Wilbur Wood had sparkling performances on this date (April 25th) in 1972 and 1973.
If you want to learn more about Wood, check out my latest spot on The Sox In The Basement podcast this week.
https://www.soxinthebasement.com/white-sox-cannot-wait-any-longer/
Here’s a look at Wood’s gems and other memorable moments that happened on this date in Sox history:
*1901, UNDEFEATED IN THE A.L.: The White Sox improved to 2-0 as an official American League and Major League franchise with a 7-3 win over Cleveland at South Side Park. The day before the Sox won their inaugural game over Cleveland, 8-2.
*1909, DEATH VALLEY DEBUTS AND THEN A FIRE: Jim “Death Valley” Scott – one of the franchise greats — debuted with a victory in the White Sox 1-0 win over the St. Louis Browns at South Side Park. Freddy Parent scored the game’s only run in the ninth on an error to key a sweep in which they would win each of the three games 1-0. … Well after the game had ended, fire struck the first base pavilion of South Side Park. The burned part extended 250-feet in length to where it connected with the bleachers, which were untouched. No injuries were reported and Sox president Charles Comiskey said the fire would not interfere with the next day’s game (NY Times). The “Old Roman” was proven right when the Sox defeated the Browns 1-0 the next day.
*1920, SIX GAMES, SIX WINS FOR THE CHAMPS: Eddie Murphy’s two-run double in the 10th lifted the White Sox to a 2-1 win at Detroit. The defending American League champion White Sox improved to 6-0 for the first time in franchise history behind Lefty Williams, who moved to 3-0.
*1951, A ROBINSON ROOFER: Eddie Robinson hit the first roof shot home run by a White Sox player at Comiskey Park in an 8-6 win in the first game of a doubleheader over the St. Louis Browns before 4,558 at 35th and Shields. The blast cleared the right field roof, which was added in 1927. Robinson’s blast came off Al Widmar and was the eighth roof shot homer in the park’s history and the first since Boston’s Ted Williams victimized John Rigney on May 7, 1941.
More on roofers …
*1953, FOX POWER: A rare home run from Nellie Fox — he would hit only 35 in 2,115 games and 8,486 at bats with the Sox — helped the Southsiders overcome the Browns 6-4 at St. Louis. Fox’s homer came with a man on base and made a winner out of starting pitcher Tommy Byrne.
*1954, SOX SPOIL BIRDS FIRST TWINBILL: Ferris Fain’s two-run single in the ninth delivered the White Sox a 4-3 sweep-completing Game 2 win over the Orioles, who were playing their inaugural doubleheader, at Comiskey Park. In Game 1, Virgil Trucks went the distance and drove in two runs in the Sox 3-2 win. Trucks tied the game with a two-run single in the second before Sherm Lollar put the Sox ahead to stay with a homer to start the fourth.
*1959, BIG NINTH: Behind a three-run pinch-homer from Earl Torgeson, the White Sox scored five in the top of the ninth to surge past host Cleveland 8-6. The Sox tied the game thanks to Cleveland errors to set the stage for Torgeson.
*1969, HEY BUDDY … A ROOFER: Buddy Bradford clubbed the 15th roof shot home run at Comiskey Park in the White Sox 6-5 win over the Minnesota Twins before 9,336 at 35th and Shields. Bradford victimized Tom Hall in the first inning for the fourth “roofer” by a White Sox player and the first by a Sox player in five years. The blast was part of a four-run first but it took a walkoff single by Carlos May to win the game.
*1972, THEY SHOULD CALL THEM WOOD-WASHINGS: Wilbur Wood fired his third consecutive shutout in the White Sox 6-0 win over the Indians before 8,942 at Comiskey Park. Wood became the first Sox pitcher to fire three consecutive shutouts since Ray Herbert fired four in a row in May of 1963. Wood limited the Tribe to seven hits and three walks while striking out six in dropping his ERA to 0.25. Wood got support from Jorge Orta, who drove in two runs, as the Sox won their sixth straight after starting the season 0-3.
*1973, ANOTHER “WOOD-WASHING”: A year after firing his third consecutive shutout, Wilbur Wood started a string of three consecutive shutouts by whitewashing the Yankees in the White Sox 3-0 win in New York. Wood began a stretch of 32.2 consecutive scoreless innings by limiting the Yankees to five hits while walking one and striking out five. Wood was given a quick cushion when Carlos May homered in the first inning. Ken Henderson and Ed Herrmann added RBIs as the Sox won their second game in a row in a streak that would reach nine.
*1975, NO. 1 AND NO. 190 FOR CLAUDE: Claude Osteen pitched into the seventh inning for his first win with the White Sox and his 190th overall in a 5-2 win at Kansas City. The veteran lefty gave up eight hits two runs with three walks and four strikeouts before yielding to Rich Gossage. “The Goose” went the rest of the way for his third save. Carlos May went 3-for-3 and drove in the go-ahead run in a two-run sixth. … Only Red Ruffing (270 in 1947), Early Wynn (235 in 1958) and Chief Bender (212 in 1925) joined the White Sox with more career victories than Osteen.
