Here’s a look at what happened on this date (Jan. 9th) in White Sox history:
*1960, CHICO’S BACK BUT NOT FOR LONG: The White Sox re-signed shortstop Chico Carrasquel. The former All-Star would not play for the White Sox. He was released by the White Sox on April 23, 1960 , a move that ended his 10-year big league career.
*1974, BELL DRAFTED: The White Sox used the seventh overall pick in the regular phase of the January draft to select third baseman Kevin Bell out of San Antonio ( Calif. ) Junior College. Bell , who would play for the Sox from 1976 to 1980, was the only player selected by the team in the January draft to make it to the bigs.
*1975, STODDARD DRAFTED: The White Sox selected pitcher Tim Stoddard out of North Carolina State in the second round of the secondary phase of the January draft. Stoddard was the only player the Sox picked in this draft that made it to the big leagues with them. The 6-foot-7 Stoddard, a native of East Chicago , Ind. , pitched in one game for the 1975 Sox before being released in 1977.
The Sox also selected catcher Bruce Bochy but failed to sign him.
*1980, LOOIE, HOYT AND NELLIE: White Sox alumni and future Hall of Famers Hoyt Wilhelm, Nellie Fox and Luis Aparicio all finished in the top 11 but did not get enough votes for induction in balloting for the Hall of Fame. Al Kaline and Duke Snider did get the necessary 75 percent for induction.
Wilhelm received 54.2 percent of the vote while those numbers read 41.8 for Fox and 32.21 for Aparicio. Wilhelm will be elected to the Hall in 1985, Aparicio made it in 1984 and Fox finally made it in 1997.
*1989, KAAT ON TOP: Jim Kaat was the former White Sox player who received the most votes in balloting for the Hall of Fame in results released by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Kaat garnered 87 votes in finishing 11th, falling well short of the 336 needed for induction. Kaat eventually made the Hall via the Veterans Committee in 2022.
Former Sox coach Orlando Cepeda fared a little better, getting 176 votes, but he, too, did not get enough support for induction. Johnny Bench and Carl Yastrzemski were both voted in with 96.42 percent and 94.63 percent of the vote respectively.
Other Sox alumni receiving votes were Ron Santo (75 votes), Ken Boyer (62), Minnie Minoso (59), Dick Allen (35), Bobby Bonds (29), Sparky Lyle (25) and Wilbur Wood (14).
*1999, HALL RESULTS: Former White Sox players Ron Santo, Jim Kaat, Ken Boyer, Dick Allen, Minnie Minoso, Bobby Bonds, Sparky Lyle, Bucky Dent and Greg Luzinski all received votes in the Baseball Writers Association of America’s voting for the Hall of Fame.
None of the Sox alumni came close to garnering the 75 percent necessary for induction. Jim Palmer and Joe Morgan both received enough votes for induction.
*1998, SIERRA SIGNED: The White Sox signed free agent outfielder Ruben Sierra. The switch-hitter made the team out of spring training but hit just .216 with four homers and 11 RBIs in just 27 games before being released May 29.
*2001, BYE BYE BILL: The White Sox announced that relief pitcher Bill Simas would miss the upcoming season after December ligament replacement surgery on his elbow. The big right-hander, who had been a contributor in the Sox bullpen since August of 1995, would never pitch again. He finished his big league career 18-19 with a 3.83 ERA and 23 saves. All but five of his saves came in the 1998 season.
*2007, NOT A GOOD HALL START FOR HAROLD: In his first year of eligibility, White Sox legend Harold Baines was listed on just 5.3 percent of the ballots in voting by the Baseball Writers of Association of America for Hall of Fame induction.
Baines received just 28 votes, well short of the 409 needed to secure the required 75 percent for induction. He ultimately made the Hall
Rich Gossage, who broke in with the White Sox in 1972, turned in his best performance in his eighth year on the ballot, “The Goose” finished third behind inductees Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn with 71.2 percent of the vote. He was just 21 votes shy of induction.
Others with Sox ties getting votes were Tommy John (22.9 percent), Albert Belle (5.3 percent), Jose Canseco (1.1 percent) and Bobby Bonilla (0.4 percent).
*2012, RAINES GAINING: In his fifth year on the ballot, former White Sox great Tim Raines polled a career-best 48.7 percent in voting for the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America.
While Raines fell well short of the required 75 percent needed for election, this marked the third straight year his totals increased. He would eventually be elected to the Hall in 2017.
Barry Larkin was the only player elected by the writers in 2012, polling at 86.4 percent.
*2013, HALL SHUTOUT: Tim Raines headed a group of eight White Sox alumni on the Baseball Writers Association of America Hall of Fame ballot.
However, no player — including the former Sox players, received the required 75 percent needed for election.
Raines notched a career-best 52.2 percent of the vote in his sixth year of eligibility and first-timers Sammy Sosa was at 7.2, Ken Lofton was at 3.2, Sandy Alomar Jr. was at 2.8, Julio Franco was at 1.1, David Wells was at 0.9 and Roberto Hernandez and Royce Clayton were blanked.