1914
Clarence ‘Pants’ Rowland was named White Sox manager, replacing him Jimmy Callahan after a 70-84-3 season in sixth place in 1914.
Rowland, who got his nickname because he wore oversized pants during his minor league playing days, had been a minor league captain for about a decade, without any particular distinction. It was somewhat of a surprise that owner Charles Comiskey brought in the manager of the Peoria Distillers to take over his up-and-coming White Sox team.
Rowland proved his worth, improving the White Sox with 23 wins in 1915 (93-61-1) and a third-place finish. In 1916, Chicago inched closer to a pennant, finishing second. And in 1917, Rowland steered the club to a 100-win season – still the most ever for the franchise – and the World series title.
1920
The American League votes to allow pitchers currently throwing the banned spitball to continue throwing it even though the ball thrown is banned. Among the 17 grandfathered players is the future Hall-of-Famer Red Faberwhich the pitcher will throw longer than anyone in the AL, 1933. No other AL pitcher will throw a spitball after the 1930 season.
Former White Sox pitcher Jack Quinn (1.7 WAR in just six games in 1918!) was also a benefactor, and he put it to incredible use, pitching in the Majors until age 49, also in 1933.
Quinn’s last match came in July 1933, Faber’s in September.
1975
Under new ownership Bill Veeck, the Sox went retro with the appointment of the former manager Paul Richards as the new skipper, to replace him Chuck Tannerwho was soon released to pursue the managerial job in Oakland. Veeck made it clear at the time that he wanted to keep Tanner with the White Sox, likely as a “super scout” studying every AL team. But the new owner also allowed Tanner to explore open manager slots with the A’s or Giants.
Richards was the man who turned around the White Sox in 1951 and put them on the cusp of seventeen consecutive winning seasons. He was one of the smartest baseball men in the game, but it had been years since he was involved in the day-to-day operations of a franchise. Apparently he didn’t even really want the job and actually lobbied Veeck to keep Tanner as manager. Ultimately, Richards, who had not played in the Majors since 1961, agreed to take the position as a favor to Veeck. Richards’ style, praised by Veeck, was outdated; the veteran lasted one season in his second go-round, finishing 64-97 and in last place in 1976.
Years later, Tanner would reveal that Richards asked him to stay on as his third base coach with the promise that he would get the manager’s job again in 1977, but Tanner got the A’s job. Four years later, Tanner won the World Series at the helm of the “We Are Family” Pittsburgh Pirates.
Veeck was tied to saving the Sox (by keeping them in Chicago) from the end of the 1975 season. Two months earlier, the future owner claimed that Richards would be part of his versatility property group and said, “I’ll be specific about one thing. Paul is not coming as manager.”
2004
The White Sox claimed the pitcher Bobby Jenks on dispensations from the angels. Jenks had an electric arm and had a reputation as a reckless person who wanted to party more than play baseball. Somehow, the Sox found a way to get to him, as he was assigned to Double-A Birmingham in 2005 and was excellent, recording 19 saves in 35 games with a 2.85 ERA. Jenks eventually skipped Triple-A for the Sox, arriving on the South Side on July 6, in a 7-2 win over the Rays. He proved to be a godsend, following that up with 41 saves in 2006. Jenks remains second all-time in White Sox saves with 173.
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