30 Years Ago Today - Sox Clinch AL West Title

[SoxandtheCityTee]

We went to the game the night before with two chances to see the clinch (magic number was 1), but it did not happen. Saturday September 17 we had a wedding to go to in the south suburbs. There was no TV tuned to the game. Coming home down the Ryan later we saw people celebrating.

Can't discuss the playoffs with BAL. Man that hurt. What a badass team -- messed around until the break and then just put the hammer down.

[PaleHoser]

Originally Posted by MeteorsSox4367

I was there in the upper deck down the right-field line. IIRC, there was a substantial fire in some buildings to the south of Sox Park.

It also was an employee night for the company for which my Dad worked. They did a raffle and he won an authentic autographed baseball signed by the '83 Sox that he gave to me.

Still have the ball and happily still have the fellow Sox fan who gave it to me around as well.

I also remember buying a "Winnin' Ugly" t-shirt at one of the stands. Good memories of that night.

Absolutely priceless.

[slavko]

Originally Posted by jdm2662

Did this really happen, or is it urban legend?

I have plenty of footage on my computer of that night, and it never was said.

I remember it, too. Hawk was there and looking incredulous at what he just heard. In their defense, the "boys" were participating in the celebration and far over their capacity for strong drink. Which may be a sniff of the bar rag. The veneer of civility disappeared pretty fast. Not that Harry and Jimmy weren't capable of jerkhood themselves.

OR....I reconstructed the scene this way in my mind and I'm all wrong.

[LITTLE NELL]

I have the 1983 yearbook and this:

[Railsplitter]

Originally Posted by Hitmen77

Sept. 17, 1983 - the White Sox win their first division title. The team would go on to win the division by a then-record 20 games and finish the season 99-63.


Interesting to see all the fans running on to the field after the win. You used to see that all the time in the 70s and early 80s after a team clinched. MLB hasn't allowed that in years.

Hawk has said on numerous occasions the whoever won that ALCS was going to win the Series. One of the reasons I was apprehensive about the Sox 2005 was the 1983 team, which I believe to have been better.

I was bummed when the Sox lost, but got over it once the Series was over.

Anybody who saw the end of the 1976 ALCS will understand why it may not be a good idea to let people run out onto the field.

[LITTLE NELL]

Originally Posted by Railsplitter

Hawk has said on numerous occasions the whoever won that ALCS was going to win the Series. One of the reasons I was apprehensive about the Sox 2005 was the 1983 team, which I believe to have been better.

I was bummed when the Sox lost, but got over it once the Series was over.

Anybody who saw the end of the 1976 ALCS will understand why it may not be a good idea to let people run out onto the field.

I'm on the fence about the 83 team being the best, I thought we were a little bit weak at third base and shortstop. Vance Law was a fine fielder but not much with the bat and we could have done a lot better than Dibber and Fletcher at shortstop.

[Chez]

What a fun year -- especially after the All Star break when the Sox were virtually unbeatable. I've still got my '83 coffee mug (like one pictured upstream) on my desk.

I listened to the clincher on my transistor radio/ear phone in the balcony of the law library at the University of Illinois -- the game wasn't televised in Champaign-Urbana.

[LITTLE NELL]

We went to quite a few games that year but the one I remember the most was on July 30th. We beat the Yankees 5-1 in front 46,000 and went up by 3.5 games. Dotson pitched a real nice game. We were only 6 games over .500 but I got this feeling as we walked to the car that this team was going to win the division. I got silly and went up to a cop and told him I wasn't feeling well, he asked what's wrong? I told him I had Pennant Fever and we both laughed as I walked away.

[Hitmen77]

Originally Posted by Noneck

Would have loved to see the clip of the classy new owner calling an ex announcer scum during a celebration after finally making the post season since 59.

Incredible, but not surprising coming from this ownership group - especially in their early years owning the Sox.

[jdm2662]

Originally Posted by Railsplitter

Anybody who saw the end of the 1976 ALCS will understand why it may not be a good idea to let people run out onto the field.

Was that the series where Reggie Jackson got a batting helmet for RF and then ran to the dugout right after the last out?

[Hitmen77]

Originally Posted by Railsplitter

Anybody who saw the end of the 1976 ALCS will understand why it may not be a good idea to let people run out onto the field.

Originally Posted by jdm2662

Was that the series where Reggie Jackson got a batting helmet for RF and then ran to the dugout right after the last out?

I remember seeing Jackson with a helmet sprinting to the safety of the dugout after the last out of the clinching game. But, that was from the '77 or '78 World Series vs. the Dodgers.

I believe Railsplitter is talking about the Chris Chambliss game ending HR to win the pennant where he couldn't even finish circling the bases because of the fans storming onto the field.

That sort of celebration was history by the 1990s, but you'd certainly never see it today in our post- 9/11, post- Boston Marathon bombing world.

[jdm2662]

Originally Posted by Hitmen77

That sort of celebration was history by the 1990s, but you'd certainly never see it today in our post- 9/11, post- Boston Marathon bombing world.

And, that's a good thing. The field/court is for the players. The stands are for the fans.

[Brian26]

Originally Posted by Hitmen77

I remember seeing Jackson with a helmet sprinting to the safety of the dugout after the last out of the clinching game. But, that was from the '77 or '78 World Series vs. the Dodgers.

I believe Railsplitter is talking about the Chris Chambliss game ending HR to win the pennant where he couldn't even finish circling the bases because of the fans storming onto the field.

That sort of celebration was history by the 1990s, but you'd certainly never see it today in our post- 9/11, post- Boston Marathon bombing world.

What was the last baseball celebration where the fans stormed the field? I want to say it was the '86 Mets @ Shea.

[Brian26]

Originally Posted by jdm2662

Did this really happen, or is it urban legend?

I have plenty of footage on my computer of that night, and it never was said.

It was said by Reinsdorf. I've seen the video within the last year or two...cannot remember where. May have been Youtube or the Fuzzy Memories site.

[TommyJohn]

Originally Posted by Brian26

What was the last baseball celebration where the fans stormed the field? I want to say it was the '86 Mets @ Shea.

You may be right. They stormed the field after the Mets clinched the NL East against the Cubs. Mets fans ripped up chunks of turf, and several of them threw them at the announcers' booth. I think that little display may have put an end to on-field celebrations once and for all.