Today in White Sox History: July 27
1951
The White Sox trailed the Yankees, 3-2, when the game was delayed 25 minutes by rain. When play resumed, the Sox scored twice more to lead, 4-3. Yankees manager Casey Stengel began stalling, hoping for more rain. He got his wish and the game was called, reverting back to a 3-1 Yankees win. That second rain delay lasted 10 minutes! The Sox protested the decision by umpire Hank Soar with the league office, to no avail.
1973
White Sox vice president Stu Holcomb “retired” under pressure after his hard-line approach on salaries destroyed the 1973 White Sox. When players wouldn’t come to terms with his initial offer, Holcomb ordered then-player personnel director Roland Hemond to release them. Not try to compromise with them, or try to trade them to get something back, but release them.
The Sox gave away Jay Johnstone, Ed Spiezio, Mike Andrews and Rick Reichardt. When Holcomb ordered Hemond to release 21 game-winner Stan Bahnsen, Hemond and manager Chuck Tanner went to owner John Allyn. Hemond and Tanner threatened to quit if something wasn’t done. Allyn sided with the duo, and Holcomb was history. The move brought some stability to the front office, but the damage was already done: When the Sox got hit with an epidemic of injuries, they had little depth to try to counteract it.
2014
Former White Sox star Frank Thomas, the “Big Hurt,” was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Thomas played 16 years with the Sox and holds every major hitting record in team history. He was the American League MVP in back-to-back years, 1993 and 1994, and finished in the Top 10 in that voting nine other times. He was the Comeback Player of the Year in 2000 and helped the Sox on their way to winning the 2005 World Series before getting injured in mid-season. He received almost 84% of the vote, becoming the first White Sox player inducted on the first ballot.