Charles Comiskey relocated the Saints to his hometown of Armour Square in 1900, with the agreement of Western League president Ban Johnson, and renamed them the White Stockings, the original name of Chicago's National League team, the Orphans (now the Chicago Cubs). The new team was immediately successful, winning four pennants in its first five seasons. They also had some notable victories over strong NL teams including the 1899 World Series champion New York Giants.
After the 1903 season, Comiskey sold the White Sox to Charles A. Stoneham for $750,000 in cash plus $100,000 in stock. Stoneham had played on the same minor league team as Comiskey and knew him to be a successful owner who would take care of business rather than spend money win or lose. Under Stoneham's leadership, the White Sox became one of the most popular teams in Chicago sports history. He also brought in famous managers such as Fred Mitchell and Joe McCarthy who helped build a strong farm system that produced many future All-Stars such as Carl Susewisch, Eddie Collins, and Billy Pierce. In addition, Stoneham made changes to the White Sox lineup by adding several power hitters such as Pete Wardle and Sam Thompson to go along with pitcher Charlie Robertson and player-manager Johnny Egan. These additions proved to be very successful as the White Sox finished first in the league four times from 1904 to 1907.
When Charlie Comiskey relocated the St. Paul Saints to Chicago in 1900, the White Stockings, later abbreviated to White Sox, finished second. In 1901, they were among the original members of the American League. They adopted the moniker "White Stockings" since the Cubs (then known as the Colts) were no longer using it. The name "Sox" was originally used as an abbreviation for "St. Olaf's College," which was founded in 1874 and still exists today.
In 1913, after the death of their owner, Harry Wright, who had willed the team to his daughter, the club changed its name to the "Black Sox." The name came from a rumor that during a World Series game played in Chicago in 1906, someone had thrown three games to finish off the series (the so-called "blackening of the eyes"). This person was never identified, but he has been called the "father of baseball doping practices." After the scandal, two players were banned from baseball for life and another one was suspended for ten years. The Black Sox scandal is the only time in MLB history when a team has come close to losing a World Series due to illegal baseball practices.
The "sox" spelling of the word arose because Mr. Comiskey was a Swedish immigrant who liked the sound of the word "cockshooters" when describing the position players on his team.
The Chicago Cubs are one of two major league clubs headquartered in the city; the other, the Chicago White Sox, play in the American League (AL) Central division. The Cubs, formerly known as the White Stockings, were a founding member of the National League in 1876, later changing their name to the Chicago Cubs in 1903....
| Chicago Cubs | |
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| Manager | David Ross |
Nicknames The White Sox were previously known as the White Stockings, a throwback to the Chicago Cubs' original moniker. Local publications, such as the Chicago Tribune, reduced the term to "Stox" and "Sox" to fit it into headlines. After several complaints from fans and players who did not want their team labeled as black, the club changed its nickname in 1919.
During World War II Black Sox baseball played a major role in boosting attendance numbers and providing morale-boosting entertainment for Americans of all backgrounds who would not be visiting or living in Japan for much longer. The game was used by American soldiers to pass the time as they waited to be sent overseas, and when they returned home they shared their experiences with friends and family.
In 1989 Larry Bowa became the first black manager of the Chicago White Sox. He managed them for three seasons before being replaced by Ken Harrelson in 1992. Harrelson managed the team for five years before being replaced by Tony La Russa in 1997. La Russa managed the team for six years before being replaced by Ozzie Guillén in 2003. Under Guillén's leadership the White Sox have won two division titles and made the playoffs each year since 2004. They lost in the first round every year until this season when they defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in seven games.
The club's founder, Charles Comiskey, with the 1906 White Sox. The White Sox began as the Sioux City Cornhuskers of the Western Club, a minor league established under the terms of the National League's National Agreement. When the National Agreement expired after one season, the Cornhuskers moved to St. Louis and were renamed the Cardinals.
Comiskey bought the franchise from the St. Louis Browns in an auction after they withdrew from the National League following that season's campaign. He then hired John McGraw as manager and George Weaver as player-manager to lead the team into its first season. The White Sox finished last in their division with a 65-77 record but did win the "Laughing Sal" ladle championship against the Cincinnati Reds. They also came close to winning the World Series but lost to the 1907 New York Giants in seven games.
Comiskey then traded away most of his best players, including McGraw, who had led the team to a world title in 1906. Although the White Sox improved their record each year after their debut season, they never won more than 70 games until they won the American League in 1959. Comiskey died at the age of 69 in 1915 after many years of health problems caused by the stress of running a major league baseball team.
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