Today in White Sox History: July 11
Turn Back the Clock? Hey, that’s what we do here 365 days a year!
1950
The All-Star Game returned to Comiskey Park and saw the National League win, 4-3, in 13 innings, on a home run by the Cardinals infielder Red Schoendienst. The White Sox representative on that day was pitcher Ray Scarborough, who was acquired earlier in the season from Washington. This was the game where the Red Sox Ted Williams broke his elbow hitting Comiskey Park’s unpadded outfield wall.
1985
The White Sox blew a game and lost to the Orioles in Baltimore, 7-6. The loss would have long-term consequences for the franchise, because it eventually led to the firing of GM Roland Hemond.
With two outs and the Sox leading, 6-3, closer Bob James hurt his right knee. In came journeyman relief pitcher Mike Stanton, who was picked up out of the minors a few weeks earlier. Stanton didn’t get a man out, and gave up a three-run, game-winning home run to Fred Lynn.
Up in the broadcast booth, White Sox TV announcers Don Drysdale and Ken Harrelson were openly questioning the organization, that the best they could do was Stanton. It planted the seed in the mind of ownership that a change was needed.
That change turned out to be Harrelson ... named the new GM that offseason. The rest, as they say, is history.
1990
During a series with the Brewers, the White Sox had a promotion that actually worked. It was called “Turn Back the Clock” Day.
The promotion recreated a game as it would have been played during the 1917 season. White Sox players wore replicas of those uniforms, the scoreboard was turned off and operated by hand, vendors and stadium personnel were dressed in period clothes, and photographers were allowed on the field.
In the future, the promotion was copied by teams in all sports. In baseball, an offshoot promotion came to pass in future years, called “Turn Ahead the Clock.”
1994
At the All-Star Game in Pittsburgh, White Sox slugger Frank Thomas slammed some of the longest home runs ever seen, reaching the upper, upper deck at Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers Stadium during the home run hitting contest.
2000
White Sox starting pitcher James Baldwin won the All-Star game for the American League in Atlanta. Baldwin threw an inning in the AL’s 6-3 win.
Joining him on the squad from the Sox were Ray Durham (2B) and Magglio Ordoñez (OF).
2006
Coming off of a season where the White Sox won their first World Series in 88 years, seven players and manager Ozzie Guillén made the trip to Pittsburgh for the All-Star Game. The seven players were tied for the second-most in team history, equaling the number of Sox representatives in 1960.
The seven players were; Mark Buehrle (P), José Contreras (P), Jermaine Dye (OF), Bobby Jenks (P), Paul Konerko (1B), Jim Thome (INF/PH) and A.J. Pierzynski (C).
The AL won the game in dramatic fashion, 3-2.
2010
The White Sox closed out the first half of the season by crushing the Royals, 15-5, at U.S. Cellular Field. The win capped an incredible, 30-game stretch heading into the All-Star break that saw the club go 25-5 and vault into first place.
The 25-5 sprint set an American League mark and tied the Sox with the 1975 Cincinnati Reds and 1990 New York Mets for the best stretch of wins in baseball history heading into the second half.