Ozzie Guillen called Jeff Torborg the best manager he ever played for.
Torborg respected Guillen so much he made him a White Sox captain and later gave him his first coaching job.
Guillen parlayed that coaching job into the White Sox managerial post.
It’s only fitting that these two icons were both named Sox manager on this date 15 years apart.
The relationship between the two men is laid beautifully in “A Wonderful Baseball Life: The Jeff Torborg Story.” https://youtu.be/tiRTT5d6YrY
Here’s a look at those two moments (and others) that occurred on this date (Nov. 3) in White Sox history:
*1988, TORBORG ON BOARD: Jeff Torborg was hired as the 32nd manager in White Sox history succeeding Jim Fregosi.
Torborg, who previously managed Cleveland from 1977 to 1979, came to the White Sox after a 10-year tenure as a coach with the New York Yankees.
“I had 10 good years with them,” Torborg said in the Chicago Tribune. “(Yankees’ owner) George (Steinbrenner) was always good to me.”
Torborg was the only person offered the job, according to the Tribune. Jim Lefebvre was a finalist for the post, per the Trib.
Others interviewed were Gene Lamont, Bill Robinson, Art Howe, Bucky Dent and Buddy Harrelson.
“Our coaches and scouts and some of our minor league people helped in the gathering of information,” Sox general manager Larry Himes said. “Every time Jeff’s name was mentioned, the comment was always very positive.”
Torborg was inheriting a team that went 71-90 and finished 33.5 games behind American League West champion Oakland.
Torborg said the Sox young pitching was one of major reasons why he took the job.
At that time Jack McDowell, Bobby Thigpen, Melido Perez, Greg Hibbard, Donn Pall and Scott Radinsky were all established or on the rise in the Sox organization.
“I’m intrigued by the young pitching staff and the direction Larry Himes has taken the club,” Torborg said. “It’s not an easy course building from the bottom but that’s the way you have to do it.”
Torborg served three seasons on the White Sox bench enthusiastically guiding the team while treating each player with respect in a dignified and family-friendly environment.
After a tough 1989, Torborg led the White Sox to winning seasons in 1990 and 1991 before leaving to become manager of the Mets.
Torborg’s best season was 1990 when he took a young team and coaxed 94 wins out of them. For his efforts, he was named the American League’s Manager of the Year.
*2003, OZZIE COMES HOME: If Ozzie Guillen needed a Nancy Faust walkup song in this day, it would have probably been Maxine Nightingale’s hit “Right Back Where We Started From.”
Returning to the team where he became a legend and fan favorite while manning shortstop from 1985 to 1997, Guillen was named the 36th manager in White Sox history. He was also the first Venezuelan to be named an MLB manager.
It was a bold move by general manager Kenny Williams because Guillen was only 39 and had no managerial experience.
He came to the Sox as Jerry Manuel’s successor after three seasons as a coach for the Expos/Marlins.
“I don’t feel like it’s a risk,” Williams said in the Tribune. “I feel like I know what we’re getting.”
Williams, with some help from owner Jerry Reinsdorf, discovered that in interviews where Guillen showed he was more than the free-spirited prankster he was a player.
“Within the first 30 seconds of the interview, he looked me dead in the eye and said: `I’m not going to tell you exactly what you want to hear, I’m just going to give you me,’” Williams said. “By 2 p.m., I decided Ozzie was going to be the next manager. The passion, the commitment, the energy, the game knowledge, the aggressive attitude, and I liked that he looked me in the eye.”
Said Guillen: “When I talked to Kenny I said, `I’m going to be me,’” he said. “If you like it, you hire me. If you don’t like it, make sure you pay for another first-class ticket to get me back home.”
Guillen joined Cito Gaston, Buddy Bell, Terry Francona, Wally Backman and Nick Leyva as interviewees for the job.
The Sox reached out to Jim Leyland and Tom Kelly but they said they wanted to stay retired.
Th introductory press conference was emotional with Guillen emphasizing the type of play he wanted from his team.
“When you come to this ballpark, you’ll see that every player who wears this uniform is going to play the game right,” Guillen said. “If they don’t, they won’t play for me. I wish the [players] were listening right now.
“I don’t want selfish players. Give me players who want to win, not good players who don’t care.”
And that included Frank Thomas.
“I’m sorry, but Frank’s going to play my way. . . . If he hits a fly ball and doesn’t run the bases, Frank won’t get another at-bat,” Guillen said.
This move turned out to be a stroke of genius. Speaking his mind and rarely backing down, Guillen led the White Sox the 2005 World Series title.
*1959, BAUMANN ACQUIRED: In one of their better trades, the White Sox acquired pitcher Frank Baumann from the Red Sox in exchange for little-used first baseman Ron Jackson.
Baumann, a lefty, led the American League with a 2.67 ERA in 1960 while going 13-6. He finished his five year career with the White Sox 32-29.