By Phil Ellenbecker
On Wednesday, Sept. 24, 1919, the Chicago White Sox clinched their second American League pennant in three years with a 6-5 victory over the St. Louis Browns. Chicago was seemingly bound for a second World Series title in three years.
But it was not to be, as the White Sox fell to the Cincinnati Reds in a Series marred by the Black Sox Scandal in which eight Chicago players were implicated for game fixing. Thence followed many years in the desert for the Pale Hose.
It took 40 years, but on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 1959, the White Sox clinched their next American League pennant with a 4-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians.
And the echoes of the celebration of that long-sought flag were felt 365 miles away, as air-raid sirens sounded in Chicago to mark the victory that night in Cleveland.
In fitting fashion, Gerry Staley finished off the clincher for the White Sox, in relief of Early Wynn, with Luis Aparicio turning a double play to end the game.
It was Wynn who was the ace of the White Sox in '59, earning the major leagues' Cy Young Award in 1959 (only one winner between leagues back then). And he did it with a lot of help from Staley, who tied teammate Turk Lown for the AL lead in saves with 15. And it was with a lot of defensive help from Aparicio that Wynn, Staley and many others led the major leagues with a team ERA of 3.29. Aparicio was one of three White Sox, along with Nellie Fox and Sherm Lollar, winning AL Gold Gloves in '59.
With the Sox clinging to a 4-2 in the ninth inning this Tuesday, Cleveland loaded the bases with one out against Bob Shaw on a singles by Jim Baxes, Jack Harshman and Jimmy Piersall, with the hits by Baxes and Piersall not clearing the infield. Piersall finished a 3-for-5 night.
On Wednesday, Sept. 24, 1919, the Chicago White Sox clinched their second American League pennant in three years with a 6-5 victory over the St. Louis Browns. Chicago was seemingly bound for a second World Series title in three years.
But it was not to be, as the White Sox fell to the Cincinnati Reds in a Series marred by the Black Sox Scandal in which eight Chicago players were implicated for game fixing. Thence followed many years in the desert for the Pale Hose.
It took 40 years, but on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 1959, the White Sox clinched their next American League pennant with a 4-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians.
And the echoes of the celebration of that long-sought flag were felt 365 miles away, as air-raid sirens sounded in Chicago to mark the victory that night in Cleveland.
In fitting fashion, Gerry Staley finished off the clincher for the White Sox, in relief of Early Wynn, with Luis Aparicio turning a double play to end the game.
It was Wynn who was the ace of the White Sox in '59, earning the major leagues' Cy Young Award in 1959 (only one winner between leagues back then). And he did it with a lot of help from Staley, who tied teammate Turk Lown for the AL lead in saves with 15. And it was with a lot of defensive help from Aparicio that Wynn, Staley and many others led the major leagues with a team ERA of 3.29. Aparicio was one of three White Sox, along with Nellie Fox and Sherm Lollar, winning AL Gold Gloves in '59.
With the Sox clinging to a 4-2 in the ninth inning this Tuesday, Cleveland loaded the bases with one out against Bob Shaw on a singles by Jim Baxes, Jack Harshman and Jimmy Piersall, with the hits by Baxes and Piersall not clearing the infield. Piersall finished a 3-for-5 night.
Staley was summoned at that time, and with his first pitch he threw a low, outside sinker that Vic Power slammed to Aparicio's left. "Little Louie" grabbed it, stepped on second and threw to Ted Kluszewki at first for for the twin killing that ended the game and the ChiSox's 40 years of misery.
And let the celebration begin, way back in Chitown, although it was accompanied by a Cold War-era scare. From a Chicago Tribute article by Bob Secter:
"Fire Commissioner Robert J. Quinn ordered a celebratory five-minute sounding of the city's air-raid sirens. The late-night wail, at a time when Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev's threat to bury America was still fresh, frightened tens of thousands of area residents. Many rushed to the streets. Others herded hysterical children to shelter. 'We had seven children under 9 and woke them all up when the sirens screamed," said Mrs. Earl Gough of the South Side. "We said Hail Marys together in the basement.'
"Quinn apologized but also argued that the incident provided 'a very good test' of the area's readiness, which he found wanting. Mayor Richard J. Daley claimed Quinn acted in accordance with a City Council proclamation that 'there shall be whistles and sirens blowing and there shall be great happiness when the White Sox win the pennant.'"
The White Sox, last in the major leagues in '59 in home runs, used the long ball to take a 4-1 lead after 5 1/2 innings. Doubles by Aparicio and Billy Goodman gave them a 2-0 lead in the third, and Al Smith and Jim Rivera slugged back-to-back solo homers in the fourth.
The Indians chased Wynn in the bottom half of the fifth when Rocky Colavito cut the margin to 4-2 on a sacrifice fly. Shaw came on to get the final out and held the Tribe in check until they threatened in the last half of the ninth.
The ChiSox, who took the lead for good in the AL on July 28, led by 4 1/2 games after their Tuesday night triumph and finished the season 5 ahead of Cleveland with a final mark of 94-60, best in the major leagues. They lost 4-2 to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.
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