The History of the Chicago White Sox - Part 7

         The go-go sox of the fifties was a team built on defense, pitching, and speed. They were built to win close games and hold leads. Which is why it’s so surprising that they won game 1 of the 1959 World Series 11 to 0. Dodgers starting pitcher Roger Craig didn’t make it out of the third inning, and the guy who came in for him, Chick Churn, didn’t do much better. First baseman Ted Kluszewski was the best player in this one, supplying 3 hits in 4 at bats with a home run and 5 RBIs. 

Game 2 started out the same as game 1, with the White Sox scoring two runs in the first. It was Kluszewski again who provided the RBI groundout to score Aparicio. That score held for a long time as the game became a true pitchers’ duel. The Sox were no stranger to these, and it seemed to be their favorite kind of game to play. The Sox’ Bob Shaw and the Dodgers’ Johnny Podres would combine to give up only one run in the next five innings. Eventually, though, someone blinked. It was the White Sox. Shaw gave up three runs in the seventh, and by the time he was taken out of the game, it was too late. A Comeback attempt in the bottom of the eighth fell short, and the Sox lost game two 4 to 3. 

Game 3 took place in L.A., and as Dodger Stadium wouldn’t open until 1963, this game was played at a temporary venue. That venue was the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. The Coliseum had been the home of the NFL’s L.A. Rams since 1946, and was enormous even by NFL standards. When the World Series came to town, the Dodgers announced a sellout crowd of 92,394, a World Series record. That record lasted about 24 hours until game 4 drew a crowd of 92,650. As for the game itself, that massive crowd saw the Dodgers’ Don Drysdale pitch a beauty. Although he gave up 11 hits over 7 innings, the Sox could never deliver the big back-breaking hit. They only scored one run against him and couldn’t get anything going against the bullpen. As for the Sox’ pitching, the Sox again left their starter in too long. Dick Donovan held the Dodgers scoreless through six innings, but allowed two runs in the seventh. With how Drysdale was pitching, that was enough. 

Game 4 got out of hand early. Early Wynn, the Sox’ ace who had won the Cy Young award that season, couldn’t get through three innings. He allowed four runs in the third. However, the Dodgers would be the ones leaving their starter in too long this time. Roger Craig was shaky through the first six innings, but had remained clean, as the Sox never made him pay when they put runners on the bases. In the seventh, he fell apart. Sherm Lollar’s three-run homer with two outs tied the game and put the Sox back in it. That wouldn’t last long, though, as the Dodgers scored in the bottom of the eighth and the Sox couldn’t respond. 

Game 5 was do or die. The Sox were down 3 games to one and the Dodgers had a chance to win the World Series on their own field. 92,706 people, a World Series record to this day, packed Memorial Coliseum to come see the Dodgers’ secret weapon. Sandy Koufax. The Sandy Koufax that we know today is not only a first-ballot hall of famer, but one of the greatest pitchers of all time. A winner of three Cy Young awards and one NL MVP all before the age of 31, when chronic arm injuries forced an early retirement. This version of Koufax is young, not in his prime yet, but still extremely dangerous. He came out of the gate firing, perfect through two innings before allowing two hits and no runs in the third. After allowing a single to the first batter he faced, the Sox’ Bob Shaw matched Koufax. Both pitchers went shot for shot until the fourth inning. Nellie Fox led off with a single. Jim Landis followed with another, moving Fox to third. When Sherm Lollar grounded a ball to shortstop, the Dodgers made a decision that most MLB teams would do. They let Fox score and took the double play. Modern analytics back this up. They say that two outs is worth allowing a run in order to stop a bad situation from turning into a full-blown disaster, but allowing a 1-0 lead in a game as close as this one is always uncomfortable. Both pitchers were untouchable for the rest of the day. Koufax came out before the eighth, and Shaw came out after getting one out in the eighth. The rest of the game came down to the relief pitchers, and they didn’t disappoint. Dick Donovan came in in relief of Shaw and was perfect for the remainder of the game, securing a 1-0 win. The White Sox would live to fight another day. 

Game six was back in Chicago. The Sox sent Early Wynn out there again, hoping that he would be driven to avenge his disastrous start in game four. He didn’t. Wynn got off to a strong start, but started to run into trouble after allowing two runs in the third. By the fourth, the wheels had completely fallen off. He was lifted after allowing three runs in the inning. Dick Donovan came in to stop the bleeding, and couldn’t. He allowed three more runs without recording an out before being replaced again. The Dodgers cruised to a 9 to 3 win and a World Series title. 

After losing the series, the White Sox tried to pick up the pieces and run it back the next year, but it wasn’t going to happen. Everyone had career years at the same time in 1959, and that wasn’t replicable. All of a sudden, Early Wynn was 40 years old, Fox was 32, Lollar was 35, and so was Kluszewski. 

The Yankees won the American League in 1960. 

And ‘61, ‘62, ‘63, and ‘64.  

The Sox would stay relevant throughout the sixties as the go-go teams fell apart and new faces replaced them. A rapidly changing group of players led the sox into contention year after year, but year after year they fell short. The Yankees would never again have their domination of the title of MLB’s best franchise questioned, and the White Sox eventually faded from relevance by the end of the decade. 

It had seemed like the Sox had walked away from trying to contend. They gave it their best shot, and it wasn’t enough. They just didn’t have what it takes to compete with the truly legendary teams of the era. Entering the seventies, the White Sox had a new roster and a new perspective. 

They were just here to have fun.