusually suspenseful post-season; while their first game was considered a blow-out, the remaining games saw the White Sox making the most of rare opportunities and hanging on to narrow leads. In the first inning of game 1, the White Sox put up 5 runs, and never looked back. A late inning three-run home run by Scott Podesedenik – his first home run of the season, was the icing on the cake n the game 1 blowout. In game 2, the White Sox were actually down 4 – 2 when Red Sox second baseman Tony Graffanino, formerly playing for the White Sox, let Juan Uribe’s potential inning-ending, double-play grounder go through his legs; one out later, Tadahito Iguchi hit a three-run homer to left that clinched the game for the White Sox. In game 3, Orlando Hernandez entered the game with the bases loaded and nobody out with the White Sox ahead by only one run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Based on their regular season performance, it was later calculated that the Red Sox’s probability of winning at that point was .662, even though they were trailing by one run. Instead, the first two batters, Jason Varitek and Tony Graffanino, bot popped out, and Johnny Damon struck out swinging on a breaking ball. Hernandez went on to retire six of the next seven batters, and the White Sox’s rookie reliever Bobby Jenks closed out the game.
2005 ALCS
The White Sox then moved on to face the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the ALCS. The Angels won game 1, 3 – 2, the White Sox’ only post-season loss.
In game 2 on October 12th, the teams were involved in one of the most controversial endings in baseball playoff history. With the score tied 1 – 1 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, A.J. Pierzynski apparently struck out to end the inning. At first Pierzynski headed back to the dugout but ran to first base upon realizing that umpire Doug Eddings had ruled that Angels catcher Josh Paul (a former White Sox player) did not field the ball cleanly, meaning he would have to either tag the batter or throw to the first baseman to record the out (see uncaught third strike). Despite vehement protests from various members of the Angels, including Mike Scioscia, Pierzynski was awarded first base. Pinch-runner Pablo Ozuna replaced Pierzynski and stole second base. Third baseman Joe Crede then delivered a double on the third pitch to give the White Sox a 2 – 1 win. Overshadowed by that play was the 1-run, 5-hit complete game pitched by Mark Buehrle. Buehrle’s excellent effort allowed the White Sox to capture their first-ever home victory in ALCS history.
Buoyed by their win, the White Sox traveled to Anaheim, California, where starters Jon Garland, Freddy Garcia, and Jose Contreras (who had dropped game 1 to the Angels in Chicago) pitched three more complete game victories consecutively over the Angels, giving the White Sox their first American League pennant since 1959. White Sox slugger Paul Konerko was named the ALCS MVP, on the strength of his two home runs, 7 RBI, and .286 average.
Especially in light of the evolution of the game, the White Sox four straight complete games was considered an unbelievable achievement. In fact, since Jose Contreras pitched 8 2/3 innings in game 1, the White Sox bullpen saw a total of 2/3 of an inning pitched (by Neal Cotts) in the entire series. The last time four consecutive complete games had been pitched in a championship series was the 1956 World Series between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Yankees, and the 1928 Yankees were the last team to win four consecutive complete games in a championship series. In fact, the last time any major league pitching staff had hurled four straight complete game victories was near the end of the 1983 regular season, when the Texas Rangers accomplished the feat.
2005 World Series
The White Sox now advanced to the World Series, where they would take on the National League champion Houston Astros. The White Sox’ appearance in the World Series was bittersweet for longtime franchise star Frank Thomas. One of the most popular and productive players in the franchise’s long history. Thomas would finally be going to a World Series in his 16th major league season. However, due to injury, Thomas would be unable to participate except as an observer, and his contributions to the White Sox in 2005 were limited.
Game 1 saw Astro’s ace Roger Clemens leave the game with a hamstring injury, leaving Jose Contreras to finish up the Astros and Chicago took advantage of its opponents’ weakness, winning 5 – 3. Joe Crede, especially made an impressive showing with his stellar defensive plays at third base.
