Today in White Sox History: December 8

A bevy of moves in 1939, including the acquisition of an outfielder mainstay

1914

The White Sox purchased future Hall of Fame second baseman Eddie Collins from Connie Mack and the Philadelphia A’s. The price was incredible by on 1914 standards: $50,000 went to Mack, $15,000 went to Collins as a signing bonus, and then Collins was tendered a five-year, guaranteed deal worth $75,000!

AL president Ban Johnson (before there was a commissioner, president was the top-ranking position in baseball) had a hand in helping along the sale, at a time when he and White Sox owner Charles Comiskey were not only close friends but shared office space. Johnson wanted Collins’ star power in Chicago to counteract not only Philadelphia A’s stars Eddie Plank and Charles Bender jumping to the new Federal League, but Walter Johnson jumping from the Washington Senators to the Federal League’s Chicago Whales.

Collins would end up playing for the White Sox for 12 seasons, hitting better than .300 10 times — including eight years in a row, from 1919 to 1926. In two World Series with the White Sox, Collins had 16 hits in 53 at bats (.302).

With 67.0 WAR, Collins is the best second baseman in White Sox history, and overall the fourth-best player ever to suit up on the South Side.

1936

The White Sox were in the middle of a rare, three-way swap of pitchers, sending Jack Salveson to Washington, the Senators trading Earl Whitehill to Cleveland, and Cleveland sending Thornton Lee to Chicago.

Salveson never ended up playing for Washington, as it took him eight seasons to get back to the majors — with Cleveland — and even then, for just a brief (0.0 WAR) pair of seasons. Whitehill, near the end of a strong (36.8 WAR) career, did just as little for Cleveland, compiling -0.9 WAR over two seasons.

Thornton, however, was a massive steal, pitching the next 11 seasons for the White Sox and putting up 30.2 WAR. The southpaw was especially dynamic in 1941, leading the AL in ERA (2.37) and WAR (8.6!), and the majors in complete games (30), ERA+ (174), and WHIP (1.165).

Lee remains 20th all-time on the White Sox in WAR (between José Abreu and Chris Sale, no less), and among only pitchers, Lee ranks ninth-best in White Sox history.

1939

A prolific day of transactions generated three moves involving six players:

• Headlining the day was a steal of swap: Outfielder Gee Walker to Washington for right fielder Taffy Wright and reliever Pete Appelton. Walker was the headliner, with a storied career in Detroit and MVP votes earned in the 1939 season, his second on the South Side. But at 31 years of age, he had little stardom left in the game. Wright, however, was a few years younger and just getting rolling into his career; over sis seasons (interrupted by three years of World War II service) in Chicago, Wright was never worse than an average major-leaguer and had three years of MVP consideration and 12.5 WAR. Appleton served a role as well, mopping up games in most cases (-0.8 WAR over 42 games in his White Sox career) but logging enough emergency innings to qualify for six saves in spite of a 5.42 ERA.
• Rip Radcliff was dealt to St. Louis for Moose Solters, in what amounted to a challenge trade of left fielders. Radcliff was a five-year player on the South Side whose reputation seemingly belied his talent (an All-Star berth and MVP votes for a 1.1 WAR season in 1936, and one truly fine, 3.2 WAR, season in 1937 that also earned MVP consideration). This swap was pretty much a wash: Radcliff was OUTSTANDING in 1940 for the Browns (a career-best 3.5 WAR and 200 hits, tops in the majors) while Solters put up 2.4 WAR in fewer games, nearly as productive per-game as Radcliff. Neither player did much in the majors after 1940.
• Finally, third baseman Marv Owen was sold to Boston. He’d had a poor year as a regular at the hot corner in 1937 (0.7 WAR over 141 games) and was much worse in a lesser role in 1938 (-0.8 WAR in 58). Owen would see action over just 20 games in 1940 for the Carmines and never see the majors again.

All told, these trades would net the White Sox 7.5 WAR, mostly thanks to the emergence of Wright.

1992

Just three years removed from a Top 5 Cy Young finish but having battled injuries in the previous two seasons, career Blue Jay Dave Stieb signed a free agent deal with the White Sox. Still struggling to get his arm right, Stieb had a 6.04 ERA in four starts on the South Side before being released on May 23, 1993. Aside from a brief, late comeback (with Toronto in 1998, at age 40), Stieb’s career ended with his release.