White Sox A-Z: Paciorek to Politte
By Art Berke
Every Thursday we are paying tribute to White Sox standouts of the past, spotlighting a different letter of the alphabet each week.
Today we focus on nine popular Sox players whose last names begin with the letter P — Tom Paciorek, Donn Pall, Dan Pasqua, Gary Peters, Billy Pierce, A.J. Pierzynski, Juan Pizarro, Scott Podsednik and Cliff Politte.
Tom Paciorek, OF-1B, White Sox (1982–1985), Dodgers, Braves, Mariners, Mets, Rangers
Tom Paciorek wore a White Sox uniform for four seasons and played an important role on the 1983 “Winning Ugly” American League West champions. He gained his real popularity in the Windy City, though, when he was Hawk Harrelson’s sidekick in the Sox TV booth during the 1990s.
An outstanding college baseball and football player at the University of Houston, the Detroit native was drafted by both the Dodgers and the NFL’s Miami Dolphins. Choosing baseball, Paciorek became a top prospect in the L.A. system and was named the 1972 Minor League Player of the Year.
He came up through the Dodger organization at the same time as elite talents Steve Garvey, Bill Buckner and Bobby Valentine, who comprised the core of an outstanding rookie league team in Ogden, Utah. The manager? A young Tom Lasorda. Lasorda, who was ultimately inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as the L.A. Dodger skipper, is also given credit for nicknaming Paciorek “Wimpy” after Tom was the only one of his teammates to order hamburger instead of steak.
“Wimpy” went on to play for six teams in 18 major-league seasons, earning an All-Star nod with the Mariners in 1981 and playing in the 1974 World Series for the Dodgers vs. the A’s.
Paciorek was a lifetime .282 hitter, batting .288 during his time with the White Sox. He had back-to-back .300 seasons with the Sox in 1982 (.312) and 1983 (.307). Here’s one highlight: In a May, 1984 game vs. the Brewers, Paciorek came in as an outfield replacement in the fourth inning. The contest went 25 innings over two days (the longest game in history in terms of time on the field). When all was said and done, Paciorek went five for nine, a record for most hits in a game by a non-starting player.
Tom’s two brothers, John and Jim, both had brief big-league careers with the Colt 45s (Astros) and Brewers, respectively. Interestingly, John finished his career with a 1.000 batting average. In his one and only major-league game, he pounded out three hits and walked twice.
Donn Pall, RHP (White Sox, 1988–1993), Phillies, Yankees, Cubs, Marlins
Growing up a White Sox fan in Evergreen Park, Illinois, only 15 miles from 35th and Shields, Donn Pall realized the dream of pitching six seasons for his favorite team.
“It was awesome,” Pall told author Bob Vorwald in the book, “When it Means to be a White Sox.”
“I grew up on the South Side as a White Sox fan, just like any other kid there, loving the Sox and loving baseball. I liked the team a lot with Dick Allen and Carlos May, the Hitmen in ’77 with [Richie] Zisk and [Oscar] Gamble, and even (later with) Carlton Fisk. He was fabulous and getting the chance to play with him was unbelievable.”
A product of the University of Illinois, Donn was nicknamed the “Pope” by Hawk Harrelson, playing off the name of then-Pope John Paul. He won 21 games with a 3.45 ERA in 72 appearances for the Sox in those six seasons, won a World Series ring with the Marlins in 1997 and eventually left the game after a 10-year career.
Pall, currently a White Sox team ambassador, summed up his career with the Sox this way in the aforementioned book:
“I’m very fortunate, not only to have played in the major leagues, but have gotten to play for my hometown team. I think every team should have a least one guy on the roster who’s from the hometown, just so one person knows what it’s like.
“As a player, I always wanted to make sure I signed autographs for people, because I know what it’s like as a fan to be at the park looking for an autograph. I wanted to take care of all the Sox fans I could take care of. I wish I had been a bigger name so it would have been more meaningful for the people who got my autograph! I was very, very fortunate. Playing there was like being at a fantasy camp. I tried to appreciate every day I was on that side of the fence, because I knew it wouldn’t last forever. Thank God I was able to do that.”
Dan Pasqua, OF-1B, White Sox (1988–1994), Yankees
An All-American performer at William Paterson University in his home state of New Jersey, Dan Pasqua enjoyed a 10-year major-league career with the White Sox and Yankees.
Pasqua joined the Sox in ‘88 after three seasons in New York and proceeded to record career highs in home runs (20) and RBI (50) in 475 plate appearances — leading the Sox in HR. During his time in Chicago, Pasqua belted 75 of his 117 career homers. His best RBI year was in 1991 (66) with the Sox along with 18 long ones.
A dead pull hitter with great power, “The Hammer” hit one of the longest homers in the history of the new ballpark, blasting a 484-foot homer in 1991 against the Yankees — which landed just shy of the right-field concourse. Add that to his 445-shot against the Tigers in 1989, the second-to-last “roof shot” at old Comiskey.
