Today in White Sox History: November 26
Signing wounded: In a remarkable turnaround, Soderholm went from sitting out the 1976 season to a 4.2 bWAR comeback campaign for the ages.
1976 — In a move that would pay large returns the following season, injured third baseman Eric Soderholm signed a free agent deal with Bill Veeck and Roland Hemond. Soderholm would become Comeback Player of the Year for 1977 with 25 home runs, 67 RBIs and a .280 batting average, helping lead the South Side Hit Men to a remarkable, 90-win season.
1991 - The White Sox hired Gene Lamont as the new field manager, replacing Jeff Torborg. Lamont was hired after Pirates manager and former Sox coach Jim Leyland highly recommended him (Lamont was a coach on Leyland’s staff). The quiet, laid-back Lamont would win the American League’s Western Division title in 1993 and take home Manager of the Year honors. He’d also guide the Sox to the Central Division lead at the time of the labor impasse in 1994.
Mark Liptak is originally from Chicago and has been a White Sox fan since 1960. He and his wife Zoe reside in Pocatello, Idaho where he is the radio voice as part of Idaho State athletics in volleyball, football, women's basketball and softball.
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