Tag / Ricky Horton

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By The Numbers – 1

In 1929, uniform numbers appeared on the back of baseball jerseys for the first time, thanks to the Indians and the Yankees.  By 1937, numbers finally appeared across all uniforms, both home and away, across both major leagues.  Since that time, 81 distinct numbers have been worn by members of the White Sox, while the Cubs boast 76.

Today, we continue our look at those players, picking our favorite, if not the best, player to wear each uniform number for both Chicago teams with #1.  50 different players have donned #1 while playing in Chicago, 30 for the White Sox and 20 for the Cubs.

Lance Johnson, along with Ricky Horton, was acquired by the White Sox from the Cardinals for Jose DeLeon just before spring training in 1988.  Despite earning Most Valuable Player honors in the American Association the year before, Johnson struggled mightily after being given the starting center fielder job, hitting only .185 in 33 games before being sent back to the minor leagues.  Johnson started at Triple A in 1988, before finally returning to the White Sox, and the major leagues, for good.  In 1990, Johnson hit .285 and managed 36 stolen bases, despite leading the league with 22 caught stealings, and hit his first career home run all while patrolling centerfield for the final season at Comiskey Park.

As the team moved across the street in 1991, Johnson continued his steady presence in the lineup, hitting .274 while stealing 26 bases and hitting 13 triples, leading the American League.  Johnson hit .279 in 1992, with another 12 triples, leading the league again, and 41 stolen bases while setting a new career high with 3 home runs.  1993 saw Johnson and the White Sox finally put everything together.  Johnson raised his average to .311, hitting 14 triples and stealing 35 bases while the White Sox won their first divisional title in a decade.  Unfortunately, Johnson struggled in the ALCS against the Blue Jays, hitting only .217 in the 6 game series, though knocking in 6 runs and hitting his only home run of the season.

The strike-shortened 1994 season cut down what could have been a tremendous season for Johnson.  He again hit 14 triples, but in only 106 games, becoming the first player in Major League history to lead the league for four consecutive seasons.  When baseball resumed in 1995, Johnson turned in his finest season in a White Sox uniform.  He hit .306 and set a career high with a .766 OPS.  He led the league in at bats and hits, though he saw his streak of triples crowns end despite hitting a solid 12.  He set a career high with 10 home runs, 3 more than his previous career total.  On September 23, he became the first White Sox hitter to get 6 hits in a game since Floyd Robinson in 1962.  Following the season, he became a free agent and his White Sox career came to an end.

On the north side of town, Doug Glanville wore #1 when he made his major league debut for the Cubs in 1996, posting a .241 average over 49 games.  He became a full time presence for the Cubs in 1997, primarily in left field, hitting .300 and swiping 19 bases.  He switched from #1 to #8 at the end of August when, ironically, the Cubs acquired Lance Johnson from the Mets.

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#29 – Lance Johnson

Name: Lance Johnson

Rank: 29

Position: CF

Years With White Sox: 1988-1995

Lance Johnson, along with Ricky Horton, was acquired by the White Sox from the Cardinals for Jose DeLeon just before spring training in 1988.  After earning Most Valuable Player honors in the American Association the year before, Johnson was given the starting center fielder job.  Things did not go well, and after hitting only .185 in 33 games, he was sent back to the minor leagues.

Johnson returned to Triple A in 1988, before finally returning to the White Sox, and the major leagues, for good.  In a 50 game stint, his largest to date, Jonson hit .300 with 16 stolen bases and a .360 OBP.

In 1990, Johnson patrolled centerfield for the final season at Comiskey Park.  He hit .285 and managed 36 stolen bases, despite leading the league with 22 caught stealings, easily his career high.  He also hit his first career home run.

1991 saw the White Sox move across the street to their new home, and Johnson continued his steady presence in the lineup.  Hitting .274 while appearing in 159 games, he stole 26 bases and hit 13 triples, leading the American League for the first of four consecutive seasons, the first player in Major League history to accomplish this feat.

Johnson hit .279 in 1992, with another 12 triples and 41 stolen bases.  He also managed to hit the ball out of the ballpark 3 times, setting a new career high.

1993 saw Johnson and the White Sox finally put everything together.  Johnson raised his average to .311, hitting 14 triples and stealing 35 bases while the White Sox won their first divisional title in a decade.  Unfortunately, Johnson struggled in the ALCS against the Blue Jays, hitting only .217 in the 6 game series, though knocking in 6 runs and hitting his only home run of the season.

The strike-shortened 1994 season cut down what could have been a tremendous season for Johnson.  He again hit 14 triples, but in only 106 games.  He tied his career high with 3 home runs and managed 26 stolen bases, while hitting .277.

When baseball resumed in 1995, Johnson turned in his finest season in a White Sox uniform.  He hit .306 and set a career high with a .766 OPS.  He led the league in at bats and hits, though he saw his streak of triples crowns end despite hitting a solid 12.  He set a career high with 10 home runs, 3 more than his previous career total.  On September 23, he became the first White Sox hitter to get 6 hits in a game since Floyd Robinson in 1962.  Following the season, he became a free agent and his White Sox career came to an end.

