Today in White Sox History: October 13
A couple of minor trades — and a couple of big postseason games
1906
The White Sox had escaped with a split of the first four games of the World Series despite scoring just six runs, thanks to incredible pitching from Nick Altrock and Ed Walsh. But that all changed in a Series-shaking outburst of eight runs for the Hitless Wonders, beating the Cubs, 8-6, in Game 5.
Leading the offensive assault was Frank Isbell, whose four doubles in the game remains a World Series record. It also was the first four-hit game in White Sox playoff history; only three White Sox have since matched the feat.
The White Sox hit eight doubles in the game, including two from George Davis, who also drove in three runs (Isbell had two RBIs off of his four doubles).
Other oddities included:
- Six White Sox errors in the game (two by Isbell, one from Davis)
- A double-steal (Patsy Dougherty of second base, Davis of home!) with two outs in the third inning to tie the game, 3-3, just before Billy Sullivan struck out to end the threat
- In the fourth, Isbell struck his second RBI double of the game for a 4-3 White Sox lead, which they would not relinquish
- Five ground-rule doubles in the game (three for RBIs), presumably all balls hit into the standing crowd in the days before outfield fences
- The Cubs scored three of their six runs without an RBI, via errors and wild pitches
- The Cubs got the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth with a two-out walk, but Doc White induced a 6-4 ground out to earn a three-inning save
The win put the White Sox in the driver’s seat to wrap up their first-ever championship, back at home in Game 6.
1917
With the World Series tied at two games apiece, the Giants were on the verge of a momentum-changing blow at Comiskey Park by jumping out to a 5-2 lead by the seventh-inning stretch. However, in the bottom of the seventh Chick Gandil doubled in two runs to draw the White Sox to within one run. After a ground out pushed Gandil to third and Ray Schalk walked, the catcher attempted a daring steal of second — and Buck Herzog’s error at second base on the throw got Gandil home with the tying run.
Red Faber, who had already pitched 16 innings over six days in his two starts in the Series, came on with the score knotted and shut down New York for the final two frames, retiring all six Giants he faced to earn his second win of the Fall Classic. Meanwhile the White Sox rallied in the bottom of the eighth with the eventual winning runs: Four straight singles from Shano Collins, Eddie Collins, Shoeless Joe Jackson and Happy Felsch sandwiched around a sac bunt pushed the White Sox lead to 8-5.
Faber would take the mound two days later in New York to pitch the complete-game win that clinched the Series for Chicago. All in all, Faber threw 27 of the 52 innings of the Series, despite not starting Game 1.
1970
New player personnel director Roland Hemond made his first deal, sending John “Pineapple” Matias and Gail Hopkins to the Royals for Don O’Riley and Pat Kelly.
Kelly, the brother of Cleveland Browns star running back Leroy, provided speed for the “New Look” White Sox. A solid hitter and leadoff man, Pat was an All-Star in 1973, when he hit .280 with 22 steals. Kelly played for the Sox from 1971-76 and stole 119 bases.
1971
The White Sox dealt pitcher Rich Hinton to the Yankees for center fielder Jim Lyttle. Lyttle played in just 44 games on the South Side in 1972, racking up -0.6 WAR, and was traded in the offseason for K.C.’s Joe Keough.
Hinton was drafted four times by other teams without signing, before the White Sox snagged him in the third round of the June 1969 draft. He had a modest MLB debut in 1971 before getting shipped off. The southpaw signed back with the Sox for the 1975 season as a free agent, and had stints with the team in 1978 and 1979 as well. All told, Hinton went 7-12 with a 4.70 ERA/3.16 FIP and 0.2 WAR over his White Sox career.