Here’s what transpired on this date (Jan. 14) in White Sox history:
*1960, NO TO CHUCK: Charles Comiskey said Bill Veeck turned down his offer to buy the White Sox. The grandson of the White Sox founder was still a member of the team’s front office at the time but a minority owner. His longtime dream to bring the Comiskeys back into majority ownership of the franchise never happened.
*1963 LEGENDARY LOOIE LEAVES: The White Sox said goodbye — it turned out temporarily — to legendary shortstop Luis Aparicio when they dealt him to Baltimore in a six-player exchange.
The Sox sent the popular Aparicio with third-baseman outfielder Al Smith to the Orioles in exchange for pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm, slugging outfielder Dave Nicholson, third baseman Pete Ward and shortstop Ron Hansen.
While Aparicio gave the Orioles some good seasons, the Sox really got the best of this swap.
Wilhelm had the best years of his Hall of Fame career pitching out of the Sox bullpen while Ward went on to earn American League Rookie Player of the Year honors from The Sporting News. Hansen provided the Sox with power from the shortstop position they had never seen before and didn’t see again until Jose Valentin arrived on the scene in 2000.
The only bummer of the barter for the Sox was Nicholson. He lasted three seasons on the Southside and did land one home run on the Comiskey Park roof but strikeouts prevented him from becoming a great player. He whiffed an A.L.-leading and club record 175 times in 1963 — his only year as a regular.
As for Aparicio, he would eventually make it back to Chicago . The Sox re-acquired “Little Looie” from the Orioles following the 1967 season.
*1987 PLENTY OF SOX HALL MISSES: Ten players with ties to the White Sox received votes – but not enough for induction — in balloting for the Hall of Fame.
The totals were announced on this date with only Billy Williams and Jim “Catfish” Hunter surpassing the required 75 percent to gain induction.
Orlando Cepeda, a former Sox coach, tallied the most votes among Southside alumni. He was fourth at 43.3 percent.
Other Sox products on the ballot were Ken Boyer (23.2 percent), Minnie Minoso (19.9 percent), Ron Santo (18.9 percent), Dick Allen (13.3 percent), former Sox coach Vada Pinson (11.6 percent), Don Larsen (7.3 percent), Wilbur Wood (6.3 percent), Bobby Bonds (5.8 percent) and Steve Stone (0). Because he received less than five percent, Stone was dropped from the ballot.
*1997, 13 YEARS LATER, DRABEK RETURNS: The White Sox signed veteran free agent pitcher Doug Drabek.
It was a homecoming of sorts for Drabek, who won 130 National League games for the Pirates and Astros between 1987 and 1996.
Drabek was originally drafted and signed by the White Sox. The team’s 11th round pick in the June 1983 draft, Drabek was dealt by the Sox to the Yankees with Kevin Hickey for Roy Smalley in 1984.
Drabek, the 1990 Cy Young Award winner, pitched one year with the Sox, going 12-11 with a 5.74 ERA.
*2001, ALL’S WELLS THAT ENDS WELLS … NOT! In an effort to garner a No. 1 starter, general manager Ken Williams acquired 20-game winner David Wells from the Toronto Blue Jays in a five-player exchange.
To get Wells and pitcher Matt DeWitt, the Sox had to surrender pitchers Mike Sirotka and Kevin Beirne and outfielder Brian Simmons.
This trade didn’t work out for either team. Wells spent one unforgettable and disruptive year with the Sox, going 5-7 with a 4.47 ERA in an injury-shortened 2001 campaign. Sirotka, who won 46 games for the Sox between 1995 and 2000, never pitched again because of arm trouble.
The rest of the players involved in the trade were marginal contributors – at best – in their careers.
*2022, SHINGO TO THE HALL: White Sox fan favorite and Far East legend Shingo Takatsu was selected to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.
The side-winding Takatsu ended as Japan’s career saves leader. He earned the nickname “Mr. Zero” by going unscored upon in 10 Japan Series games.
He spent a successful 2004 and truncated 2005 with the White Sox. He had a productive 2004 with 19 saves and a second-place finish in the American League Rookie of the Year Award. While he began 2005 as the Sox closer, he became ineffective and was ultimately released on Aug. 1.