On Thursday, I noticed that in the randomly-generated player headshots on Baseball Reference’s homepage, Nellie Fox was featured. Not one to pass up an opportunity to take a gander at a featured White Sox player, I clicked into his page.
Of course, Fox is a well-known and revered figure in White Sox history, and his contact-oriented approach served him well: 2,663 hits over his career and never a season in which he struck out more than 18 times. He never did hit for much power, though: 35 home runs, total (while the lack of power is something concerning to White Sox fans, I think we’d all be happy if Nick Madrigal ended up with a career like Mighty Mite’s).
But! 49 WAR accumulated, which made me curious: who in White Sox history produced similarly? That’s what today’s Sporcle is all about: who hit less than 50 home runs in their White Sox career, but also provided at least 15 WAR in return? There are 22 names, how many can you get? Good luck!
Quiz Parameters
- I’ve allotted 10 minutes for completion attempts.
- For hints, I’ve provided the general length of tenure with the team, defensive position, and WAR accumulated.
Useless information to amaze, annoy, confuse, and/or confound your friends and family:
- Fox leads this list in triples, with 104. (Though the top two players on this list came close, each with 102)
- The player with the fewest home runs in MLB history, but the most WAR is Jack Glasscock: 27 dingers, 62 WAR. (Ozzie Smith finished a close second, with 28 home runs)
- On the flip side, the player with the most home runs (minimum 400) but the fewest wins above replacement is Dave Kingman: 442 dingers, 17.3 WAR. (Adam Dunn finishes a close second: 462 home runs and 17.4 WAR)
All data from baseballreference.com
17/22 A good visit of old timers. This was a good subject for a quiz.
22/22. This one takes me back to pouring over reference works as a kid and comparing the Hitless Wonders who brought the Sox the 1906 world championship with your Ruths, your Gehrigs, and more typical sluggers. This may be the most representative White Sox history quiz, at least for Sox history before the 1980s.
14/22. I’m satisfied – I always struggle with the Dead Ball Era guys.
19/22. I keep getting tripped up on the same names for the early days.
18/22. Should’ve got one more.
fewer.