Today in White Sox History: June 23
1956
It was first of the two great fights on the field between Yankees and White Sox (almost one year later, on June 13, 1957, the second one took place). On this day, Bob Grim (the late uncle to current Sox director of business development and broadcasting Bob Grim) threw one high and tight to Chicago outfielder Dave Philley in the home half of the sixth inning. The ball glanced off of Philley’s shoulder and bounced into his batting helmet, knocking it off. Philley charged the mound, as the benches and bullpens emptied. Both players swung at each other, as the rest of the teams held each other back.
Order was restored after about 20 minutes. Philley was tossed from the game. Grim was allowed to stay in, but perhaps was shaken; he was tagged for two runs ... the only runs on the day in the South Side's 2-0 win.
1958
The White Sox purchased the contract of pitcher Turk Lown from the Reds. Lown and teammate Gerry Staley (also acquired via the purchase route, in 1956) gave the Sox one of the top bullpens in baseball during the late 1950s/early 1960s. They were especially effective during the 1959 championship season. That year, Lown would go 9-2 with a 2.89 ERA and 15 saves. Staley also had 15 saves that year, sharing the league lead with Lown.
1963
White Sox catcher J.C. Martin set an American League record by being involved in three double plays in a 2-0 loss at Cleveland. Martin had two strike out/throw out double plays and was also in the middle of a third base-to-catcher-to-first base one. His record would later be tied by another Sox catcher, Ed Herrmann. And in both cases, the Sox would lose the game!