Luke Appling launches one for the Social Security crowd
1946
In a strange game at Boston, umpires “Red” Jones and Bill Summers ejected or sent to the clubhouse 12 White Sox players, a coach and the batting practice pitcher due to bench jockeying and criticizing calls.
In the third inning, a high and tight pitch to Ted Williams resulted in a warning from umpire Jones to Sox pitcher Joe Haynes. Someone in the dugout yelled out, “Hey, meathead, what kind of call is that?” resulting in ejections to Ralph Hodgin, Dario Lodigiani, Eddie Smith, Leo Jones and coach Bing Miller.
The next inning after more comments, Jones ordered the nine remaining bench players to the clubhouse — with the exception that they were eligible to be recalled to the field if needed. Players in the bullpen weren’t sent to the clubhouse. The nine additional White Sox who were sent off were Johnny Rigney, Mike Tresh, Hal Trosky, Guy Curtwright, Eddie Lopat, Frank Whitman, Whitey Platt, Wally Moses and the batting practice pitcher.
Naturally, Boston would go on to win the game, 9-2.
1953
It was a good-news, bad-news doubleheader at Comiskey Park. In the opener, Sam Mele went 3-for-3 with a triple and a homer to extend his hitting streak to 22 games, fourth-best in club history. The White Sox also drew 54,215 fans to the action, second-best in Chicago history. However, the White Sox lost to the Yankees, 6-2, to fall five games back of them in the American League race.
OK, so this was mostly bad news, because in the nightcap the White Sox also were two-hit and lost, 3-0, to fall six games back — and Mele flew out twice and grounded out to see his hit streak snapped.
The White Sox won 17 of 22 during Mele’s streak, with the right fielder slashing .345/.415/.631 with three doubles, three triples and five homers.
1960
In a game at Comiskey Park, Luis Aparicio hit a three-run, inside-the-park home run in the fourth inning off of Boston’s Frank Sullivan. The play drove in three runs, and was Aparicio’s third inside-the-park home run in four years (1956-60).
Aparicio had 43 homers in his White Sox career — five of them inside-the-park, tying him for ninth in White Sox history. Aparicio’s first “regular” home run had come on May 28, 1956 — off Tommy Lasorda!
The Sox won the game, 6-0.
1970
Luis Aparicio Day was staged at Comiskey Park. The future Hall-of-Famer was praised for his many years of service, in a pregame ceremony.
With the White Sox in the middle of the worst season in franchise history, only 18,587 showed up on a rainy day for the doubleheader with Baltimore. Aparicio was 4-for-9 on the day, as the Sox split the twin bill.
1982
Leading off the 1982 Old-Timers’ Game at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., 75-year-old Luke Appling slapped the second pitch of the game from NL starter Warren Spahn and sent it into the seats for a 275-foot home run. The AL won the game, 7-2, in five innings.
Appling hit only 43 home runs during his 20-year career with the White Sox.
2022
Tim Anderson started at shortstop for the American League at the All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium, becoming the first White Sox player to start at that position in the game since Luis Aparicio in 1970. Anderson recorded a single as the AL won, 3-2, running its winning streak to nine in a row.
Anderson’s teammate, Liam Hendriks (who saved the 2021 game for the AL) pitched the eighth inning, recording an out and being credited with a hold.