Pasqua also had the distinction of breaking up two potential no-hitters for the Sox, both in the eighth inning — a double off of the Blue Jays’ Todd Stottlemyre in 1992 and a triple off of the Red Sox’ Dan Darwin the following season.
Currently the Manager of Youth Baseball Operations for the White Sox in LaGrange, Pasqua played on the Sox’ 1993 American League West champions and saw action in the League Championship Series.
Gary Peters, LHP, White Sox (1959–1969), Red Sox
Gary Peters had a cup of coffee with the White Sox in their American League pennant-winning season of 1959, but didn’t really establish himself until 1963. However, he sure made up for lost time.
Peters won the American League Rookie of the Year Award in ’63 with a 19–8 record and a league-leading 2.33 ERA along with 189 strikeouts and 13 complete games. With those numbers he quickly became the ace of a staff that included standout hurlers Juan Pizarro, Joel Horlen and Tommy John — one of the best rotations in baseball.
The Grove City, Pennsylvania native followed up his superb rookie season leading the A.L. with 20 wins (20–8) and a fine 2.50 ERA with 11 complete games while being selected to the first of his two A.L. All-Star squads in 1964. He made the midsummer classic again in 1967 as the Sox contended for the pennant until the final days of the season with Peters being a big reason for their success. At year’s end he won 16 games, compiled a 2.28 ERA, struck out 215 and had 11 CG.
In 11 seasons on the South Side, he won 91 games with a 2.92 ERA, 60 complete games and 1,098 strikeouts (which ranks eighth all-time). He won another ERA title in 1966 (1.98) and pitched two one-hit complete games, one in ’63 and another in ‘67.
Gary ranks among all-time Sox single-season leaders in quality starts (T3, 29), strikeouts (9th, 215), opponents average (3rd, 199), hits per nine innings (6th, 6.47), and is among the all-time Sox career leaders in strikeouts, quality starts (8th, 146) and hits per nine innings (7th, 7.74).
Peters, who also distinguished himself as a fine hitter before the DH was instituted, blasted 19 career homers and was used occasionally as a pinch hitter. He is also one of only seven surviving members who played on that ‘59 championship team.
Including his final three seasons with the Red Sox, Peters ended his 14-year career with a 124–103 record and a fine 3.25 ERA.
Billy Pierce, LHP, White Sox (1949–1961), Tigers, Giants
Billy Pierce began his major-league career in his hometown of Detroit, but after being dealt to the White Sox before the 1949 season he became one of baseball’s premier pitchers and one of the most beloved Sox of all-time.
A seven-time American League All-Star and one of five Sox pitchers to start in the midsummer classic, Pierce won 186 games and a 3.19 ERA in 13 seasons with the White Sox — leading the Pale Hose in wins for nine of his 13 seasons in Chicago.
He was a two-time 20-game winner and led the league in strikeouts in 1953 (186), ERA in 1955 (1.97, also led majors), wins in 1957 (20), complete games from 1956–58 (21, 16, 19) and won 14 contests for the 1959 pennant-winning Sox. In both ’56 and ’57 the “Sporting News” named Billy the American League Pitcher of the Year after being the runner-up in ’53 and ’55. Furthermore, Pierce ranks №1 among all-time Sox in strikeouts with 1,796 and is third in club annals in games started (390), shutouts (35) and quality starts (241) and fourth in wins.
Pierce pitched four one-hitters. In 1957 he was this close to a no-hitter against the Washington Senators before it was regrettably broken up by pinch-hitter Ed FitzGerald with two outs in the ninth inning.
Billy ended his 18-year big-league career with three seasons in San Francisco, enjoying an outstanding year in 1962 with a 16–6 mark and a 3.49 ERA. In the World Series, Billy went 1–1 and bested Yankees’ Hall of Famer Whitey Ford in Game 6 with a complete-game performance. It was reminiscent of the Pierce-Ford matchups when Billy was with the Sox, which was considered one of the baseball’s fiercest pitching rivalries.
The popular Pierce, including his time with Tigers and Giants, finished his outstanding career with a 211–169 record and a 3.27 ERA with one K shy of 2,000 strikeouts. He also was an excellent fielder.
Pierce’s №19 was retired by the Sox in 1987, a statue of the lefty was erected in 2010 and he was named to the White Sox All-Century Team in 2000. Billy, who served as a Sox team ambassador for many years and was dedicated to raising money for Chicago Baseball Charities, passed away in 2015 at the age of 88.
A.J. Pierzynski, C, White Sox (2005–2012), Twins, Giants, Rangers, Red Sox, Cardinals, Braves
It may not have been a coincidence that the year A.J. Pierzynski joined the White Sox, the franchise won its first World Series in 88 years. The ultra-competitive and combative catcher, who has been enemy №1 to his opponents, brought a great deal of fire and leadership to the South Side.
