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Great Deal for the White Sox! Billy Pierce Comes Gift-Wrapped from the Tigers!

“That little so-and-so is a marvel. So little – and all that speed. And I mean speed! He once got me out of there on a fastball in the ninth that I’d have needed a telescope to see.” -Joe DiMaggio , speaking of Billy Pierce

In looking over the National Pastime This Day in Baseball History website, I came across this gem of a deal that occurred 74 years ago tomorrow. It has to be one of—if not the best—in White Sox history:

“On November 10, 1948, the White Sox acquire left-hander Billy Pierce and $10,000 from the Tigers for All-Star catcher Aaron Robinson. The 21-year-old southpaw will win 186 games for Chicago during his 13-year tenure with the Windy City club, while the All-Star backstop will play less than three seasons in the Motor City. This is Frank Lane’s first deal as the team’s new general manager, but not his last. The baseball executive, who will become known as Trader Lane, makes over 400 trades over his 20-year career, including 241 with the White Sox.”

What a career the highly underrated, often overlooked Billy Pierce went on to have, including one day in 1958 when he flirted with the history books:

Billy’s Nearly Perfect!

On June 27, 1958, in a game between the White Sox and Senators at Comiskey Park, the 5’10”, 160-pound lefty was just one out away from recording the first Perfect Game by a southpaw since little-known Lee Richmond did it all the way back in baseball’s dark ages, 1880. In addition, there had been only one lefty no-hitter between 1931 and 1962, that by Mel Parnell in 1956.  

A weak double down the right field line by pinch-hitter Ed Fitzgerald kept Pierce out of the record books.  The 31-year-old Detroit native then retired Albie Pearson on a three-pitch strikeout to settle for a 3-0 one-hit victory over the Senators.

Although obviously disappointed by the near miss, Pierce summed up the night in his usual modest manner, praising his teammates for their defensive glove work, and added:

“Give Luis [Aparicio] plenty of credit. And Sherm [Lollar] really mixed ’em up beautifully. The big thing is that we won.”

Billy’s Outstanding Career

Billy Pierce played 18 seasons in the major leagues. Although he’s best remembered for his 13 years with the White Sox (1949-1961), he also pitched for the Tigers (1945, 1948), and the Giants (1962-1964).

Over his career, Pierce went 211-169 (.555), with a 3.27 ERA, 1,999 strikeouts, 193 complete games, and 38 shutouts. He was a seven-time All-Star with back-to-back 20-win seasons in 1956-57. He was a member of three pennant winners (1945, 1959, 1962), and one World Series champion (1945). His 20 wins in 1957 led the American League, and he led the major leagues with a 1.37 ERA in 1955. He posted an American League-best 186 strikeouts in 1953, and led the league in complete games in three consecutive years (1956, 57, 58), the last player to do so. Pierce threw four one-hitters, and seven two-hitters. He ranks in the Sox’ top five all-time in strikeouts (1,796), shutouts (35), starts (391), and wins (195). 

1959 World Series: Controversy

There has always been controversy about why White Sox manager Al Lopez didn’t start Pierce in the 1959 World Series. Reading this remark from teammate Al Smith, there seems to be more to the story than just a baseball decision. I’ve never heard a good explanation. Maybe some of our readers can shed some light on what Al Smith meant by this cryptic remark:

“We all knew why Al López didn’t pitch him, but we never told anyone and I won’t say now. I will say that I thought he should have pitched. He’d been pitching all year, hadn’t he?”

One of the Best Lefties Of All Time

Among left-handers, Pierce ranks near the top all-time. His 1,999 career strikeouts were the fifth most by a left-hander when he retired, and his American League total of 1,842 ranked ninth in league history. He also ranked tenth among left-handers in career wins (211), sixth in games started (432) and games pitched (585), eighth in shutouts (38), and ninth in innings pitched (3,306). 

In 1962, Pierce played a pivotal role in helping the Giants win the National League pennant, going 12–0 in home games and getting a three-hit shutout and a save in a three-game tie-breaker against the Dodgers to clinch the title.

After his baseball career ended in 1964, Pierce spent 46 years as a committee member of the Chicago Baseball Cancer Charities, serving as president for 20 years. Billy was selected to the Chicago White Sox All-Century Team and received The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award for 1956 and 1957. His #19 has been retired by the White Sox and a statue of him was unveiled at U.S. Cellular Field in 2007.

So today we’re glad to shine our baseball spotlight on a fine pitcher who never seems to get the credit he deserves for his outstanding career. Does Billy deserve a plaque in the Hall of Fame? You can make the case. His career stats, by the way, are surprisingly similar to Don Drysdale’s.

Billy passed away on July 31, 2015, aged 88, in Palos Heights, Illinois, survived by Gloria, his wife of 65 years.

Gary Livacari 

Information: Excerpts and quotes edited from the Billy Piece Wikipedia page

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