Rick Hahn Reveals Hilarious Backstory Of Sale’s 2016 Jersey Incident
July 23rd, 2016, is a date that will live in White Sox history. it is also a watershed moment that best summarizes the White Sox’s chaotic 2016 season. Chris Sale was scheduled to start against the Detroit Tigers. Hours before the game Sale was scratched from his start. With the trade deadline fast approaching, many assumed that Sale had been traded.
In reality, Sale had cut up all the 1970s throwback jerseys the White Sox were supposed to wear as part of a promotion. Sale felt the uniforms were uncomfortable and hindered his throwing ability. In frustration, he gathered up each jersey and shredded them with scissors. The team was forced to wear their 1983 Sunday uniforms instead, and Sale was sent home.
Six years later, we have the back story of what happened from White Sox general manager Rick Hahn’s perspective.
Hahn spoke to Shane Riordan on Riordan’s “Bourbon and a Buddy” podcast. The story is comical to say the least.
“I was at my older son’s little league game, and one of the coaches hadn’t shown up that afternoon, or was busy, so they asked me if I would coach first base,” Hahn said on the podcast. “So I’m enjoying the sunshine. I’m fairly sure it was a Saturday. We had a night game, and in the middle of coaching first base I get a text from Robin (Ventura), saying, ‘We have a problem. Sale doesn’t want to wear his jersey.’ I texted back and I’m like一 I didn’t even know it was a special jersey day一 I’m like, ‘I don’t understand.’ He goes, ‘He doesn’t like the special jerseys. He doesn’t want to wear it.’ I said, ‘Alright, talk him through why we’re doing it, and figure it out.'”
“Then he responded with, ‘No, he cut up the jersey.’ And I responded, again, I texted him back saying, ‘Well, get him another jersey then. They’ve got backups, get him another jersey.’ So then, Robin sent me another text that said, ‘No, you don’t understand. He cut up all the jerseys.'”
Hahn was caught completely off guard so he stopped coaching first base to call Ventura. He wanted to relay a message to the southpaw.
“Let Saler know that I’d run home and shower, and when I was in he should meet me in my office to talk this through.
“By the time I got there, and Chris and I sat down to talk it through, he was apologetic. He was remorseful, he knew it wasn’t right. But the individual who went through and cut those jerseys up, sort of passionate competitor, and that ‘I’m gonna show you guys,’ that was all what made Chris great.
“He and I talked about it that afternoon. I told him he was going to have to be suspended for this, but we knew where it was coming from, and that’s part of what made him as special as he was, and still is.”
The game that followed was just as weird as the incident. Matt Alberts had to make a spot start. The White Sox and Tigers were tied 3-3 in the eighth inning when a rain delay halted play. At the end of the night, nothing got settled. The two teams picked up where they left off the following afternoon, and the White Sox won on a walk-off single.
Sale was traded the following offseason for a package that included Yoan Moncada and Michael Kopech. It was the first domino in a move that kick-started the White Sox rebuild. Safe to say, things worked out okay for Hahn.