1980 Chicago White Sox season
Encyclopedia
The 1980 Chicago White Sox
season was the team's 80th season in Major League Baseball
, and its 81st season overall. They finished with a record of 70-90, good enough for 5th place in the American League West
, 26 games behind the first-place Kansas City Royals
.
In 1979 and 1980, Bill Veeck
made overtures to Denver interests. An agreement was reached to sell to Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr., who pledged to keep the club in Chicago. His offer was turned down by the owners. Veeck was forced to sell to a different investment group.
as a pinch hitter
for third baseman
Greg Pryor
. In doing so, he became the first major leaguer since Nick Altrock
to play in five different decades. He grounded out against Angels pitcher Frank Tanana
.
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
season was the team's 80th season in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
, and its 81st season overall. They finished with a record of 70-90, good enough for 5th place in the American League West
American League West
The American League West is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball's American League. The division currently has four teams, but it has had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams currently only reside along the west coast and in Texas, historically the...
, 26 games behind the first-place Kansas City Royals
1980 Kansas City Royals season
The 1980 Kansas City Royals season was a season in American baseball. The Royals finished first in the American League West with a record of 97 wins and 65 losses...
.
In 1979 and 1980, Bill Veeck
Bill Veeck
William Louis Veeck, Jr. , also known as "Sport Shirt Bill", was a native of Chicago, Illinois, and a franchise owner and promoter in Major League Baseball. He was best known for his publicity stunts to raise attendance. Veeck was at various times the owner of the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis...
made overtures to Denver interests. An agreement was reached to sell to Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr., who pledged to keep the club in Chicago. His offer was turned down by the owners. Veeck was forced to sell to a different investment group.
Regular season
On October 4, 54-year-old Minnie Miñoso entered a game against the California AngelsLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
for third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
Greg Pryor
Greg Pryor
Gregory Russell Pryor , is a former Major League Baseball infielder. He played all or part of ten seasons in the majors, in 1976 and 1978-1986.- Major league career :...
. In doing so, he became the first major leaguer since Nick Altrock
Nick Altrock
Nicholas Altrock was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball.Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Altrock was one of the better pitchers in baseball for a brief period from to with the Chicago White Sox...
to play in five different decades. He grounded out against Angels pitcher Frank Tanana
Frank Tanana
Frank Daryl Tanana is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He was the California Angels' 1st round draft pick in 1971....
.
Opening Day lineup
- Bob MolinaroBob MolinaroRobert Joseph Molinaro is a former professional baseball outfielder in the minor and major leagues in a career that lasted 18 years. His baseball career began in 1968, and lasted till 1985...
, dh - Alan BannisterAlan BannisterAlan Bannister is a retired professional baseball player who played for the Philadelphia Phillies , Chicago White Sox , Cleveland Indians , Houston Astros and Texas Rangers...
, 3b - Claudell WashingtonClaudell WashingtonClaudell Washington is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Oakland Athletics , Texas Rangers , Chicago White Sox , New York Mets , Atlanta Braves , New York Yankees and California Angels...
, lf - Lamar JohnsonLamar JohnsonLamar Johnson Sr. is a retired professional baseball player who played infielder in the Major Leagues from 1974-1982...
, 1b - Chet LemonChet LemonChester Earl Lemon is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. A three time All-Star, he was a member of the World Series champion 1984 Detroit Tigers.-Early years:...
, cf - Harold BainesHarold BainesHarold Douglas Baines is a former right fielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for five American League teams from 1980 to 2001. He is best known for his three stints with the Chicago White Sox, the team on which he now serves as coach...
, rf - Jim MorrisonJim Morrison (baseball)James Forrest Morrison , is a former professional baseball player who played second and third base in the Major Leagues from 1977 to 1988. During his baseball career, Morrison played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers, and Atlanta Braves...
, 2b - Marv FoleyMarv FoleyMarvis Edwin Foley is a former Major League Baseball catcher and coach, former minor league baseball coach and manager, and current minor league baseball instructor. In the majors, he played all or part of five seasons, between 1978 and 1984, for the Chicago White Sox and Texas Rangers...
