Today in White Sox History: March 23
José Abreu caps a remarkable season in Cuba.
1955
Roberto Clemente makes a huge splash with a spring training performance at Fort Myers, Fla. against the White Sox. The rookie clouts a third-inning triple some 425 feet off of the center field fence, the deepest spot in Terry Park. The good news for the White Sox? Clemente attempted to stretch the hit into an inside-the-park home run, but was thrown out at home with ease.
1989
The White Sox traded Ken Williams (who later became the club’s GM) to Detroit for pitcher Eric King.
Williams never achieved any measure of consistency in the big leagues. King, at least, had a spectacular 1990 campaign, going 12-4 with a 3.25 ERA for the “Doin’ the Little Things” White Sox that shocked baseball by compiling 94 wins in 1990.
2011
Future White Sox first baseman José Abreu hit his 33rd home run, on the final day of the Cuban Serie Nacional season. Both he and Yoennis Céspedes broke the two-year-old Cuban home run record of 32.
Amazingly, Abreu produced 33 home runs and 93 RBIs despite missing a quarter of the season. His slash for the 2010-11 season was a remarkable .453/.597/.986. For those of you a little short with math, that’s a 1.583 OPS.