Tigers–White Sox rivalry

Detroit Tigers Chicago White Sox
Location	Midwestern United States
First meeting	April 29, 1901 Southside Park, Chicago, Illinois Tigers 3, White Stockings 2
Latest meeting	March 28, 2024 Guaranteed Rate Field, Chicago, Illinois Tigers 3, White Sox 2
Next meeting	June 21, 2024 Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
Statistics
Meetings total	2,252
Regular season series	Tigers, 1,131–1,106–15 (.506) [1]
Longest win streak	Tigers, 10 (1923) White Sox, 10 (1995–1996, 2001)
Current win streak	Tigers, 5

The Tigers–White Sox rivalry is a Major League Baseball rivalry between the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago White Sox of the American League Central division. The series has been one of the oldest in league history. Both teams were founded in 1901 as charter members of the American League. As is similarly the case with every professional sports team located in both Chicago and Detroit; both cities share numerous rivalries between their respective sports teams, with baseball being no exception. ^{[2] [3] [4] [5]} The teams have played each other 2,252 times with the Tigers holding a narrow edge; leading the series by 25 games. The two teams have yet to meet in the postseason. ^{[6] [7]}

History

Both clubs formed in 1901 during the league's expansion efforts to grow across the midwestern United States. Both teams had originally been members of the antiquated Western League in 1894, but soon the league converted into the current American League, joining forces with the National League in 1901; creating the format of the current MLB structure. ^[8] Both teams struggled and succeeded at varying points of their history, with the White Sox proving to be the more dominant team in the early half of the 1900s, winning a pair of World Series titles in both 1906 and 1917. The Tigers had struggled during their first three decades in the league but also managed a pair of titled in the subsequent decades, winning in both 1935 and 1945.

Disco Demolition Night took place on July 12, 1979 at Comiskey Park between two games of a Tigers - White Sox doubleheader. The Tigers won the first game, 4-1. After the field was damaged by the demolition, The White Sox were forced to forfeit the second game. As of 2023, this is the most recent forfeit in an American League game (the Los Angeles Dodgers forfeited a game in 1995 to the St Louis Cardinals).

On April 22, 2000, the Tigers and White Sox were both involved in a pair of bench-clearing brawls during the game. It started when Tigers pitcher Jeff Weaver hit White Sox batter Carlos Lee on the first pitch. The hit by pitch occurred after Weaver gave up an RBI double to Chris Singleton to make it 5–1 White Sox. Lee was unhappy and jawed at Weaver on his way to first base and again when Weaver was taken out. Eventually, the first brawl began when White Sox pitcher Jim Parque hit Dean Palmer in retaliation on the first pitch and Palmer charged the mound to Parque and the brawl began. The brawl also had Magglio Ordóñez fighting Weaver and Matt Anderson. When it looked like things had calmed down, things escalated again in right field when Tigers first base coach Juan Samuel threw a punch at White Sox pitcher Bill Simas and Simas was eventually attacked by multiple Tigers while another fight occurred next to them when White Sox closer Keith Foulke went to attack Samuel and was attacked by Karim García and then by Bobby Higginson, who punched Foulke in the left eye. The punch by Higginson cut Foulke's left eye which required five stiches. Things also escalated in the Tigers bullpen when Robert Fick began to taunt White Sox fans who threw beverages at Fick. In the top of the 9th, White Sox pitcher Tanyon Sturtze hit Deivi Cruz on a 1–1 count. Four batters later, new pitcher Bob Howry hit Shane Halter which led the Tigers bench to become irate at Howry. Howry responded telling them to "fuck off" before Tigers pitcher Doug Brocail charged at Howry from the bench igniting a second brawl. A total of 11 players got ejected. Six from the White Sox with those being Sturtze, Howry, Ordóñez, Simas, manager Jerry Manuel and bench coach Joe Nossek with five from the Tigers with those being Weaver, Palmer, Fick, Danny Patterson, and Brocail. After everything had settled down, the game finally ended and the White Sox won the game 14–6. A total of 16 players were suspended for a combined 82 games which was believed to be the harshest penalty in MLB history. Juan Samuel received the longest suspension at 15 games. Managers Jerry Manuel and Phil Garner each received 8 games. Tigers suspensions included Dean Palmer who also was suspended for 8 games, Bobby Higginson and Robert Fick each received 5 games, Doug Brocail received 4 games, and Juan Encarnación, Karim García, and Luis Polonia each received 3 games. White Sox suspensions included Magglio Ordóñez getting suspended for 5 games while Carlos Lee, Jim Parque, Keith Foulke, Bob Howry, and Tanyon Sturtze were all suspended for 3 games each. ^{[9] [10]}

Despite the varying levels of success; both teams had resurged into a heated battle of the division during the mid 2000s as the White Sox managed to win the 2005 World Series while the Tigers managed an appearance the following season. ^[11] In 2012, the White Sox beat the Tigers 5–4 to take a three game the lead in the division with a record of 80–66 over the Tigers who were 77–69 with 15 games left in the season. The White Sox would lose 11 of their next 15 while the Tigers won 11 of their next 15 and the Tigers took the division by three games over the White Sox. The Tigers would make the 2012 World Series that year before getting swept by the San Francisco Giants. Despite the fluctuating success for both sides, the two have never met in the postseason. ^{[12] [13] [14]}

Season-by-season results

Notable players that played for both teams

See also

• Bears–Lions rivalry
• Blackhawks–Red Wings rivalry
• Bulls–Pistons rivalry

References