Today in White Sox History: July 25

Longballs and big Ks on this day

1925

White Sox catcher and future Hall-of-Famer Ray Schalk played in his 1,576th game behind the plate, which at the time was the major league record.

1954

In the first game of a twin bill at Boston, White Sox pitcher Jack Harshman set the franchise record by striking out 16 Red Sox. Harshman, a converted first baseman, was taught a “slip pitch” (a variation of a palm ball) by manager Paul Richards. Harshman got the win, 5-2. The White Sox ended up sweeping the doubleheader by taking the second game, 4-2.

1959

Marathon game No. 2 of the 1959 season took place (again) against the Orioles (and again) at Comiskey Park. This one was another 17-inning affair that saw the White Sox tie the game in the ninth, and later win it thanks to Harry “Suitcase” Simpson’s single, scoring Sammy Esposito. The final was 3-2. Bob Shaw started and went 11 innings, and Turk Lown then went the last six innings and got the win.

2002

The White Sox traded second baseman Ray Durham to Oakland for pitcher Jon Adkins.

While not exactly a White Flag move, the White Sox were just three games under .500 and six games out of first place. At the time of the trade, Durham sported a team-best 3.4 WAR in 96 games, while primary replacement Willie Harris would log -0.2 WAR in Durham’s stead the rest of the season. Durham would have four more full, productive seasons after the trade.

Durham’s 21.4 WAR places him 22nd in White Sox history among all hitters, and third among second basemen behind only Eddie Collins and Nellie Fox.

Adkins would pitch in 59 games over three seasons for the White Sox, accumulating 0.1 WAR.

2014

José Abreu became the 26th rookie in MLB history to hit 30 home runs in a season. The 30th long ball came in his 89th game of the season, which was the third-fastest pace behind Rudy York (79 games) and Mark McGwire (84).

2020

Some afternoons, you just can’t miss. Such was the case, in this game, for White Sox utility player Leury García. Against the Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field, Leury homered from both sides of the plate in a 10-3 pasting of Minnesota. His first home run came hitting left-handed, off of Zach Littell. The other long ball came hitting right-handed off of Devin Smeltzer. On the day, he went 3-for-4 with two runs and four RBIs. He became the eighth White Sox player to pull off this feat.