August 10 & 11,1972
vs. Oakland A's
at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum


By now the White Sox were the surprise of baseball. Their hot pursuit of the Oakland A's astounded many observers. It wasn't supposed to be this way. Oakland was supposed to win the AL West going away, as they had done last year. The other teams were, at best, going to offer only token opposition.

By mid-July, the A's appeared ready to pull away from the pack. On July 18 the upstart...

July 31,1972
vs. Minnesota Twins
at Metropolitan Stadium

When fans reminisce about Dick Allen, it usually has to do with the home runs he hit. Allen swaggering up to the plate with his large 42 ounce bat. Digging in, facing down some poor, hapless pitcher. A swing sweet enough to inspire baseball poets to search for metaphors to describe it. The thunderous sound of bat meeting ball. The beautiful, majestic arc as said ball took off for parts unknown, hanging in the air for...

July 23, 1972
vs. Cleveland Indians
at White Sox Park

Riding high from taking 3 of 4 from division leading Oakland, the Sox take 2 of 3 from the Twins but then hit a bump, going 4-11 over their next 15. Seven of those 11 losses are dealt to them by the Orioles, who sweep them away twice in the span of 11 days. An extra inning loss in Detroit on July 18 leaves them at 45-40. The 4 game deficit of three weeks ago widens to 8 1/2 games.

The Sox provide plenty of...

Games and Moments

June 29 & 30, 1972
vs. Oakland A's
at White Sox Park

The Sox go into a four game series with 1st place A's trailing the defending division champions by only 5 games. It is the closest they are to 1st place this late in the season since the great pennant chase of 1967.

The Sox win the first game 6-4 and the next night take the field for a twi-night doubleheader in front of 33,456 excited fans.

The first game featured...

Games and Moments

June 25,1972
vs. Texas Rangers
at Arlington Stadium

The White Sox get a fairly good idea of what it would be like to play 9 innings in the middle of a blast furnace; and also why the Astros in nearby Houston had ditched Colt Stadium in favor the large, comfy, air conditioned Astrodome.

The thermometer hits 105 degrees on this Sunday afternoon. The White Sox spend the day feeling like they were at a down-home Texas barbecue-on top...