Game 2 of the ALCS, saw the White Sox again involved in a controversial play. With the White Sox down 4 – 2 in the seventh inning with two outs and two runners on base, the home plate umpire ruled that Jermaine Dye had been hit by a pitch, while the Astros argued (and TV replays confirmed) that the ball had actually hit the bat. Dye was given a free pass to first, and the next batter, Paul Konerko, launched a grand slam into left field to give Chicago a 6 – 4 lead. Houston tied the game on a two-run single with two outs in the top of the ninth, but in the bottom of the ninth, Scott Podesedenik hit a walk-off solo home run off Brad Lidge to give the White Sox a thrilling 7 – 6 victory and a 2 – 0 lead in the Series. Podesedenik was the first player in major league history to hit a home run in the World Series after not having hit any during the regular season. (He did, however, have a home run in Game 1 of the ALDS against Boston, making the World Series home run his second of the playoffs.)
The World Series then shifted to Houston for Game 3, in which Astros’ starter and NLCS MVP Roy Oswalt cruised with a 4 – 0 lead until the wheels totally came off for him with a five-run fifth by the White Sox. The Astros managed to tie the game in the eighth, but repeatedly blew scoring opportunities in the next few innings. Finally, in the top of the 14th, former Astro Geoff Blum hit a tie-breaking home run; the White Sox took a commanding 3 – 0 Series lead with a 7 – 5 victory in the longest World Series game in history (in terms of time; tied for most innings). Ozzie Guillen sent Mark Buehrle in to get the last out in the bottom of the 14th to get the save after he had started Game 2, and later remarked that he was set to send Pablo Ozuna (a position player) in to pitch if the Astros somehow extended the game.
Game 4 was a pitcher’s duel between Freddy Garcia and Brandon Backe. The game was scoreless until Jermaine Dye singled to center off of Brad Lidge, driving in Willie Harris for what turned out the be the winning run. This was the second game of the series in which Lidge had given up the game-winning run (Podesednik’s home run in Game 2). Game 4 also saw a spectacular defensive play by Juan Uribe, as the Chicago shortstop fell two rows into the stands in order to retire Chris Burke for the second out in the bottom of the ninth. Uribe also earned the assist in the final out of the Series on the next play, as he narrowly threw Orlando Palmeiro out at first to give the White Sox their first World Series crown since 1917.
Here’s the 1 – 2 pitch to Palmeiro. A ground ball, past Jenks, up the middle of the infield, Uribe has it, he throws – OUT! OUT! A WHITE SOX WINNER! AND A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP! The White Sox have won the World Series, and they’re mobbing each other on the field! and the White Sox radio announcer John Rooney calling the final play on WMVP 1000.
Dye was named the World Series MVP in the four-game sweep.
Only the 1927 Yankees and the 1984 Detroit Tigers were able to achieve such a feat. Their 11 – 1 postseason record was tied with the 1999 Yankees as the best single postseason mark. (Only the Cincinnati Reds in 1976 had a better winning percentage by going 7 – 0). Also, their 8-game winning streak (the four games over the Angels and the sweep against the Astros) is tied with the Boston Red Sox (who won 8 games in a row en route to their 2004 World Series championship) and the Kansas City Royals (who won the 2014 Wild Card Game and swept the Los Angeles Angels and Baltimore Orioles in the ALDS/ALCS) for the longest postseason winning streak in Major League history. The White Sox also became the first team to win all three post-season victories on the road. Amazingly, during their 105-year history, this was only the franchise’s third World Series championship, (following victories in 1917 and 1906). It also marked their first pennant since the advent of divisional play in 1969 (the White Sox won the inaugural American League pennant in 1901, but this was 2 years prior to the first modern World Series).
2006 – Present: Post – World Series
2006 season
After leading the wild card race for much of the season, the White Sox faltered, losing 15 of 24 at the beginning of September to eliminate them from playoff contention, ending their chances of becoming the first repeat winner of the World Series since the New York Yankees in 1999 and 2000. The nonetheless finished with a 90 – 72 record, the season’s best record by a non-playoff team.
