White Sox Team (#426)

Here is the White Sox' team card for 1966. Unlike in other years, each team's previous year finish is noted on the card front. The Sox finished 1965 with a 95-67 record, but that was only good enough for 2nd place, 7 games behind the Minnesota Twins who finished with 105 wins.

In 1966 the Sox dropped to 4th place, 15 games behind the Orioles.

Offensive leaders Don Buford and Moose Skowron would both be gone in 2 years. Although an All-Star in 1965, Skowron's starts dropped from 145 in '65 to 98 in '66. By May 1967, the ex-Yankees' slugger was traded to the Angels for a minor-leaguer, and retired after the season.

Buford still had plenty of mileage left. After the '67 season he was traded to the Orioles in the Luis Aparicio deal, and had 5 productive full seasons with Baltimore, including 3 trips to the post-season.

On the pitching side, Joel Horlen, Gary Peters, and Tommy John were the top 3 starters. The White Sox got by with only 11 pitchers (having decisions) in 1965. Top reliever Eddie Fisher was traded to the Orioles (who else?) in June '66 for 2nd baseman Jerry Adair.

I'd like to compare these stats with those from 1966, but the 1967 White Sox card has the Cleveland Indians' stats on the back!