Today in White Sox History: March 6
A Chicago native, born in the shadow of Comiskey Park, dies young
1914
The White Sox returned home from their around-the-world series of exhibition games against the New York Giants. The Sox went 24-20-2, but the added 46 games took their toll when the regular season began in late April. For the year, the Sox would end up in sixth place, 30 games out with a record of 70-84-3.
In each of the three years previous, the White Sox were better than .500, at 77 or 78 wins — and 1914 would end up as just the third losing season in franchise history.
Among the players who participated in the exhibition series was New York’s Jim Thorpe, regarding as the greatest athlete in the world at that time because of his Olympic success.
The ship that brought the White Sox back to the U.S.? None other than the Lusitania — the ship sunk by a German torpedo little more than a year after the White Sox returned home safely from their world tour.
2006
Chicago native born in the shadow of Comiskey Park in the Robert Taylor Homes complex, Calumet High/Bradley University/Triton College product Kirby Puckett died after a stroke in Phoenix, at age 45. Puckett was a beloved player who was inducted into the Hall of Fame immediately after his five years of retirement were up, although his legacy has since been tarnished by the revelations of chronic domestic abuse.
Puckett was a storied overachiever, however, honored as an high school All-American baseball player but garnering no interest from major league teams upon graduation. Only after he was laid off by Ford Motors (he was a carpet installer) did Puckett attend a Kansas City Royals tryout camp, which led to scholarships to play baseball at Bradley and Triton.
Only Lou Gehrig died at a younger age as a living Hall-of-Famer than Puckett, and no player in the “modern era” of a five-year waiting period for the Hall has died younger.
2012
The first game ever at Marlins Park, an exhibition game vs. the University of Miami, had a decided White Sox flavor. Legendary starter Mark Buehrle made his debut for the Marlins, throwing three innings and giving up three runs on four hits. He started the game in Buehrle-esque fashion, however, retiring the first seven batters.
“Against minor league guys I don’t fare too well, so I was kind of nervous facing college guys, thinking it was going to be even worse,” Buehrle told reporters afterward. “Three runs is pretty good. I’ll take that any day.”
The first home run in the new park was hit by Marlin Hanley Ramírez, off of Alex Fernandez Jr. — son of former White Sox and Marlins ace Alex Fernandez.
The retractable roof needed to be closed prior to the night game, as rain started falling 30 minutes before first pitch. Several players bounced batting practice home runs off of the art deco home run sculpture in center field as well.
The Marlins eked out the win, 7-6, giving skipper Ozzie Guillén his first of not-many future Ws in Miami.