This was the first year a White Sox manager had led the AL All-Star squad since 1994, when Gene Lamont led the team. In addition to manager Ozzie Guillen, the White Sox had six representatives at the 77th – All-Star Game at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, the most among any club: starting pitcher Mark Buehrle, closer Bobby Jenks, catcher A.J Pierzynski, first baseman Paul Konerko and Jim Thome, and right fielder Jermaine Dye. Jose Contreras was originally selected to pitch in the All-Star Game, but was replaced by Francisco Liriano. Guillen removed Contreras from the roster after a 117-pitch performance in a 19-inning game against Boston on the last day before the All-Star Break.
Pierzynski was the last White Sox player to be named to the team after winning the year’s Final Vote, in which the fans select the 32nd and final player on both the AL and NL squads. Pierzynski is the second White Sox player to be selected, following Scott Podsednik’s nomination in 2005. Dye competed in the 2006 CENTURY 21 Home Run Derby; he managed to hit 7 home runs in the first round, but David Ortiz and Ryan Howard both surpassed that total to knock Dye out of the competition.
The White Sox drew 2,957,414 fans for an average of 36,511, third in the AL. There was a total of 52 sellouts, breaking the previous team record of 18. The White Sox also drew 75 crowds in excess of 30,000, another franchise record.
2007 season
On April 18th, Buehrle pitched a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers, 6 – 0. Buehrle’s only blemish was a walk to Sammy Sosa in the fifth, but Buehrle would promptly pick Sosa off during the next at-bat. Buehrle secured his spot in the MLB record books when he forced Rangers catcher Gerald Laird to ground out to third baseman Joe Crede at 9:14 p.m. CDT, sending the crowd of 25,930 at U.S. Cellular Field into a frenzy. He would face the minimum of 27 batters using 106 pitches (66 strikes), with the one walk to Sosa and eight strikeouts. Jermaine Dye hit a grand-slam and Jim Thome added solo homers in the history-making night.
On July 6th, the White Sox announced the signing of Mark Buehrle to a contract extension worth $56 million over four years. The move came after weeks of rumors of Buehrle possibly being traded.
Overall, the White Sox season was hampered by injuries and a team-wide hitting slump. However, the season was not a complete failure with Mark Buehrle’s no hitter, Jim Thome’s 500th home run, and closer Bobby Jenks 41 consecutive batters retired (tying Jim Barr’s all-time record and breaking the American League record.) Jenks would later fall short of the all-time record when Kansas City Royal’s player Joey Gathright slapped a ground ball into left field just out of the reaches of third baseman Josh Fields and shortstop Juan Uribe.
The White Sox finished the season fourth in their division with a 72 – 90 record, behind the Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, and Minnesota Twins.
2008 Season: Central Champs again and a “blackout game”
On July 31st, the day of the trade deadline, the White Sox traded relief pitcher Nick Masset and minor leaguer 2nd baseman Danny Richar for Ken Griffey Jr. of the Cinicinnati Reds(10).
On August 14th, Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, Alexi Ramirez, and Juan Uribe combined to hit four consecutive home runs against the Kansas City Royals off pitchers Joel Peralta and Rob Tejeda, something that has been only been done six other times in the history of Major League Baseball.
On September 29th, 2008, Ramirez hit his fourth grand slam of the season, setting a major-league single-season record for a rookie, off Detroit Tigers pitcher Gary Glover in an 8 – 2 White Sox victory to qualify the White Sox for a one-game playoff against the Minnesota Twins for the AL Central title. This also broke the team record for most grand slams in a single season.
On September 30th, 2008, the White Sox won a tiebreaker 1 – 0 against the Minnesota Twins for the American League playoff spot after a diving catch from Brian Anderson. A game saving throw to home plate from center-fielder Ken Griffey Jr. to catcher A.J. Pierzynski on a flyout to keep Michael Cuddyer from scoring would keep the Twins scoreless through the top of the 5th inning. John Danks pitched on only three days rest and threw 103 pitches for 2 hits and no runs in eight innings. Bobby Jenks would close the game with a perfect 9th. The only run of the game came from a Jim Thome home run, the 541st of his career. This was the lowest scoring tiebreaking game in MLB history. The White Sox are also the only team in MLB history to beat three different teams on three consecutive days; the Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, and Minnesota Twins. They lost to the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Division Series (ALDS), 3 games to 1.
Part 3 of the Chicago White Sox Story
will be posted on Friday August 30
