On This Date: A Look Back at Key Moments in White Sox History (December 21)
December 21 might not jump off the calendar for most baseball fans, but in White Sox history, it’s been a day of notable moves-some quirky, some impactful, and one that could shape the franchise for years to come.
1907: Saying Goodbye to “Piano Legs”
The White Sox made a roster move that year, parting ways with Charles “Piano Legs” Hickman, a veteran first baseman and outfielder who had joined the team late in the 1907 season. Hickman played in 21 games for the Sox, hitting .261 with a single RBI before being sold to the Cleveland Naps.
While his time on the South Side was brief, Hickman was a colorful character of the early baseball era. Known for his stocky build and powerful lower half-hence the nickname-he retired after the 1908 season with Cleveland, closing the book on a career that spanned more than a decade across multiple clubs.
1939: Boob McNair Delivers in a Big Way
The Sox made a savvy trade in 1939, acquiring third baseman Eric “Boob” McNair from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for infielder Boze Berger. It turned out to be a steal.
McNair wasted no time making his mark. He led the team with a .342 batting average and drove in 82 runs, doing it while bouncing around the infield-103 games at third base, 19 at second, and nine at shortstop. That kind of versatility, paired with elite contact hitting, made him one of the Sox’s most valuable players that season.
In 1940, McNair shared second base duties with Skeeter Webb in what would be his final year in a White Sox uniform. As for Berger, he played a utility role during his two years in Chicago, splitting time across second, third, and short.
McNair also holds a unique place in Sox lore. Back in 1937, he and outfielder Mike Kreevich opened two different games by hitting back-to-back home runs-an electric start that wouldn’t be duplicated until Ray Durham and Jose Valentin did it again on July 4, 2000.
2025: Munetaka Murakami Joins the South Side
Now to the headline-grabber: On this day in 2025, the White Sox officially landed one of the most exciting international players in recent memory-Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami.
The 25-year-old corner infielder signed a two-year, $34 million deal, bringing his thunderous left-handed bat to the South Side. And make no mistake-this isn’t just a flashy signing. Murakami arrives with a resume that reads like a baseball legend in the making.
Let’s run through what he’s already accomplished:
- 2022: Set the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) record for most home runs in a season by a Japanese-born player with 56, breaking a record that had stood for 58 years-yes, the one set by the iconic Sadaharu Oh.
- 2019: Earned NPB Rookie of the Year honors with the Yakult Swallows.
- 2020: Delivered the go-ahead homer in the Olympic gold medal game, helping Japan capture its first-ever Olympic baseball gold.
- 2021 & 2022: Won back-to-back Central League MVP awards.
- 2022: Claimed the Central League Triple Crown, leading in batting average, home runs, and RBIs.
- August 2, 2022: Made history by homering in five consecutive at-bats-a first in NPB history.
- Four-time NPB All-Star.
- 2021: Helped lead the Swallows to a championship.
- 2023: Played a key role in Japan’s World Baseball Classic title run, including a jaw-dropping 432-foot homer that left the bat at 115.1 mph.
This isn’t just a signing; it’s a statement. The White Sox are betting big on Murakami’s power, plate discipline, and proven ability to perform on the biggest stages. If his transition to Major League Baseball goes as expected, the South Side might have just added a cornerstone piece for the next chapter of their franchise.
Final Thought
From a quirky nickname in 1907 to a breakout star in 1939, and now a blockbuster international signing in 2025, December 21 has quietly become a day of meaningful movement in White Sox history. And with Murakami’s arrival, it’s a day that could be remembered for years to come.