Today in White Sox History: May 27
Big win streaks, homers, and signings
1938
With a home run into the center field bleachers, more than 440 feet from home plate, Hank Greenberg became the second player in baseball history to put a ball both in the bleachers and over the roof at Comiskey Park. Greenberg had hit a homer over the roof just a month earlier, on April 21.
With the blast, Greenberg became the second player to put a ball in the bleachers along with having been the fourth to homer over the roof at Comiskey Park. Jimmie Foxx preceded Greenberg in accomplishing both home runs. The only other hitter to accomplish this feat before home plate was moved eight feet closer to the fences in 1982 was Richie Zisk, who managed both achievements for the White Sox in 1977.
Just 3,000 fans witnessed Greenberg’s blast, which helped push Detroit starter Vern Kennedy to 7-0 for the Tigers with a 5-2 win. The White Sox dropped to 12-14, and they would not be even that close to .500 for the rest of the season.
1951
In sweeping a doubleheader in Cleveland, 5-2 and 6-4, the White Sox completed an 11-0 road trip, which remains the best in their history. It included triumphs over five different teams: Boston (two games), New York (one), Washington (three) Philadelphia (one), and Cleveland (four).
The road trip began with the White Sox at 12-9-1 and in third place in the American League, three games out. Unfortunately, the first-place Yankees got hot at the same time, so by the end of the road trip the White Sox were 23-9 and in second place, but still one game behind New York.
Returning home, the White Sox would win another three games to close out May, running a winning streak of 14 games and unbeaten to 15. It remains the second-longest winning streak in team history. The club finished May 1951 with a 20-5 record. In fact, their very next win pushed the White Sox into first place, where they remained for the next 34 days. Not bad for a team that had lost 94 games in 1950!
1994
Wilson Alvarez was masterful in extending his winning streak to a club record-tying 15 games. The lefthander fired a six-hit shutout at the Baltimore Orioles in a 3-0 win before 34,351 at Comiskey Park. The win was the last in Alvarez’s streak, which began on Aug. 24, 1993. Darrin Jackson doubled in a run in the first, Tim Raines’ sac fly brought home a run in the seventh and Frank Thomas homered in the eighth.
Alvarez’s streak would end on June 7 at Comiskey Park, when he was bombed by the Blue Jays in a 9-5 loss, going three innings and giving up six runs.
1997
Cleveland pulled off the first triple-steal in the majors in 21 years, in an 8-2 win over the White Sox. In the sixth inning with the bases loaded, Ehren Wasserman made a pickoff attempt at first base that caught Jamey Carroll off-guard. During the rundown, David Dellucci scampered home, Grady Sizemore took third base and Carroll beat the rundown to get to second base safely.
2017
The White Sox scored a coup and surprised the baseball world by announcing the signing of 19-year-old Cuban outfield prospect Luis Robert Jr. to a minor-league contract. Robert’s deal included a stunning, $26 million signing bonus. While the St. Louis Cardinals were big bidders for Robert, reportedly offering more than Chicago, Robert appreciated the White Sox having such a rich heritage of Cuban players. With the influence of first baseman/Cuba native José Abreu, Robert signed on the South Side.
Robert had been on the radar of major league teams since he was 15 years old because of his speed, power and compact swing. He was considered one of the top amateur players in the world and represented a significant addition as the White Sox were rebuilding a franchise that had grown stale and had limited success on the field and in the stands.
Robert had a tremendous 2019 minor-league season and then signed a long-term contract extension with the White Sox before making his big league debut in 2020; that year, he won a Gold Glove and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting. Injuries have slowed his development in both 2021 and 2022, but his potential remains unlimited.