Today in White Sox History: June 19
Big crowds, big Days, big Ks
1926
The Sox celebrated Eddie Collins Day at Comiskey Park. Collins would be admitted into the Hall of Fame in 1939 and was one of the finest second baseman in major league history. He played 12 seasons with the White Sox and is the only member of the 3,000-hit club to get that milestone safety in a White Sox uniform.
1951
The White Sox split a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium in front of 60,441 fans (ranking among the Top 20-attended games in White Sox history), maintaining their 3 1⁄2-game lead in the American League.
The Sox dropped the opener, 11-9, despite rallying to tie after falling behind, 5-0, in the first inning. In the nightcap, the White Sox took a 4-3 lead on Bud Stewart’s three-run homer in the eighth, and after the Yankees fought back for one, tallied the eventual game-winner on Bob Dillinger’s double in the ninth.
The White Sox would fall out of first for good in July and finish the season in fourth place, 17 games back. But their 81-73-1 record represented their first winning season in eight years — and more importantly, kicked off a string of 17 straight winning seasons on the South Side.
1977
Wilbur Wood threw his last good game for the White Sox in throwing eight innings of one-run ball in beating the A’s, 2-1, in the first game of a doubleheader at Comiskey Park. But the real star that afternoon was first baseman Lamar Johnson, who did everything in this contest. Johnson’s three hits (and two home runs) were the only Sox hits in the opener. He also sang the National Anthem beforehand!
The Sox also won the nightcap 5-1, with Lamar adding a hit and scoring a run.
2009
Levi Maxwell of the White Sox High-A affiliate Winston-Salem Dash threw a seven-inning no-hitter in a doubleheader opener against the Wilmington Blue Rocks. It was the first no-hitter in the Carolina League in three years, and the first for the Dash since 2001. Maxwell ended up as the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for his achievement.
However, it was a bright spot in an otherwise rough season. Maxwell finished 2009 at 4-15 (4.54 ERA) after going 15-5 a year earlier for the Low-A Kannapolis Intimidators. In true Joe Cowley fashion, Maxwell retired (or was released) at season’s end.
(The manager of that Intimidators club in 2009? None other than current White Sox third base coach Joe McEwing.)
2015
In a game against the Texas Rangers at U.S. Cellular Field, Chris Sale recorded his fifth consecutive game with at least 12 strikeouts, as he fanned 14 Texas hitters. That tied him with Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson as the only pitchers in baseball history to accomplish that. Sale’s streak began on May 28, and in those five starts he struck out a total of 65 hitters.
He got a no-decision in this game, though, as Texas scored two runs in the ninth inning with two outs and stole a 2-1 win.