For fans of the iconic 1989 film "Field of Dreams," this list may not be for you.
Despite unquestionably being a Hall of Fame-caliber player during his 13-year playing career, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson was among those that fell just short of cracking this list.
Jackson played in parts of six seasons with the Chicago White Sox, before being banned for life as part of the 1919 "Blacksox" scandal. Over that period, Jackson slashed .340/.407/.499, cementing his place as one of the game's earliest superstars.
But for a franchise that began play in 1901, the 648 games that Jackson played for the White Sox ultimately didn't prove to be enough to land him on this list.
Those who are fans of Jackson more than 100 years after he last played shouldn't feel too badly.
First of all, he played the most games of his career with Cleveland, and put up his best production there, slashing .375/.441/.542 with a .983 OPS. Jackson did appear on our list of the nine greatest players in the history of the Cleveland franchise, which despite a scandal and movie making him more associated with the White Sox, is where his very best production came.
Secondly, the White Sox have played over 18,000 games in their history. Jackson is hardly the only notable player left off this list. Carlton Fisk, Wilbur Wood, Chris Sale, Eddie Cicotte, Robin Ventura and Ted Lyons were just some of the other names that fell just short of cracking our countdown of the nine greatest players in White Sox history:
9. Minnie Miñoso (1951-1957; 1960-1961; 1964; 1976; 1980)
Minnie Miñoso is one of the greatest players in White Sox history.
(Bob Lerner/Wikimedia Commons)
Best Season With The White Sox: 1954 - .320/.411/.535 with 19 home runs, 116 RBIs, 77 walks, .946 OPS, 154 OPS+ and a 7.8 fWAR
Career Stats With The White Sox: .304/.397/.468 with 135 home runs, 808 RBIs, 658 walks, 1,523 hits, .865 OPS, 133 OPS+ and 41.8 fWAR
Miñoso was the first Black player in the history of the White Sox, and was such an excellent player that he had five separate stints with the franchise. A 13-time All-Star, Miñoso led the American League in stolen bases in 1951, 1952 and 1953. Miñoso hit .310 or better in five separate seasons with the White Sox, with the franchise retiring his No. 9 in 1983. Nearly 40 years later, Miñoso will be posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022.
8. Paul Konerko (1999-2014)
Paul Konerko is one of the greatest players in White Sox history.
(Jerry Lai/USA Today)
Best Season With The White Sox: 2005 - .283/.375/.534 with 40 home runs, 100 RBIs, 81 walks, .909 OPS, 136 OPS+ and 3.8 fWAR
Career Stats With The White Sox: .281/.356/.491 with 432 home runs, 1,383 RBIs, 904 walks, 2,292 hits, .847 OPS, 120 OPS+ and 24.6 fWAR
After brief stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds to open his big league career, Konerko was acquired in exchange for outfielder Mike Cameron ahead of the 1999 season. "Paulie" would spend the rest of his career with the White Sox, making six All-Star teams and winning the 2005 ALCS MVP. Konerko hit 30 or more home runs on seven different occasions, and his 432 home runs are second in franchise history. The White Sox retired Konerko's No. 14 in 2015.
7. Mark Buehrle (2000-2011)
Mark Buehrle is one of the greatest players in White Sox history.
(Jerry Lai/USA Today)
Best Season With The White Sox: 2005 - 16-8 with a 3.12 ERA, 144 ERA+, 3.42 FIP, 1.183 WHIP, 149 strikeouts, three complete games and a 5.9 fWAR
Career Stats With The White Sox: 161-119 with a 3.83 ERA, 120 ERA+, 4.13 FIP, 1.282 WHIP, 1,396 strikeouts, 27 complete games and 42.8 fWAR
One of the steadiest starting pitchers of his era, Buehrle racked up 200 or more innings in all 11 of his full seasons with the White Sox. Buehrle never won the American League Cy Young Award, but he made four All-Star Game appearances and won two Gold Glove Awards during his time on the south side. Also on Buehrle's resume are a no-hitter on April 18, 2007 and a perfect game on July 23, 2009. Buehrle's No. 56 was retired by the White Sox during the 2017 season.
6. Billy Pierce (1949-1961)
Billy Pierce is one of the greatest players in White Sox history.
(Bowman Gum/Wikimedia Commons)
Best Season With The White Sox: 1957 - 20-12 with a 3.26 ERA, 115 ERA+, 2.88 FIP, 1.163 WHIP, 171 strikeouts, 16 complete games and a 5.9 fWAR
Career Stats With The White Sox: 186-152 with a 3.19 ERA, 123 ERA+, 3.42 FIP, 1.261 WHIP, 1,796 strikeouts, 183 complete games and 50.9 fWAR
Pierce made seven All-Star Game appearances during 13 seasons with the White Sox, and was one of the greatest starting pitchers in the franchise's history. Pierce led the American League in complete games three times (1956, 1957 & 1958), while also leading the junior circuit in wins, strikeouts, ERA, ERA+, FIP, WHIP, strikeouts per nine and strikeout-to-walk-ratio at least once during his run with the White Sox. The White Sox retired Pierce's No. 19 in 1987.
5. Red Faber (1914-1933)
Red Faber is one of the greatest players in White Sox history.