, c - Greg PryorGreg PryorGregory Russell Pryor , is a former Major League Baseball infielder. He played all or part of ten seasons in the majors, in 1976 and 1978-1986.- Major league career :...
, ss - Steve TroutSteve TroutSteven Russell Trout is a former major league baseball pitcher who played during the 1980s.He is the son of former major league pitcher Dizzy Trout. Teammates and friends often referred to him simply as "Sorenson" along with the fairly obvious nickname Rainbow Trout...
, p
Notable transactions
- June 3, 1980: Future University of Nebraska quarterbackQuarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Turner GillTurner GillTurner Hillery Gill is an American football coach who most recently served as the head coach at Kansas from 2010-2011, and was one of 11 African-American head coaches in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision at the time of his hiring.-College:Gill graduated from Arlington Heights High...
was drafted by the White Sox in the second round, 36th pick overall in the 1980 Major League Baseball Draft1980 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1980 Major League Baseball draft.- Compensation Picks :*William Erickson, was drafted in the second round by the San Francisco Giants, 31st pick overall. *Jeff Horne was drafted in the second round by the Pittsburgh Pirates,...
. - June 12, 1980: Randy ScarberyRandy ScarberyRandy James Scarbery is a former professional baseball pitcher. He played in part of two seasons in the major leagues from – for the Chicago White Sox.-External links:...
was traded by the White Sox to the California AngelsLos Angeles Angels of AnaheimThe Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
for Todd CruzTodd CruzTodd Ruben Cruz was an American Major League Baseball player who spent all or part of six seasons in the majors with the Philadelphia Phillies, Kansas City Royals, California Angels, Chicago White Sox, Seattle Mariners and Baltimore Orioles, from 1978 to 1984...
. - October 3, 1980: Minnie Miñoso was signed as a free agent with the Chicago White Sox.
Roster
| 1980 Chicago White Sox | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders Other batters |
Manager Coaches |
||||||
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 100 | 251 | 61 | .243 | 0 | 19 | |
| 1B | 131 | 343 | 97 | .283 | 2 | 33 | |
| 2B | 162 | 604 | 171 | .283 | 15 | 57 | |
| 3B | 90 | 191 | 34 | .178 | 1 | 11 | |
| SS | 90 | 293 | 68 | .232 | 2 | 18 | |
| LF | 119 | 344 | 100 | .291 | 5 | 36 | |
| CF | 147 | 514 | 150 | .292 | 11 | 51 | |
| RF | 141 | 491 | 125 | .255 | 13 | 49 | |
| DH | 147 | 541 | 150 | .277 | 13 | 81 |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 123 | 415 | 115 | .277 | 15 | 59 | |
| 122 | 338 | 81 | .240 | 1 | 29 | |
| 68 | 137 | 29 | .212 | 4 | 15 | |
| 45 | 130 | 25 | .192 | 0 | 9 | |
| 32 | 90 | 26 | .289 | 1 | 12 | |
| 34 | 89 | 23 | .258 | 0 | 5 | |
| 32 | 87 | 19 | .218 | 2 | 14 | |
| 21 | 62 | 12 | .194 | 0 | 3 | |
| 21 | 52 | 11 | .212 | 1 | 3 | |
| 12 | 20 | 4 | .200 | 0 | 3 | |
| 2 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 |
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | 238 | 15 | 13 | 2.84 | 133 | |
| 32 | 199.2 | 9 | 16 | 3.70 | 89 | |
| 33 | 198 | 12 | 10 | 4.27 | 109 | |
| 24 | 136 | 2 | 12 | 3.44 | 66 | |
| 3 | 16.1 | 1 | 1 | 4.96 | 2 |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | 112.1 | 9 | 3 | 4.57 | 55 | |
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64 | 7 | 9 | 30 | 3.34 | 54 | |
| 23 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2.63 | 24 | |
| 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3.09 | 28 | |
| 15 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4.08 | 18 | |
| 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.93 | 8 |