WFM’S Chicago Sports Hall of Fame: The Chicago White Sox

By Enoch Lai at the English-language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3083188

The first sporting event I attended in person was a White Sox game at Comiskey Park in 1961. It was a trek because we lived on the northwest side of Chicago. First love creates the most vivid memories and I have been a loyal (and extraordinarily knowledgeable) White Sox fan ever since. Non Chicagoans assume that all north siders in Chicago are Cubs fans and only south siders are followers of the White Sox. This is aggressively untrue. My entire family on my mother’s side were White Sox fans and as a loyal mama’s boy I threw my hat in with the White Sox. Bob Elson was the radio announcer and I tuned into White Sox games religiously. My only stronger loyalty was to Notre Dame football. I was a decent player myself and my first career aspiration was to become a major league player. Reality rules and I then adjusted my ambitions and decided i wanted to be a TV or radio broadcaster. I eventually became a lawyer but still believe I would make an outstanding MLB Commissioner. C’est La Vie! 

White Sox fandom proved to be a rocky road.  They were quite good in the 60’s, but always fell just short to the juggernaut Yankees. The Sox featured great pitching, limited power and a “go go style” offence. Al Lopez was a highly respected manger. The Cubs were truly awful in the early 60’s so I was convinced I had made a wise choice in franchise support. Unfortunately, the Sox collapsed in the late 60’s and were terrible (with the exception of a Dick Allen led magical 1972) for the next fifteen years. They finally recovered and won a division in 1983, proudly playing under the mantra of “Winning Ugly.” Unfortunately, we blew the series to the Orioles and went another decade before making the playoffs. We had a wonderful session in 2000 but cratered in the playoffs. Then, almost overnight, 2005 happened - Ozzie Guillen’s gutsy squad bulldozing through an 11-1 post season and becoming World Series Champions. This ended an 88 year draught and I had personally experienced 44 years of it.  Since then, the Sox have developed a familiar rhythm. We occasionally contend as evidenced by playoff appearances in 2008, 2020 and 2021 but it has essentially been a never ending rebuilding cycle. We did have a great team in 1992 and were destined to make history, but labor strife ended the season and the playoffs and World Series never occurred- DAMN!  8 post season appearances in 65 years is a poor return on my fandom investment. One perfect autumn every generation or two will have to suffice. Ignoring pleas from friends, family and respected colleagues, I remain a passionate fan and am happy to report that we are currently in first place- an amazing achievement after losing 100 plus games the three previous seasons. Hope springs eternal. The White Sox, while underwhelming as a team, have produced some wonderful players and it was not difficult to identify the following WFM Chicago Hall of Fame honorees. 

1. Luis Aparicio (1956-1962, 1968-1970). His speed and magical glove caused me to swoon immediately. He meets my minimum standard for years of service with the White sox, although many associate his greatness with his time as the shortstop for the awesome Baltimore Orioles from 1963 to 1967. He defined the Sox in the early 60’s and was one of the best fielding shortstops ever. His talent with the glove at this critical position has only been topped by Ozzie Smith. He won the Golden Glove 9 times and lead the American league in stolen bases nine consecutive years. Aparicio was elected to the MLB Hall of Fame in 1984 and he remains the standard against which every White Sox shortstop since has been measured. 

2. Frank Thomas (1990-2005). By any statistical measure, the greatest hitter in White Sox history. “The Big Hurt” was a huge and intimidating figure in the batter box. He hit for power (over 500 home runs) and average (a consistent 300 hitter). He is the franchise all time leader in home runs, walks, OPS and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014 on the first ballot. He was an incredible batsman and one of the first examples of how a Designated Hitter could energise a lineup. His time in Chicago as a player ended poorly with animosity between player and ownership, but he has returned to the fold as a studio post game analyst in recent years. 

3. Mark Buehrle (2000-2011). He will probably fall just short in his bid for the MLB Hall of Fame, but he is a White Sox classic. He was frighteningly consistent and always was ready to take the ball. He had 12 consecutive years of 200 plus innings, won 200 games, threw a perfect game in 2009 and a no hitter in 2007. He won the Gold Glove for fielding excellence multiple times and was a magnificent teammate. Buehrle never had the most electric arm in the league but he was the most dependable pitcher out there year after year.  The Sox retired his number 56 in recognition of his steady excellence. What a competitor! 

