Chicago White Sox - The Roaring Twenties (1920-1929)

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1920

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1920

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Titles: None

Top White Sox Players Roaring Twenties

BallPark: Comiskey Park

Pitchers:

Red Faber (46.76) - 96

Team Name: White Sox

Ted Lyons (24.39) - 70

Tommy Thomas (22.7) - 48

Owner: Charles Comiskey

Ted Blankenship (12.45) - 40

Sloppy Thurston (7.62) - 24

General Manager: Harry Grabiner (1915-1945)

Dickie Kerr (5.97) - 21

Charlie Robertson (7) - 21

Managers: Kid Gleason (1920-1923)

Dixie Leverett (4.47) - 13

Johnny Evers (1924)

Eddie Ciccotte (5.23) - 11

Ed Walsh (1924)

Eddie Collins (1924-1926)

Catchers:

Ray Schalk (1927-1928)

Ray Schalk (9.62) - 37

Lena Blackburne (1928-1929)

Buck Crouse (1.34) - 14

No Hitters:

First Basemen:

Charlie Robertson (1922 - Perfecto)

Earl Sheely (19.86) - 31

Ted Lyons (1926)

Second Basemen:

Hall of Famers:

Eddie Collins (37.03) - 67

Chief Bender

Bill Hunnefield (2.18) - 17

Charles Comiskey

Ray Schalk

ShortStop:

Eddie Collins

Bill Barrett (4.49) - 22

Johnny Evers

Ernie Johnson (0.53) - 16

Red Faber

Chalmer Cissell (1.17) - 13

Harry Hooper

Ted Lyons

Third Base:

Shoeless Joe Jackson (pending)

Willie Kamm (24.69) - 43

MVP: None

Outfield:

Johnny Mostil (24.09) - 87

Notable Events:

Harry Hooper (14.67) - 42

Bibb Falk (18.51) - 29

1920 - The eight White sox are acquitted of criminal charges as their

Alex Metzler (8.85) - 24

Grand Jury confessions turn up missing. However, all are banished

Shoeless Joe Jackson (7.55) - 15

from baseball for life by Commissioner Landis. Jackson's banishment

Happy Felsch (5.49) - 15

appears particularly harsh as he stated that he double crossed the

Amos Strunk (2.54) - 13

gamblers and not only did he not throw games but he had the highest

batting average in the series and hit the only home run.

Notable Events:

The eight were suspended three games before the end of the season

and cost the Sox at a shot at the 1920 pennant as they lost two of the

1922 - 3B Willie Kamm, 22, is obtained from San Francisco of the PCL for

last three when they needed a sweep to tie Cleveland for first place.

players and cash

1921 - The suspensions mark the beginning of the end of the White Sox

1922 - Rookie Charlie Robertson pitches a perfect game against the Tigers

as a competitive team in the American League for three decades.

Charles Comiskey did not have the stomach to compete at a high level

1923 - Twenty two year old future Hall of Fame pitcher Ted Lyons joins

any more after this. Altho' he wasn't involved in the betting, he was

the club He was signed as a Free Agent directly out of Baylor U, and

a major reason that the scandal occurred. His high handed and

never pitched in the minors.

capricious dealings with his players stemming from the monopoly

that owners now had in the sport after the Federal League died

1924 - The Sox finish last for the first time in their history

caused a severe backlash among his players. They no longer cared

and he made them that way. And he knew it - belatedly, unfortunately.

1926 - RHP Tommy Thomas, 26, is obtained from Baltimore of the

Commiskey also, to add insult to injury, had overpaid and fawned over

International League where he won thirty two games in 1925.

his pets such as Eddie Collins and Ray Schalk while treating others,

who were not his favorites, like Joe Jackson, Lefty Williams and Eddie

1927 - Charles Comiskey expands the ballpark by building an outfield

Cicotte poorly and miserly. Just because you can behave in a certain way

upper deck. This accomodates an extra 23,200 fans.

doesn't mean you should. And, once in a while, there are consequences..

Like many ill advised owners of the day who were former players.

Comiskey thought he was building a lasting legacy for his family by

1921 - OF Johnny Mostil, 21, is a rookie. He was a local kid out of Chicago

building up the physical plant, his ball park. The thing he and several

who had been signed out of high school. He had briefly come up to the

other owners didn't realize is that what keeps fans coming to the

Sox three years earlier.

ballpark in the long run is winning. The ballpark itself gets old and

quickly loses it's luster. Winning never gets old.

1921 - OF Harry Hooper, 33, is obtained from the Red Sox for OF

Luckily for the Comiskey family, the Sox were based in a large

Shano Collins and OF Nemo Leibold

city and the franchise was never forced to move (altho' it would come

close to happening several times). Fans in places like St. Louis,

1922 - RHP Ted Blankenship, 21, is obtained from the Class D Bonham, TX

Boston, New York, Brooklyn, Philadelphia and Washington weren't

club which was his hometown team.

so fortunate. The Boston, St. Louis and Philadelphia moves were

forced due to failing finances. The Washington, New York and Brooklyn

moves were motivated by moving viable franchises financially to greener

pastures once the floodgates to making moves were opened.