(Bain News Service/Wikimedia Commons)
Best Season With The White Sox: 1922 - 21-17 with a 2.81 ERA, 143 ERA+, 3.44 FIP, 1.185 WHIP, 148 strikeouts, 31 complete games and a 6.8 fWAR
Career Stats With The White Sox: 254-213 with a 3.15 ERA, 119 ERA+, 3.34 FIP, 1.302 WHIP, 1,471 strikeouts, 273 complete games and 54.7 fWAR
A 1964 Hall of Fame inductee, Faber is the all-time leader among White Sox pitchers in fWAR (54.7). Faber was a key cog during the team's 1917 World Series title run, but his peak individually came between 1921 and 1922, when he led the American League in ERA, ERA+, WHIP and complete games in back-to-back seasons. Faber spent his entire 20-year career with the White Sox.
4. Ed Walsh (1904-1916)
Ed Walsh is one of the greatest players in White Sox history.
(Paul Thompson/Wikimedia Commons)
Best Season With The White Sox: 1908 - 40-15 with a 1.42 ERA, 164 ERA+. 1.42 FIP, 0.960 WHIP, 269 strikeouts, 42 complete games and 9.1 fWAR
Career Stats With The White Sox: 195-125 with a 1.81 ERA, 147 ERA+, 2.01 FIP, 0.995 WHIP, 1,732 strikeouts, 249 complete games and 49.2 fWAR
Walsh didn't have a 20-year career, but during his 13 seasons with the White Sox he was an absolute workhorse, both as a starter and weapon in relief. Walsh won 40 games in 1908, and threw 390 or more innings in three separate seasons. Additionally, Walsh won ERA titles in 1907 and 1910. Not only is Walsh the all-time leader among White Sox pitchers in ERA (1.81) and FIP (2.01), but "Big Ed" is Major League Baseball's all-time leader in both categories. Walsh was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1946.
3. Eddie Collins (1915-1926)
Eddie Collins is one of the greatest players in White Sox history.
(Wikimedia Commons)
Best Season With The White Sox: 1920 - .372/.438/.493 with three home runs, 76 RBIs, 69 walks, .932 OPS, 147 OPS+ and an 8.2 fWAR
Career Stats With The White Sox: .331/.426/.424 with 31 home runs, 803 RBIs, 965 walks, 2,007 hits, .849 OPS, 133 OPS+ and 64.5 fWAR
Wedged in between two stints with the Philadelphia Athletics, Collins had an incredible 12-year run with the White Sox. While with the White Sox, Collins finished runner-up in American League MVP voting in 1923 and 1924. Affectionally referred to as "Cocky," Collins led the AL in stolen bases three times, and is the White Sox all-time leader in stolen bases with 368. Hall of Fame manager John McGraw once referred to Collins as "the best ballplayer I have seen during my career on the diamond," a pretty strong compliment from someone who also played 17 years in the league. Collins was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1939.
2. Luke Appling (1930-1943; 1945-1950)
Luke Appling is one of the greatest players in White Sox history.
(Bowman Gum/Wikimedia Commons)
Best Season With The White Sox: 1936 - .388/.474/.508 with six home runs, 128 RBIs, 85 walks, .981 OPS, 139 OPS+ and 7.1 fWAR
Career Stats With The White Sox: .310/.399/.398 with 45 home runs, 1,116 RBIs, 1,302 walks, 2,749 hits, .798 OPS, 113 OPS+ and 72.7 fWAR
Despite losing the 1944 season to service in World War II, Appling's resume puts him among the greatest shortstops in MLB history. A two-time American League batting champion, Appling spent all 20 years of his career with the White Sox. He's the franchise's all-time leader in fWAR (72.7), hits (2,749), singles (2,162) and times on base (4,062). Appling was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1964, and his No. 4 was retired by the White Sox in 1975.
1. Frank Thomas (1990-2005)
Frank Thomas is one of the greatest players in White Sox history.
(Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Best Season With The White Sox: 1994 - .353/.487/.729 with 38 home runs, 101 RBIs, 109 walks, 1.217 OPS, 212 OPS+ and 7.0 fWAR (season was strike-shortened)
Career Stats With The White Sox: .307/.427/.568 with 448 home runs, 1,465 RBIs, 1,466 walks, 2,136 hits, .995 OPS, 161 OPS+ and 68.2 fWAR
"The Big Hurt" won back-to-back American League MVPs in 1993 and 1994, and we've deemed him to be the greatest player in White Sox history. One of the most imposing hitters that the sport has ever seen, Thomas is the all-time leader among White Sox players in offensive WAR (74.9), on-base percentage (.427), slugging percentage (.568), OPS (.995), runs created (1,770), runs scored (1,327), walks (1,466), doubles (447), extra-base hits (906), home runs (448) and RBIs (1,465). Any more questions? Thomas' No. 35 was retired by the White Sox in 2010, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Previous Entires in This Series
- The 9 Greatest Players in Giants History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Astros History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Expos/Nationals History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Rangers History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Mariners History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Mets History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Angels History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Blue Jays History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Diamondbacks History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Orioles History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Marlins History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Phillies History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Rockies History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Rays History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Braves History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Guardians History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Reds History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Pirates History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Padres History
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