From Orlando, Florida, Pierzynski played eight of his 19 big-league seasons in Chicago, establishing himself as an outstanding defensive catcher while compiling a .279 batting average (.280 for his entire career). His high average in a Sox uniform was .300 in 2009 and in 2012 reached Sox highs in homers (27) and RBI (77). He made his second All-Star team in 2006 (also Twins in 2002). Additionally, A.J. tied a Sox record by homering in five consecutive games and won a Silver Slugger Award in 2012.
Pierzynski had some great moments in the 2005 postseason with the Sox. In the victorious Game 1 of the American League Division Series vs. the the Red Sox, Pierzynski hit two homers and drove in four. He also batted .444 in the series. He homered again in the A.L. Championship Series and powered a key two-run double in Game 3 of the World Series, won by the Sox in 14 innings.
Undoubtedly the pivotal moment in the Sox’ ‘05 playoff run was a smart decision by Pierzynski in the second game of the ALCS vs. the Angels. With L.A. leading one game to none, the White Sox and Angels were tied going into the bottom of the ninth inning at U.S. Cellular Field.
With two outs, Pierzynski swung and missed at a third strike. Angel catcher Josh Paul thought he caught it and tossed the ball toward the mound. The home plate umpire ruled it a trap and A.J., taking no chances, took off and made it to first base. The speedy Pablo Ozuna then pinch-ran for Pierzynski and stole second. Joe Crede’s double scored Ozuna and the White Sox tied the Series with a 2–1 victory — largely due to Pierzynski’s savvy. And the Sox won every postseason game from that point on.
Post-playing career A.J. has succeeded as a color analyst for Fox and is a Sox team ambassador.
Juan Pizarro, LHP, White Sox (1961–1966), Braves, Pirates, Red Sox, Indians, A’s, Cubs, Astros
Native Puerto Rican Juan Pizarro pitched in the major leagues for 18 seasons, participated in the World Series in 1957 and 1958 with the Milwaukee Braves, won a World Series ring in ‘58 and earned 131 big-league victories, but his best years came during his years with the White Sox.
The fireballing lefty, who was also an outstanding hitter in the pre-DH years and was known to pinch hit on occasion, went 75–47 with a 3.05 ERA and 793 strikeouts in 192 appearances over six seasons on the South Side. He joined the likes of premier hurlers Gary Peters, Joel Horlen and Tommy John on a formidable White Sox pitching staff.
Pizarro was an All-Star in both 1963 and 1964, pitching a scoreless inning in thast first midsummer classic. In ’63 he was 16–8 with a 2.39 ERA, 10 complete games and 163 strikeouts. The following season he posted a 19–9 mark with a 2.56 ERA, 11 complete games, 162 Ks and also had seasons of 14 and 12 wins. He ranks second among all-time White Sox with a .615 career winning percentage.
Scott Podsednik, OF, White Sox (2005–2007, 2009), Mariners, Brewers, Royals, Rockies, Dodgers, Red Sox
When the White Sox traded power hitter Carlos Lee to Milwaukee in a pre-2005 deal that brought back National League stolen base champ Scott Podsednik, the idea was to add more speed and defense to the lineup. And while that mission was accomplished, Scotty Pods may be best known in Sox lore for his home run prowess.
In the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 2 in the 2005 World Series, Podsednik — who didn’t hit a single home run in the regular season — sent the frenzied Sox fans at U.S. Cellular home happy with a walk-off homer to center field, giving the Chicagoans a 2–0 lead in the Series.
Scott, however, was more than that one-homer wonder. He proved to be a big plus at the top of the Sox lineup, batting .280 with a total of 141 stolen bases and back-to-back seasons of 59 and 40 in 2005 and 2006. In ‘05 won the American League All-Star fan vote and in the postseason that year, the West, Texas native batted. 286 and stole six bags. In 2006 he set the club record with four steals in a single regular-season game.
Before arriving on the South Side, Scott finished second in the N.L. Rookie of the Year race for the Brewers in 2003 and led the majors with 70 steals for Milwaukee the following year. He ended his career as an 11-year big-league vet.
Cliff Politte, RHP, White Sox (2004–2006), Cardinals, Phillies, Blue Jays
Cliff Politte, primarily a reliever in his nine-year major-league career, was a godsend out of the Sox bullpen in their run to the 2005 World Series title.
In ‘05, after an injury-plagued 2004 with the Sox, the Kirkwood, Missouri native who was succeeded in the Jefferson College rotation by a guy named Mark Buehrle, went 2–1 with a career low 2.00 ERA over 68 relief appearances. The one-time low draft pick by the Cardinals led the Sox with 23 holds, which ranks among the club’s all-time best single-season performances. Cliff also ranks among all-time Sox relievers with 46 career holds and had 20 straight scoreless outings from May 29-July 17.
Politte appeared four times in the 2005 postseason. He pitched a scoreless inning in Game 1 of the American League Division Series and posted holds in Games 2, 3 and 4.
As Chris Kamka wrote in a story about Politte for NBC Sports Chicago, Cliff finished ‘04 with an appendectomy. He finished 2005 with a World Series ring.
Pretty impressive for a 54th round draft choice.
