Here’s what transpired on this date (Dec. 13th) in White Sox history:
*1946: CUTTING TIES WITH CURTRIGHT: The White Sox released outfielder Guy Curtright, whose production steadily declined following his productive 1943 rookie season.
Curtright broke in by hitting .291 with three homers, 48 RBIs, 20 doubles, seven triples and a more than respectable .382 on-base percentage in 1943.
He spent the next two years playing semi-regularly before his playing time decreased dramatically in 1946.
After being released by the Sox, Curtright never played in the bigs again.
*1969, BOSTON BLOCKBUSTER: The White Sox said bid adieu to their left-handed workhorse of the 1969s when they traded pitcher Gary Peters to the Boston Red Sox as part of a four player swap.
Peters was sent to “Beantown” with utiltyman Don Pavletich for infielder Syd O’Brien and Billy Farmer. Farmer refused to report to Chicago so Boston sent pitcher Gerry Janeski to Chicago to complete the deal the following March 9th.
It’s a good thing they sent Janeski, too. Farmer never amounted to anything and O’Brien turned out to be nothing much more than a bit player. Janeski at least ate up some innings while going 10-17 with a 4.77 ERA for the 1970 Sox – his only year on the Southside.
Peters served the Sox valiantly in the 1960s when there was not much hitting to back up his stellar pitching. In fact, sometimes Peters was the best hitter in the Sox lineup. Peters hit 14 homers for the Sox including four in 1964. Peters’ best year on the mound was 1964 when he led the American League with 20 victories while posting a 2.50 ERA.
That came a year after Peters was voted the American League Rookie of the Year after going 19-8 with a league-low 2.33 ERA. He left 35th and Shields 91-78 with a 2.92 ERA
*1971, ONE THAT GOT AWAY: The White Sox traded minor league outfield Bill Robinson to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for Jerry Rodriguez.
Robinson, an outfielder, hit .275 with 14 home runs and 81 RBIs at the Sox Tucson affiliate in 1971 but never got the call to the Southside.
Robinson eventually became an offensive force with the “We Are Family” Pittsburgh Pirates or the 1970s and 1980s. Rodriguez never saw a big league field.
*1982, PRETTY BOY FLOYD ARRIVES: The White Sox snared the gem of the free agent class by signing pitcher Floyd Bannister.
The left-hander signed a five-year, $4.8 million pact with the Sox after leading the American League with 209 strikeouts for the 1982 Mariners.
Bannister got off to a slow start in 1983 but he won 13 of his final 14 decisions in helping the White Sox storm to the American League West Division title.
Bannister spent the final four seasons with the Sox trying to live up to the contract but his numbers never let him do that.
On Dec. 10, 1986, Bannister and infielder Dave Cochrane were traded to Kansas City for pitchers Melido Perez, Greg Hibbard and John Davis.
*2001, PIRATE PILLAGING: The White Sox traded pitchers Kip Wells, Sean Lowe and Josh Fogg (who was celebrating his 25th birthday) to the Pittsburgh Pirates for pitcher Todd Ritchie and minor leaguer Lee Evans.
The conventional wisdom at the time was that the Sox gave up too much to get Ritchie, who was just two games over .500.
While Wells, Lowe and Fogg didn’t blossom the way the Bucs hoped, Ritchie flopped for the Sox. The right-hander went 5-15 with a 6.06 ERA in his only year with the team.
*2004, PODS ON BOARD: The White Sox acquired outfielder Scott Podsednik, reliever Luis Vizcaino and a player to be named later from the Milwaukee Brewers for slugging outfielder Carlos Lee.
The Sox gave up a lot of power and production in Lee but got some much-needed speed in Podsednik and bullpen depth in Vizcaino.
Both players were key parts of the Sox run to the 2005 World Series title.
*2005, MACKOWIAK COMES HOME: The White Sox acquired utilityman Rob Mackowiak from the Pittsburgh Pirates for left-handed reliever Damaso Marte.
Mackowiak, an Oak Lawn, Ill., native was brought on board to provide the Sox some left-handed hitting punch and some versatility. In his five years with the Pirates, Mackowiak had played every position except shortstop, pitcher and catcher.
With the Sox, Mackowiak would play every position except second and short before being dealt to San Diego in the 2007 season.
*2014, HI MELKY: The White Sox signed free agent outfielder Melky Cabrera.
*2023, DOBY HONORED: The family of former White Sox outfielder and manager Larry Doby receives the Congressional Medal of Honor that was awarded to him by Congress in 2018. The ceremony in Washington DC was held on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Doby’s birth.
The medal is awarded to any individual who performs an outstanding deed or act of service to the security, prosperity, and national interest of the country.
Doby, who broke the American League color line in 1947, joined Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente as the only baseball players to earn highest honor that Congress can bestow.