White Sox pitcher Billy Pierce became the first member of the team (and the first Chicago athlete) to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated, with the headline “Pride of Chicago.” In 1957, the year the magazine cover came out, Pierce went 20-12 with a 3.26 ERA. It was his second straight 20-win season, and he led the league with 16 complete games, four shutouts, two saves, 257 innings and 192 strikeouts.
1959
Future Hall-of-Famer and White Sox manager Larry Doby was purchased from the Detroit Tigers for $30,000.