*Traded Mike Cameron to the Reds for Paul Konerko
*Signed Bill Simas to a one year contract
*Signed James Baldwin to a one year contract
*Signed John Cangelosi to a minor league contract
*Signed Darrin Jackson to a minor league contract
*Renounced the rights to Wil Cordero
*Renounced the rights to Jim Abbott
*Traded a minor leaguer to the Yankees for Chris Singleton
*Announced Florida picked up Benji Gil in the Rule V Draft
*Announced Robin Ventura signed with the Mets
*Announced Albert Belle signed with the Orioles
*Signed MGR Jerry Manuel to a contract extention
Paul Konerko-1B
Mike Caruso-SS
Ray Durham-2B
Greg Norton-3B
Craig Wilson-SS
Carlos Lee-3B
Magglio Ordonez-OF
Brian Simmons-OF
Jeff Abbott-OF
John Cangelosi-OF
Darrin Jackson-OF
John Snyder-P
Jim Parque-P
James Baldwin-P
Mike Sirtoka-P
Jaime Navarro-P
Luis Andjuar-P
Bill Simas-P
Bob Howry-P
Chad Bradford-P
Tom Fordham-P
Bryan Ward-P
Keith Foulke-P
Scott Eyre-P
MGR-Jerry Manuel
COACHES:
Von Joshua-Hitting
Nardi Contreras-Pitching
Joe Nossek-Bench
Bryan Little-1B
Wallace Johnson-3B
Art Kuesenyer-Bullpen
Mark Salas-Bullpen Catcher
Bo Jackson-Spring Training
Chris Cron-Birmingham Barons
Frank Thomas
Jaime Navarro
James Baldwin
Bill Simas
Ray Durham
Traded Mike Cameron to the Reds for Paul Konerko
Traded a minor leaguer to the Yankess for Chris Singleton
*Ray Durham was the 1998 All Star representing the Sox. He got one hit, one RBI, and scored one run in the All Star game in Colorado.
*Albert Belle set the Major League Record for homeruns in the month of August.
*Frank Thomas won the 1997 American League Batting Title
*Frank Thomas came one plate appearance away from tying Ted Williams' streak of reaching base on 15 straight
*Frank Thomas became the first player ever to hit 100 homeruns, 100 RBI, 100 Runs, and 1000 Walks in 7 straight seasons.
*Scott Eyre pitched six innings of no hit ball in a game in 1998
*Mike Caruso finished third in the A.L. Rookie of the Year voting after leading all rookies with a .306 average
*Magglio Ordonez finished in the top 6 of the ROY voting
*Jerry Manuel finished in the top 6 of the Manager of the Year voting
*Brian Simmons hit .420 with two homeruns in his three game September call up
*Craig Wilson almost hit for the cycle in his Major League Debut and hit over .350 in his brief September stint
*Jim Abbott went 5-0 during his comeback return
*Mark Johnson socked a triple off of Pedro Martinez for his first M.L. hit
*Chad Bradford and Bryan Ward made their M.L. debuts
*Todd Rizzo made his M.L. debut
*Larry Casian made a comeback with the Sox
*Bob Howry made his M.L. debut as the closer of the future
*Jim Parque and John Snyder both made their M.L. debuts
*Mike Heathcott made his M.L. debut
*Ruben Sierra made a comeback
*Lou Frazier made a comeback with the Sox
*Jerry Manuel finished a great year as a rookie manager.
*Jerry Reinsdorf is the owner
*Ron Schuler is the General Manager
*They play in Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois
*Comiskey Park opened its doors in 1991
*Charles Comiskey was the first owner of the ChiSox
*Many of their famous players include:
Ed Walsh
Edd Roush
Eddie Collins
Joe Jackson
Harry Hooper
Davy Jones
Billy Pierce
Luis Aparacio
Nellie Fox
Sherm Lollar
Minnie Minoso
Bill Melton
Dick Allen
LaMarr Hoyt
Carlton Fisk
Tom Seaver
Steve Carlton
Jack McDowell
Ron Kittle
Ozzie Guillen
Albert Belle
Robin Ventura
*Many Sox players have won MVP awards. They include:
Dick Allen
Nellie Fox
Frank Thomas
*Many Sox players have won Rookie of the Year Awards. They include:
Ozzie Guillen
Luis Aparacio
Ron Kittle
*Many Sox players have won Cy Young awards. They include:
Jack McDowell
LaMarr Hoyt
*Many Sox managers have won Manager of the Year awards. They include:
Gene Lamont
Tony Larussa
*Many recent Sox players have been named to the All Star team. All stars from the 1990's include:
Carlton Fisk
Jack McDowell
Ozzie Guillen
Frank Thomas
Albert Belle
Robin Ventura
Ray Durham
Bobby Thigpen
*The Sox won the A.L. West Division in 1993. Some of the players on that team included:
Bo Jackson
Frank Thomas
Ozzie Guillen
Robin Ventura
Ellis Burks
Tim Raines
Dan Pasqua
Joey Cora
Ron Karkovice
Jack McDowell
Jason Bere
Alex Fernandez
Wilson Alvarez
Tim Belcher
Lance Johnson
Roberto Hernandez
Steve Sax
Terry Leach
Chuck Cary
Noberto Martin
*The Sox hold Sox Fest every year in January
AAA-Calgary Cannons (Pacific Coast League)
AA-Birmingham Barons (Southern League)
High A-Winston-Salem Warthogs
Low A-Hickory Crawdads
Rookie-Bristol Sox
*Chris Cron was named manager of Birmingham this past November. I interviewed Mr. Cron in 1997. For a copy of the interview, contact the BSM.
Babe Ruth is the best baseball player in the history of the game, right? Possibly, but don't bet your life on it. Shoeless Joe Jackson of the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians was also pretty good, and may have received the title of "The Best Ever" if it wasn't for the 1919 World Series. That series still haunts many today and remains one of the most infamous moments in professional sports history. It all goes like this: the Chicago White Sox were playing the Cincinnati Reds in the 1919. The White Sox had a great record in 1919 and had many stars, such as Jackson and Eddie Cicotte. They were one of the most dominating teams of their time. But, it all fell apart during that infamous series. Legend has it that gamblers gave eight White Sox players large payoffs in order to throw the series. Nobody knows who exactly took the bribes, there is even a question of how serious the accusitions were, but we all know that something happened in 1919. In the first game of the series the Sox lost 9-1. In the second game they were beaten 4-2. It was then when the Cincinnati Reds first learned of the gambling. Legend has it that a mysterious man came up to Ed Roush after the second game and told him the White Sox got into a fight in the locker room, where Ray Schalk accused Lefty Williams of throwing the game. The man told Roush that Williams beat up a gambler that did not give him his money. Roush did not think much of it, but later that same man came to him and told him that the gamblers had gotten to the Reds. It was then that Reds pitcher Jake Daubert admitted to being comfronted by a gambler, but he told him to get lost. Now everyone knew the World Series was being thrown. Commishioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis banned eight Chicago players, including Jackson, from baseball for eternity for their involvment with gamblers. What is often overlooked, though, is that Jackson hit over .350 for the series. It does not seem that a man trying to throw the World Series would hit like that. Today nobody really knows what happened, but Shoeless Joe was never allowed into the Hall of Fame because of that infamous series. If you look at the stats, Shoeless Joe is quite a comparison to the Babe. If he had only gotten a chance, Shoeless Joe may have become the best ever. Now he is not even in the Hall of Fame.
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