Johnson’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:

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#64 – Jose DeLeon

deleonName: Jose DeLeon

Rank: 64

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1986-1987, 1993-1995

Jose DeLeon was acquired by the White Sox on July 23, 1986 from the Pirates for Bobby Bonilla.  As the White Sox rolled towards a 5th place finish and a 90 loss season, DeLeon was a bright spot, going 4-5 in his 13 starts with a 2.96 ERA.

1987 was another disappointing year for the White Sox, but DeLeon was a stalwart of the rotation, going 11-12 with a 4.02 ERA.  The following February, he was traded to the Cardinals for Ricky Horton and Lance Johnson.

DeLeon rejoined the White Sox on August 10, 1993, acquired from the Phillies for Bobby Thigpen.   He appeared in 11 games over the final two months of the season, putting up a 1.74 ERA as the White Sox won their first division title in 10 years.  DeLeon did not appear in the ALCS, which the White Sox lost to the Blue Jays in 6 games.

DeLeon returned to the White Sox bullpen for the 1994 season, going 3-2 with a 3.36 ERA in 42 games before the strike ended the year on August 12.  When play resumed the following year, DeLeon had lost his mojo.  He went 5-3 with a 5.19 ERA in 38 games prior to being traded to the Expos on August 28 for Jeff Shaw.

DeLeon’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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#211 – Ken Patterson

kpattersonName: Ken Patterson

Rank: 211

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1988-1991

Ken Patterson was acquired by the White Sox in the August 1987 trade that sent Jerry Royster to the Yankees.  He made his major league debut on July 8, 1988, his 24th birthday, in a 10-7 White Sox loss to the Red Sox.  He spent 5 days with the White Sox before returning to Vancouver.  When Ricky Horton was traded to the Dodgers in late August, Patterson was recalled to take his place in the bullpen.  All told, he appeared in 9 games for the 88 White Sox, finishing with a 4.79 ERA.

Patterson made the team out of spring training in 1989 when Jack McDowell was sent back to Triple A for more seasoning.  Patterson would join him on May 21st, when he was sent back down after early struggles with the White Sox.  He returned in early June and stuck with the club for the remainder of the year, appearing in 50 games despite an uncanny inability to get left handers out.  Through August 20, the left handed hurler had “limited” left handed hitters to a .303 average.

Patterson returned to the White Sox bullpen in 1990, where he became the long man, a role he did not particularly care for.  “I don’t like it,” he said in the middle of a stretch that saw him pitch once in 16 days.  “I accept it.  But I don`t like it.”  He eventually moved to a left handed specialist role and, as the White Sox closed down Comiskey Park with a surprising 94 win season, he finished the year with a 3.39 ERA in 43 games.

In 1991, Patterson got off to an auspicious start, getting the first mock standing ovation during  the first game at New Comiskey Park after striking out Pete Incaviglia in the fourth inning.  The previous 7 batters he had faced had all reached base safely in a 16-0 thumping at the hands of the Tigers.  Patterson rebounded, however, and put together arguably his best season as a pro.  He went 3-0 with a career low 2.83 ERA in 43 games.

Despite coming off of his best season, Patterson was in a competition to earn a bullpen spot in 1992.  It was not to be, however.  With spring training winding down, Patterson was packaged along with Sammy Sosa and sent across town to the Cubs in exchange for George Bell.

Patterson’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:

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#256 – Ricky Horton

51TAName: Ricky Horton

Rank: 256

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 1988

After months of rumors and speculation, the White Sox and Cardinals finally consummated the trade that sent Ricky Horton and Lance Johnson to the south side in exchange for Jose DeLeon on February 9, 1988.  GM Larry Himes planned on plugging Horton in to the starting rotation, saying, “He was a key pitcher for Cardinals with the way they used him. Now he gets the opportunity to take the ball every five days for us.”  Hopes were so high that manager Jim Fregosi tabbed Horton to take the mound on opening day.

After compiling a 3-6 record in his first nine starts, however, Horton was moved back to the bullpen, where things went from bad to worse for the next two months.  “I tried to think of the season as two halves,” Horton said.  “I put the first half out of my mind and tried to start over fresh in the second half.”  Horton turned his season around, becoming the most consistent lefty in the pen for the White Sox until August 31st, when he was shipped to the Dodgers in exchange for pitcher Shawn Hillegas.

Horton’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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#286 – Shawn Hillegas

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Name: Shawn Hillegas

Rank: 286

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1988-1990

Shawn Hillegas joined the White Sox on August 30, 1988 from the Dodgers in exchange for Ricky Horton.  He made his White Sox debut on September 6, taking the place of an injured Jack McDowell in the starting rotation.  Hillegas ended up starting six games that September, going 3-2 with a 3.15 ERA.

Hillegas broke camp in 1989 as part of the starting rotation, but he struggled early, going 1-6 by May.  Hillegas went to manager Jeff Torborg and asked to be used in relief.  “I told him I didn’t feel like I was doing the job starting,” Hillegas told the Chicago Tribune. “I’m putting the team behind in the game.”  Hillegas moved to the bullpen, where he made 37 appearances, and finished the year with an ERA of 4.74.

Hillegas spent most of 1990 at Triple A Vancouver, only making 7 appearances for the big league club.  That December, he was packaged, along with fellow pitcher Eric King, to the Indians in exchange for Cory Snyder.

Hillegas’ numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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