Today in White Sox History: May 30

Jimmy Piersall goes ham ... on a scoreboard

1951

The White Sox blasted the St. Louis Browns, 8-1, to win their 14th consecutive game. It’s the second-longest winning streak in franchise history. After returning to Chicago, Mayor Martin Kennelly presented vice president Chuck Comiskey, manager Paul Richards and the White Sox the keys to the city in a ceremony.

The Sox would go from "Rags to Richards" in 1951, ending their string of desultory seasons and pointing the way to the Go-Go 1950's.

1960

Outfielder Jimmy Piersall, who would become a White Sox announcer in the 1970's and early 1980's, went on a doubleheader rampage against the scoreboard and Comiskey Park.

Piersall started by throwing the contents of the Cleveland dugout on to the field after he felt a bad call was made by the home plate umpire, who threw him out of the game. Piersall then went into the Sox dugout, grabbed a bucket of groundskeeper Gene Bossard’s sand and dumped that on the field.

Then in the nightcap, Piersall didn’t move on a ball hit right at him by Minnie Miñoso. It went over Piersall's head for a double, and adding insult to injury the Sox thought it was a home run and set off the scoreboard! Finally, Piersall threw a ball at the scoreboard, which he hated, at the end of the game. All in a day’s work, as Cleveland took the twinbill.

1966

White Sox pitcher Jack Lamabe fired a one-hitter at Comiskey Park, beating the Red Sox, 11-0. Lamabe didn’t allow a hit until Joe Foy singled leading off the eighth inning. It was a sweep on the night for the Sox, who shut out Boston in both games. The Sox won the opener, 1-0, behind pitcher Johnny Buzhardt.

In addition, this was the club’s third consecutive shutout — the day before, Tommy John blanked the Yankees, 2-0.

1985

In a night game at Comiskey Park, Carlton Fisk belted a rooftop home run off of Kansas City's Charlie Leibrandt. It helped Tom Seaver and the Sox win. 4-3. It was the start of a four-game sweep of the Royals, and a week in which Fisk would hit five home runs and drive in 12 runs. That season, Carlton would set career highs with 37 home runs and 107 RBIs.