1890
Harry Grabinerthe White Sox’s first and longest-serving general manager, was born in Chicago.
He was an employee of the team for forty years and literally rose from peanut salesman to vice president. Grabiner served under three Comiskey owners: Karel, J. LouisAnd Elegance. Back then, “general manager” wasn’t really a standalone position, so Grabiner was the club secretary, traveling secretary, general manager and more, all in one.
Given his 30 years at the helm, Grabiner witnessed a full range of White Sox history: crosstown glory World series victory in 1906 and the 100-win title team in 1917, the disgrace of the Black Sox and the devastating aftermath of their banishment. In fact, during the last 25 years of Grabiner’s tenure, the White Sox were a division one team only five times, suffering what remain to this day as the franchise’s worst seasons.
Grabiner resigned due to ill health after a 71-78-1 season in 1945 in which the White Sox finished sixth in the AL. The following year Grabiner became restless and continued Bill Veeckand became part of the investment group that purchased the Cleveland franchise. Grabiner, a vice president with the team under Veeck, fell into a coma in Veeck’s office at the end of the 1948 season and was unable to see Cleveland go on to win the World Series – the most recent in franchise history.
Grabiner died in Chicago at the age of 57, 13 days after Cleveland’s title.
Side note: Grabiner’s daughter, June (stage name: Travis), became an actress, discovered in Miami at age 20 while watching a White Sox exhibition game. Born just before her father ascended to the role of General Manager of the White Sox, she appeared in films with stars such as Pat O’Brien, James Cagney and Bette Davis, was Ronald Reagan’s leading actress in his first film and learned to skydive for a role played by none other than Amelia Earhart. She accomplished a lot during that time, spending only three years in Hollywood before returning to Chicago. June also lived to be 93 years old and passed away in 2008 in Chicago – one of the few fans alive to win the White Sox World Series in 1917 (three years) and 2005 (91).
1919
Behind closed doors, Red Sox owner Harry Frazee agreed to sell Babe Ruth to the Yankees for $100,000, plus a $300,000 loan (with Fenway Park as collateral). A week later, the deal is publicly announced and the Curse of the Bambino era has begun in Boston.
Five years earlier, the Baltimore Orioles had offered Ruth (as part of a six-player package) to the White Sox for $16,000. White Sox owner Karel Comiskey did not take the deal, writing back that the White Sox “don’t need pitchers bad enough to go that high.”
1947
Future Sox (red and white) legend Carlton Vis was born in Bellows Falls, Vt. He played 24 years in the majors, from 1969-80 in Boston and 1981-93 in Chicago. While Fisk played more years (13 to 11) and games (1,421 to 1,078) with the White Sox, the backstop was a superior player in Boston (39.5 to 28.9 WAR) and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000 (on the second ballot!) with a Red Sox cap.
In 1993, Fisk set the record (since broken) for games played at catcher, with 2,226. He received MVP votes in 12 of his 24 seasons, from age 24 to 42 years old. Pudge’s 68.4 WAR is tied for 116th all-time in baseball history and fourth all-time among catchers.
In White Sox terms, Fisk ranks as the 13th best hitter and 23rd best player in franchise history.
1958
In the middle of a family fight involving the Comiskeys and the attempt to sell the Sox, along comes Charlie Finley (yes, That Charlie Finley) offered $500,000 for the club. Dorothy Comiskey seriously considered selling it, because that was a huge amount at the time, and exceeded the original offer of Bill Veeck‘s group. However, Veeck had purchased (for $100!) an option period during which he would have first right to purchase the team. Dorothy and her advisors tried to determine a fair price to buy back that option and sell it to Finley instead, but they never succeeded.
Thanks in part to a final court ruling in March 1959, and because he made his first bid, Veeck’s group eventually took control of the White Sox just before the start of the regular season.
Finley would eventually end up in baseball as the controversial owner of Kansas City and beyond Oakland Athleticswith whom he would win three consecutive World Series from 1972 to 1974.
2023
A late Christmas present for the White Sox turned out to be a lump of coal when news broke that the club had signed a no-hit, some-field catcher. Martin Maldonado to a one-year deal (the $4 million pact was made official on January 5). The move turned out to be (perhaps) GM’s most embarrassing Chris Getz‘s horrific offseason en route to 121 losses in 2024, when Maldonado registered a -1.3 WAR over just 48 games. A move that is becoming increasingly common despite the owner Jerry ReinsdorfDue to his famous aversion to eating salaries, the White Sox dumped Maldonado on July 21, eating the last $1.6 million of his deal.
Maldonado finished his brief White Sox career with a .119 batting average (16 hits, 12 of which were in the park) and a staggeringly low 11 wRC+ – one of the absolute worst offensive seasons in franchise history.
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