By Woodrow Carroll
Chicago White Sox pitcher Lance Lynn struck out 16 Seattle Mariners batters in the White Sox-Mariners’ game Sunday, June 18. Seattle still won, 5-1.
Lynn’s production tied a franchise record for most strikeouts in a game by a White Sox pitcher, held by Sox southpaw Jack Harshman from a July 25, 1954 game. Both games were on the road.
Although Lynn was stuck with the loss against Seattle, Harshman was a 5-2 victor in Boston 69 years ago in the first game of a doubleheader.
Harshman did not have a Hall of Fame career in Major League Baseball. He ended up with a 69-65 overall record. Harshman, as a pitcher, had going for him was his hitting. As a first baseman, it became evident he was going to have to make it as a pitcher, or not at all. After a cup of coffee with the New York Giants in 1952, Harshman caught on with the White Sox in 1954.
In four seasons with the White Sox, Harshman’s overall record was 48-34. In 1954, Harshman’s won-loss record was 14-8.
The 1954 White Sox were not lacking in talent. The Club ended with a 94-60 won-loss record. The problem for the Sox were several the American League opponents, the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees. The 1954 Yankees ended up 103-51, and, the Indians were 111-43, and, seemingly, never lost! That is until being swept in four straight in the World Series by the New York Giants.
Harshman, who passed away at the age 86 in 2013, faced a modest Red Sox lineup the day he set the franchise record.
The exception was Ted Williams, the Boston star. Williams, who was batting .360 at game time, but had one hit in four at bats against Harshman. More interesting might have Boston’s Jimmy Piersall.
The seldom calm and collected Piersall had two hits and two strikeouts against Harshman.
Starting at first base for the White Sox in Harshman’s moment of glory was Phil Cavarretta, a product of Chicago’s Lane Tech High School. Cavarretta played for the Chicago Cubs for 20 seasons. In 1954, Cavarretta was playing out the string with the White Sox after his long run with the Cubs.
The 1954 campaign was not a good one for the Red Sox. The team ended up with a 69-85 record. Interestingly, Boston had two outstanding football players in its ranks.
Jackie Jensen started in center field for Boston against Harshman. Jensen, a gifted athlete, first made a name for himself as a football player at the University of California where he helped Golden Bears reach the 1949 Rose Bowl.
Jensen had his moments in Major League Baseball, however, he was plagued by a morbid fear of flying and it shortened his career.
The name Harry Agganis may not resonate with most baseball fans. Still, the Golden Greek as Agganis came to be called, was a star in the making before being brought down by illness.
Agganis was from Lynn, Mass. and attended Boston University where he was a baseball and football star. With both sports calling, Agganis went with baseball and signed with the hometown Red Sox.
Facing Harshman, Agganis, playing first base was hitless in three at bats with two strikeouts.
Early in the 1955 season, Agganis, hit better than .300 at the time, then came down with pneumonia. Agganis’ condition worsened and it led to a pulmonary embolism that proved fatal to him at the age of the 26 years.