*1980, NO DOUBT, IT’S TROUT: Without a 1-2-3 inning, Steve Trout fired a shutout in the White Sox 6-0 win at New York. Trout allowed seven hits, three walks, hit a batter and watched another batter reach base by an error. However, the left-hander forced the Yankees to strand 10 runners in logging his third shutout in 25 career starts. The Sox gave Trout an early cushion with two in the first on RBIs by Bobby Molinaro and Lamar Johnson. Jim Morrison homered in the third as the White Sox won their fourth straight and improved to 10-4 for their best 14-game start since 1966.
*1990, TURNING POINT IN TEXAS: Bobby Thigpen ended a bases-loaded rally in the eighth with a double play ball and fanned the side in the ninth to preserve the Sox 5-4 win at Texas. Thigpen’s fourth save finished off Jack McDowell’s first win of the season as the Sox halted a four-game losing streak. After a disappointing setback the night before where Thipgen surrendered two home runs as part of the Rangers’ five-run ninth, manager Jeff Torborg later cited this “bounce back” game where Thigpen was so confidently dominant as a turning point in the surprisingly successful 1990 campaign which resulted in 94 victories.
*1995, FRANK LEAVES WRIGLEY IN A HURRY: Frank Thomas launched a colossal home run off the Cubs’ Tanyon Sturtze in powering the White Sox to a 6-2 exhibition win over their rivals before 19,404 at Wrigley Field. Chris Sabo and Mike Devereaux also homered for the Sox.
*1996, SOX STAY HOT: Tony Phillips celebrated his 37th birthday by going 2-for-4 with a double and a run as the White Sox ran their winning streak to four by beating the Seattle Mariners 4-3 before 14,679 at Comiskey Park. Kevin Tapani improved to 2-0 by limiting the Ms to three runs on six hits in eight innings.
*1998, EYRE HAPPY AT HOME: Scott Eyre jacked his career record to 5-0 at Comiskey Park with six strong innings in the White Sox 8-1 win over Toronto. Eyre allowed one run on four hits to pick up his first win of the season. Eyre was backed by the bats of Robin Ventura (2-for-3 with a homer and four RBI), Charlie O’Brien (three-run double) and Albert Belle (1-for-1, double, two walks and two runs). Carlos Castillo and Bill Simas finished with a combined three scoreless innings of relief.
*1999, DURHAM GOES DEEP TWICE: Ray Durham posted the first multi-homer game of his career with two dingers in the White Sox 9-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers before 15,370 at Comiskey Park. The two-homer game was the first by a Sox second baseman since Jim Morrison turned the trick on Sept. 11, 1979. McKay Christensen launched his first career home run in the game.
*2004, ANOTHER WALKOFF WALK: Juan Uribe’s walkoff walk capped a three-run rally as the White Sox beat the Devil Rays 6-5 before 17,497 at US Cellular Field. Kelly Dransfeldt’s RBI single tied the game. After an intentional walk, the Devil Rays issued unintentional walks to Willie Harris and Uribe to give the Sox the win.
*2005, GARLAND BESTS ZITO: Jon Garland fired a four-hitter in outdueling Barry Zito in the White Sox 6-0 win at Oakland. Garland, who walked one and struck out three, got offensive support from Carl Everett, Paul Konerko and Chris Widger, who each drove in two runs.
*2006, DEFENDING CHAMPS MOVE TO 14-6: With Jermaine Dye homering twice, the defending World Series champion White Sox improved to 14-6 with a 13-3 win at Seattle. Tadahito Iguchi, Paul Konerko and Joe Crede each went deep once as the Sox pounded out 15 hits. Boone Logan fired three innings for his first career save in relief of winner Javier Vazquez.
*2009, ALEXEI SLAMS ‘EM: Thanks to a grand slam by Alexei Ramirez, the White Sox bounced back from a 14-run loss the day before by routing Toronto 10-2 before 30,383 at U.S. Cellular Field. Ramirez drove in the tying run in the second and then blew the game open with his fifth career grand slam in just his 152nd big league game. Only Rudy York reached five grand slams in fewer games (139) than Ramirez. Mark Buehrle got the win and moved into fifth place on the Sox career strikeout list in the process.
*2010, OUTTA HIS LEAGUE: Paul Konerko’s eighth-inning homer was the difference in the White Sox 3-2 win over Seattle before 28,274 at U.S. Cellular Field. Konerko’s blast off Brandon League made a winner out of John Danks, who went eight innings to improve to 3-0.
*2011, PHLUMBER! Philip Humber fired seven one-hit innings in the White Sox 2-0 win at New York. Humber got relief help from Chris Sale and Sergio Santos, who earned his first save. The Sox scored on an Adam Dunn groundout in the fourth and a Paul Konerko single in the ninth.
*2012, NO. 400 FOR PK: Paul Konerko hit his 400th home run in a 5-4 loss in 14 innings at Oakland. The blast came off Sox thorn-in-the-side Grant Balfour and tied the game in the ninth. PK became the fourth player in club history to hit a milestone homer of 400 or more, joining Frank Thomas (400), Jim Thome (500) and Andruw Jones (400) on the list.
*2016, A TEAM EFFORT: Todd Frazier’s two-run double in the seventh keyed the White Sox 7-5 win — their fourth straight — at Toronto. Adam Eaton and Jimmy Rollins also delivered RBI in the frame, which saw the Sox send 11 men to the plate. Winning pitcher Zach Putnam, Dan Jennings, Matt Albers and David Robertson combined for 3.2 shutout innings as the Sox moved to 14-6.