2020 SoxFest will be one of the biggest in White Sox history. Fans are itching for the 2020 baseball season to begin with the excitement for this year’s White Sox team. One of the best parts of the White Sox culture is the group of loyal fans on Twitter that make up “Sox Twitter”. Whether it is White Sox Dave, Not Kenny Williams, Section 108, James Fox, Patrick Nolan, or Patrick Comisky Sox Twitter is a fun cast of characters.
The group of fan s have become prevalent over the past decade, but image had Sox Twitter been around for some of the most infamous of White Sox moments both on and off the field. Moments that were unexpected and so outrageous that they needed instant feedback and reaction. Here are the top 10 moments that needed Sox Twitter.
10. The David Wells Trade Debacle
In 2001, The White Sox were coming off an A.L. Division crown which included 95 wins in 2000. In the offseason leading up to the 2001 season, general manager Kenny Williams acquired Toronto Blue Jays’ Ace David Wells who won 20 games in 2000 and finished third in the Cy Young voting. Sox fans believed this was the move that would lead to the team’s first World Series title since 1917. Williams would face backlash when it was revealed that he traded an injured Mike Sirotka without disclosing it to the Blue Jays. Karma would come back to get the Sox as Wells would only win four games in 2001 and was sidelined with an injured back the majority of the season.
9. White Sox acquire Bartolo Colon from the Montreal Expos
Two years later, Williams would strike again when he traded Jeff Liefer and prospect Jon Rauch as part of a package to the Montreal Expos for starting pitcher Bartolo Colon. Colon was coming off a 2002 campaign in which he won 20 combined games with the Expos and Cleveland Indians. The move paired him with Sox’s starter Mark Buehrle, who won 19 games and posted a 3.58 ERA in 2002. The move was significant because many fans believed the trade would catapult the White Sox past their rival in the Minnesota Twins.
8. Frank Thomas gets robbed of the 2000 A.L. MVP
Hall of Famer Frank Thomas is the greatest White Sox player in team history. He won back to back MVP awards in 1993 and 1994. One of Thomas’ best seasons came in 2000 when he hit 43 home runs, drew 112 walks, and drove in 143 RBIs. Sox fans believe he would win his third MVP award, especially as the team finished with the best record in the American League. Sox faithful were outraged when Oakland A’s first baseman Jason Giambi won the award. Thomas was snubbed for the All-Star game in Atlanta that year by Yankees manager Joe Torre.
7. Ozzie Guillen Calls in The Mike North Show
Former White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen will always be remember for his outspoken nature. Back in 2007, that outspokenness reached a new level a few hours before the Friday afternoon Crosstown Classic at Wrigley Field. While driving to the ballpark, Guillen called into the Mike North radio show Irate about the questioning of Friday’s lineup. North had interviewed catcher A.J. Pierynski about being out of the lineup for Toby Hall. Gullien and North got into a expletive-filled argument on live radio. The White Sox went on to lose Friday’s game to the Cubs 6-3.
6. White Sox Tigers 2000 Brawl
On a Sunday afternoon in April of 2000, the White Sox and Detroit Tigers would get into one of baseball’s wildest brawls ever. There would be two bench-clearing fights in the game as the first include a 10-minute fight that ended out in right field. Chicago closer Keith Foulke would require stitches under his eye following a cheap shot. Tigers catcher Robert Fick would be showered in beer by Sox fans after taunting fans near the right-field bullpen. 16 players and coaches would be suspended for their involvement in the two fights.
5. Michael Barrett/ A.J. Pierzynski fight
One of the most memorable moments of the Cubs White Sox rivalry was the 2006 fight between catchers Michael Barrett and A.J. Pierzynski. Following a collision at home plate, Barrett took exception to Pierzynski’s running through him. Barrett would sucker punch Pierzynski sparking a bench clearing brawl in which four players were ejected. Sox Twitter would have had a field day with the antics of the Cubs catcher.
https://youtu.be/Tivag5pOBhM
4. 1997 White Flag Trade
White Sox twitter was livid last offseason when the team missed out on signing Manny Machado and Bryce Harper. That anger would have paled in comparison to how pissed off Sox fans were when the team traded pitchers Wilson Alvarez, Danny Darwin, and Roberto Hernandez at the 1997 trade deadline. The infamous “White Flag Trade” came as the White Sox were just 3 1/2 games behind the first-place Cleveland Indians. Some fans still despise owner Jerry Reinsdorf’s approving of the trade. It took a majority of fans a long time to get over the trade as attendance was low for years following the 1997 season.
3.White Sox win 2008 A.L. Central
The last time the White Sox made the playoff, it came dramatically. To win the division, they had to win three straight games against three different divisional opponents. They first had to beat the Indians in the last game of the season, second they had to be the Tigers in a make-up game the following day, Finally the would need to be the Twins in a tie-breaker game. The team would win all three games memorably. The tie-breaker game is remembered as the “Black Out Game” in which Jim Thome’s solo home run was the deciding factor in a 1-0 White Sox win. The sheer wildness of the three days was an amazing experience for all Chicago fans.
2.A.J. Pierzynski ALCS drop third strike
Pierzynski has many memorable moments in his White Sox career, but none will be bigger than him running to first after a called drop third strike in game 2 of the 2005 ALCS. With the game tied at 1 in the ninth, Chicago’s catcher struck out on a ball in the dirt bringing the inning, but he had the presence of mind to run to first. After a lengthy debate, the umpires ruled him safe. Joe Crede would drive in pinch-runner Pablo Ozuna leading to the Sox winning 2-1 and tying the series at one. The controversial call would have been a top trending moment on Twitter had it existed in 2005.
1.2005 White Sox win World Series
The greatest moment in White Sox history would have been so much better had Sox twitter been around to celebrate it.
