Fenway Park 50th year celebration

At Fenway Park, the Red Sox celebrate the 50th anniversary of their first American League game in Boston

At Fenway Park, the Red Sox celebrate the 50th anniversary of their first American League game in Boston. On hand are 29 old-timers who played, managed, or umpired in the AL in that first year including Connie Mack, Dummy Hoy, Cy Young, Hugh Duffy, Clark Griffith, Tom Connolly, Billy Sullivan, Wid Conroy, Bill Bradley and Ollie Pickering. Eight of the 29 participated in the first AL game, played in Chicago on April 24, 1901. The game that follows the ceremony features dramatic home runs as Ted Williams hits the 300th homer of his career in the 4th inning against Chicago’s Howie Judson. With Williams up in the 8th inning, White Sox manager Paul Richards moves reliever Harry Dorish to 3B and brings in Billy Pierce to pitch to Ted. Williams pops up against the lefty, and Dorish then returns to the mound. Boston ties the game against Dorish at 7 – 7, but little Nellie Fox, playing in his 6th season, cracks his first major league homer in the 11th to give Dorish a 9 – 7 victory. Ray Scarborough is the loser. The Sox will win their next 13 games.

billy-pierce chicago white sox

Chicago White Sox acquire pitcher Billy Pierce from the Detroit Tigers for catcher Aaron Robinson.

    On November 10, 1948, the Chicago White Sox acquire pitcher Billy Pierce from the Detroit Tigers for All Star catcher Aaron Robinson. Tigers even sweeten the deal with $10,000. The move that will give them a pitching ace for the next decade Pierce, who sported an ERA of 6.34 in 1948, will win…

The Chicago White Sox trade Ed Lopat to the New York Yankees for Aaron Robinson, Bill Wight and Fred Bradley

The Chicago White Sox trade Ed Lopat to the New York Yankees for Aaron Robinson, Bill Wight and Fred Bradley

1948 – The Chicago White Sox trade Ed Lopat to the New York Yankees for Aaron Robinson, Bill Wight and Fred Bradley. Lopat will star for seven seasons in pinstripes, winning 21 in 1951 and going 16-4 in 1953. Robinson’s main value to the Sox will come at the end of the season when he’s swapped for another lefty pitcher, Billy Pierce.

Billy Pierce Stats & Facts

Billy Pierce Stats & Facts

    Billy Pierce Position: PitcherBats: Left  •  Throws: Left5-10, 160lb (178cm, 72kg)Born: April 2, 1927 in Detroit, MIDied: July 31, 2015  in Palos Heights, ILBuried: Chapel Hill Gardens South Cemetery, Oak Lawn, ILHigh School: Highland Park HS (Highland Park, MI)Debut: June 1, 1945 (9,960th in major league history)vs. BOS 3.1 IP, 1 H, 4 SO, 2 BB, 0 ERLast Game: October 3, 1964vs. CHC 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 SO, 0 BB, 3 ERFull Name: Walter William…