4. Paul Konerko (1999-2014). First Baseman Paul Konerko was the Captain of the 2005 championship team. He was a calm leader in the clubhouse and had a eerie discipline at the plate. He made himself into an above average fielder. He was the face of the franchise for a decade. He hit nearly 400 home runs in a White Sox uniform and made six American League All Star teams. 

5. Carlton Fisk (1981-1993). He spent thirteen of his 24 year major league career with the White Sox- more than half of his Hall of Fame career- after a legendary first act in Boston. He is the sport’s all time leader in home runs by a catcher. He stabilized a reeling franchise when he arrived in 1981. He was pure class! He made 4 All Star teams and won 3 Silver Slugger Awards during his tenure on the south side.  His number 72 has been retired and he is one of the defining figures of Sox baseball in the 80’s and early 90’s.  

6. Hoyt Wilhelm (1963-1968). He arrived in Chicago as an accomplished veteran and delivered the finest sustained stretch of his Hall of Fame career here. He had 99 saves and a 1.92 ERA over six seasons. Hoyt was the first relief pitcher ever inducted into Cooperstown. He was the master of the knuckleball and an early influence on the growing importance of a bullpen in team success. 

7. Robin Ventura (1989-1998). Ventura was an all round excellent player. He is one of only five third baseman in major league history to combine 250 plus home runs with 5 or more Golden Gloves. His rare blend of power and hitting for average made him the perfect compliant to Frank Thomas in the middle of the Sox lineup for a full decade. He later returned to manage the club for five seasons. He had mixed success in that role , but he is an exemplar of loyalty to the White Sox organization. Not a whiner- he always held his head high and treated everyone with respect. 

8. Harold Baines (1980-1989, 1996-1997, 2000-2001). He is Jerry Reinsdorf favorite player but I won’t hold that against him. He played 14 years on the south side and possessed the smoothest left handed swing in franchise history. He was the first White Sox player to have his number retired while he was still active. A bronze statue outside the ballpark followed years later. Six All Star selections, 384 career home runs earned Baines a 2019 Hall of Fame induction and a permanent place in White Sox lore. 

HONORABLE MENTIONS 

1. Jack McDowell (1987-1994). He won the 1993 Cy Young Award and led the league with 22 wins that season, taking the Sox back to the post season after a decade in the wilderness. He was an American League All Star three times and had a career record of 91-58. His tenure was limited by injury but he was a genuine ace when he was healthy. 

2. Dick Allen (1972-1974). Ok, I am violating my own eligibility rules here but his three years here was the most electric individual stretch in White Sox history. He hit he hardest ball I have ever seen in person. He was the 1972 AL MVP and his larger than life presence is credited with reviving a franchise that was flirting with relocation to Florida. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2025- long overdue. 

3. Magglio Ordóñez (1987-2004). He was a four time All Star with the White Sox and one of the most feared right handed bats in the American league for a decade. 

4. Gary Peters (1959-1969). He was American League in 1963 and a two time ERA Champion. He was the ace of a high quality staff in the early 60’s (joined by Joel Horlen and Juan Pizzaro) and is member of the Official White Sox team of the century. Super smooth delivery. 

5. Wilbur Wood (1967-1978). He learned the knuckleball from Hoyt Wilhelm and became arguably the best knuckleballer starting pitcher of all time. He won 20 games in four consecutive seasons and threw 377 innings in the 1972 season. He was a three time AL All Star. 

6. Ozzie Guillen (1985-1997). He was 1985 AL Rookie of the year and won the Gold Glove at shortstop in 1990. He ranks second in Sox history for games started at shortstop. He played with great instinct and hustle. His number 13 was just retired and is a testament to both his outstanding playing career and his tenure as a World Series winning manager. 

A final note. Nellie Fox is not included because the majority of his White Sox career was prior to 1961. Chris Sale and Rich Gossage have Hall of Fame resumes but the majority of their success has been with other teams. Bobby Thigpen still holds the franchise save record with 57 but one monster season is not enough.