1923
The man who would later be nicknamed ‘Moose’ Walt dropswas born in Moosup, Conn.
Dropo would grow to 6’5″, 220 pounds (gigantic for the time, still quite big today!), earning the double meaning of his nickname. He came to the White Sox in time for the 1955 season, as part of a Frank Lane attempt to add some heavier wood to the setup. He was just five years removed from being Rookie of the Year and sixth as MVP for the Boston RedSox.
However, Dropo never had another good season in his entire career after 1950 (3.3 career WAR, 2.6 of which was eaten up by his rookie campaign). His start with the White Sox in 1955 was the second-best season of his career (19 home runs, 79 RBIs, 110 OPS+), but still produced a mediocre 1.2 WAR. That year he was benched in mid-May due to a serious breakdown, but recovered well enough and clocked four grand slams in the summer.
Dropo was cleared for waivers in mid-1958, where the Cincinnati Redlegs picked him up for spot duty.
Dropo has some interesting compositions that resonate with the White Sox past. The closest player to him in all of Major League history (95.9%) was Eddie RobinsonDropo’s immediate predecessor on the south side. And the closest player comp to Dropo’s stellar 1951 rookie season? None other than fellow Rookie of the Year José Abreuwith 96.7% similarity.
1926
Over the objections of American League officials, the MLB Rules Committee votes to allow pitchers to use a rosin bag. In fact, the AL bans its pitchers from using a rosin bag in early-season games before conceding on April 28 — while still discouraging its use.
1954
Dave Stegman was born in Inglewood, California.
Stegman played in just 172 Major League games over six seasons, and only his final two seasons (1983-84) on the South Side. However, he had two great games with the White Sox – within a week of each other – in the very last year of his career.
One came on May 16, 1984, when Stegman hit two home runs in one game, both off Kansas City’s Larry Gura; they were Stegman’s only two home runs of the season, and two of the eight he hit in his career.
Wilder was still Stegman’s role in the 25-inning marathon victory Brewers on May 8-9. He entered the game in the eighth inning, pinch-running Greg Luzinski — and then stayed eight at-bats, a record for most at-bats in an overtime game by a player who did not start the game. With his only hit of those eight at-bats, Stegman could have scored the winning run later in the 23rd inning, but he was called out at third on a coach’s interference call (if the White Sox had lost the game, manager would have Tony La Russa planned to protest the outcome of the call to the league). As it turned out, in his next at bat, Stegman was out with a bunt and led off in the top of the 25th inning – just before Harold Baines ended the game with a home run.
1965
Joel Daviswho pitched four years (and entire Major League career) for the White Sox in the 1980s, was born in Jacksonville. Davis was the club’s first-round pick in 1983 out of Sandalwood High. Just two years after being drafted, at age 20, Davis made his debut with a seven-inning, 99-pitch win over the Brewers.
Davis finished his rookie year with 11 starts and went 3-3 with a 4.16 ERA/3.88 FIP and 1.0 WAR. However, he never approached that success again, with ERAs increasing each season and only five more MLB wins. He underwent shoulder surgery to cut short his 1988 season and never returned to the majors.
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