Today in White Sox History: March 23

“Rock” retires ... for a season

1955

Roberto Clemente made a huge splash with a spring training performance at Fort Myers, Fla. against the White Sox. The rookie clouts a third-inning triple some 425 feet off of the center field fence, the deepest spot in Terry Park. The good news for the White Sox? Clemente attempted to stretch the hit into an inside-the-park home run, but was thrown out at home with ease.

1977

In a completely under-the-radar swap, the White Sox sent Clay Carroll to St. Louis for Lerrin LaGrow. That minor transaction would pay major dividends for the 90-win 1977 White Sox.

LaGrow, at the time mostly a starter in his six-year MLB career, moved into the White Sox bullpen and ended up as the South Side Hit Men closer, finishing 49 of the 66 games he appeared in (after finishing 20 in his career to that point) and earning 25 saves. His ERA a stellar 2.46, LaGrow’s 98 2⁄3 innings resulted in him racking up an extraordinary 4.2 WAR, tied for 55th in major league history for a full-time reliever. That WAR also ranks fourth in White Sox history for a full-time reliever.

Alas, LaGrow (like the Hit Men) could not repeat the success in 1978, suffering a setback of a -0.6 WAR before a staggeringly bad -1.3 WAR in just 11 games to open 1979 saw him sold to the Dodgers in May.

1985

Seven years too late, Oscar Gamble re-signed with the White Sox.

Returning to the scene of his greatest season (1977, 3.5 WAR almost through pure slugging), it would be the only year Gamble would play back in Chicago after the six-year, $2.85 million (some of the money deferred) deal he took with the San Diego Padres upon leaving Chicago. While fellow South Side Hit Man Richie Zisk was a foregone loss heading into the 1977-78 offseason, owner Bill Veeck was optimistic about keeping Oscar in Chicago for the long term. But at the last minute, San Diego owner Ray Kroc swooped in and outbid Veeck.

Gamble disappointed on the West Coast, hitting just seven long balls and seeing his home run rate drop to an anemic 1.6%. He was dumped back to the Yankees before the 1979 season.

To his credit, Gamble was always at least an average regular for the first five years of his big-money deal. By the time he returned to Chicago, it was as a punch-and-judy hitter rather than slugger.

In his last full game in the majors, on August 3 at Yankee Stadium, Gamble homered — and his final hit and run in the majors came the next day, during Tom Seaver’s 300th win. A week later, the White Sox released Gamble, forcing his retirement at age 35.

1989

The White Sox traded Ken Williams (who later became the club’s GM) to Detroit for pitcher Eric King.

Williams never achieved any measure of consistency in the big leagues. King, at least, had a spectacular 1990 campaign, going 12-4 with a 3.25 ERA for the “Doin’ the Little Things” White Sox that shocked baseball by compiling 94 wins in 1990.

2000

Former White Sox outfielder and future Hall-of-Famer Tim Raines announced his retirement.

However ... there’s a twist, as Raines would return to the game for two more seasons, after trying out for (but failing to make) Team USA re-established his love of the game. Raines had a strong 2001 season (.303 batting average) with Montreal and was traded to Baltimore during that year so he could play on the same team as his son, Tim Jr. (joining the Griffeys as the only such father-son pairing ever). With his added longevity, Raines also became a four-decade player and one of just four (along with Ted Williams, Rickey Henderson and Omar Vizquel) to steal a base in four different decades Raines was also the last player in major league history to wear a batting helmet without a protective ear flap.

2011

Future White Sox first baseman José Abreu hit his 33rd home run, on the final day of the Cuban Serie Nacional season. Both he and Yoennis Céspedes broke the two-year-old Cuban home run record of 32.

Amazingly, Abreu produced 33 home runs and 93 RBIs despite missing a quarter of the season. His slash for the 2010-11 season was a remarkable .453/.597/.986. For those of you a little short with math, that’s a 1.583 OPS.