1906
The Pale Hose bid on a World series upset by a 1-0 defeat at home to the Cubsmaking the series even 2-2. Mordecai Brown exacted revenge for a one-point loss Nick Altrock in the Series opener, holding the White Sox to two hits and only two runners in scoring position. Altrock, for his part, was great, allowing a run in the seventh inning on a leadoff single, two sacrifice bunts and another single.
What further overshadowed the White Sox’s hopes was the fact that they had scored just seven runs through the first four games. However, the Hitless Wonders had a surprise in store for their cross-town rivals…
1966
In another from White Sox GM Ed Short‘s best moves, two-time All-Star pitcher Juan Pizarro (who was nursing a bad arm) was dealt to the Pirates for minor league pitching Wilbur Wood.
Wood thrived in Chicago thanks to his knuckleball – first as a record-breaking relief pitcher, then as a four-time 20-game winner (1971-74, 90 total wins). He started 181 games and pitched at least 320 innings in each of those four years. Wood would also make three All-Star teams. He pitched for the Sox during the 1978 season.
1981
Future Hall of Fame manager Jim Leyland was hired from the Tigers organization, where he managed Detroit’s minor league system, and took his first MLB job: third base coach under manager Tony La Russa. Leyland proved an able lieutenant and soon became a sought-after manager, and in 1985 the Pittsburgh Pirates called him their manager.
Later, Leyland’s name would often come up as a possible future White Sox manager when vacancies became available, but he declined because he felt the franchise was treating La Russa.
1993
Dreams of a miraculous comeback were dashed on a brisk 48-degree night as the White Sox fell 6-3 to Toronto in Game 6 of the ALCS. Despite the final score, this one was a nail-biter for eight innings as the Blue Jays jumped out to a lead in the second and the White Sox tied the score at 2-2 in the third before Toronto added one more in the fourth.
That White Sox third inning ultimately broke them for the series, as a bases loaded, one out situation was met with only two runs, and on an HBP (Frank Thomas) and ground (Robin Ventura) at that. For the rest of the game and with the exception of a Warren Newson homer in the ninth, the White Sox got only one batter to second base. The final GWRBI in the fourth inning came thanks to two White Sox errors, first by Ventura and then by Joey Cora.
As much as you might think a Game 7 in Chicago would have been an advantage, five of the six games in this series were won by visitors, including this Game 6 win over Toronto.
2005
In one of the strangest endings to a postseason game in history, the White Sox defeated the Angels 2-1 in Game 2 of the ALCS.
With the score tied in the ninth inning, catcher AJ Pierzynski ran to first after a third strike that bounced in the mud. Angel catcher Jos Paulus (a former Sox player) thought Pierzynski struck out without a “drop” and thus never threw to first base, as required when a third strike hits the ground. Home plate umpire Doug Eddings agreed with Pierzynski and allowed him to remain at first base, after the tearful protests of several Angels players and manager Mike Scoscia.
After pinch runner Pablo Ozuna stole the second, Joe believes‘s doubles brought home the game winner and tied the series at one game apiece.
It was barely noticed Mark Buhrle throw a complete game, for the win. That complete game would expand as the ALCS progressed.
2021
The White Sox were defeated by the Astros10-1, in Game 4 of the ALDS, eliminating them from the playoffs.
But the Sox, despite numerous injuries that caused key players to miss significant chunks of time, had still won 93 games and the Central Division title. They had consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 2003–06, and for the first time in the franchise’s 120-year history, they made the playoffs in consecutive seasons.
They also defeated their crosstown rivals the Cubsin five of the six meetings.
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