K is for Kittle

White Sox Homerun hitters from A.J. to Zeke

K is for Kittle

Ron "Kitty" Kittle 

Jose Abreu hit 36 home runs hits last season becoming, The White Sox rookie season home run leader and also won the  American League Rookie of the Year. award.    Kittle, the former rookie home run title holder was also the last White Sox rookie to win Rookie of the year.

At a time  when Larry Bird,  John Mellencamp and David Letterman  were the most famous folks around from Indiana, No Hoosier was more popular than Kittle.  At least, not on the south side of Chicago.  Kittle averaged 34 homers per a  162 game season.   Kittles season rookie mark of 35 homeruns in 1983 (eclipsed by Abreu last year) was his most ever for the pale hose.He followed that up with 32 in'84.

Kittle started and finished his major league career with the White Sox and is still a fan favorite.  I ran into him (almost literally) at Sox Fest in 2006 and he signed the cap off my head.  

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K is for King Tut (Person)

This classic Saturday Night Live skit was a jr. high favorite of mine.

Click A to Z to get back to the alphabetical disorder.

J is for Jose

White Sox Homerun hitters from A.J. to Zeke

J is for Jose

Jose Valentin

When you think about the 2005 White Sox, you often think about players who started playing for the White Sox in 2005.  Players like Iguchi, Podsednik and Hermanson.  You don't often think about the players from the White Sox whose last season was 2004.  This is mainly because we won it all in 2005.  If we had not, perhaps the ChiSox faithful would have dwelled more on  who we let go than who we picked up.  Consider Dye and Pierzynski for a moment who both came to the White Sox from the Bay Area in 2005.  In the 13 seasons combined that they play for the Sox they hit 282 total home runs between them.  That is 22 homers per season and 26 homeruns over 162 game season.

Now look at Jose Valentin, who we are talking about today and Carlos Lee who we will feature next Tuesday.  They played 11 combined seasons for the Sox both ending their time in 2004 and hit  288homers.  That's 6 more homers than Dye and Pierzynski in 2 less seasons.  26 HR by season and 30 HR over 162 games.

Valentin came to the White Sox  from the Brewers in 2000 and in his first month with the team hit for the cycle (A single, a double, a triple and a homer in the same game).  H hit 136 of his 249 career homers over  his 5 years with the  Sox.  Over that career he averaged 24 homers per
  162 game season.   Valentin hit 30 HR in 2004 and 28 in 2001 and again in 2003.

  If Jose Abreu stayson his torrid HR pace from last year sometime leat in the 2017 season he will be the Jose with the most white sox homers.  Until then our hearts belong to Valentin.

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J is for "Jack and Diane" (Thing)

Welcome to 6 word Saturday/A to Z blogging.

slash what a great word. sa-lash!

Here's my 6:

John Cougar Mellencamp is a liar.

In the summer of 1982, John Cougar Mellencamp lied to me.  He did so daily, sometimes 3-4 times a day.  Even now sometimes  in an elevator, at a grocery store, a dentist's office or on pandora he continues to lie to me.

He says in his song Jack & Diane that life goes on long after the thrill of living is gone.  When I was 18 and I thought about John, Jack, Diane, The Tastee Freeze et. al.  I just assumed that John was right  and  at some point the thrill of life would eke out and I should enjoy life while I could.

33 years after that song I must say that while life indeed goes on, it does not and did not in my case outpace the thrill of living.  I believe major events in 1982, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2005 and other smaller events scattered throughout my life have helped the thrill of living live on in my life.  These years are all the beginnings of important relationships in my life.

1982.  I became a Christian.  Some people view embracing Christianity as a get out of Hell free card.  To me, it gave life a purpose that continues to this day.  That purpose is to love God and live in a way that glorifies in him.

Sa-lash!

1990.  I made a life long friend.  That friend and I could laugh together shop together, play and watch sports together and in the years we were in different states and or countries exchange meaningful correspondence and stay close even though apart.

1998.  17 years ago today, in fact, I married that friend.  As long as I have Amy by my side the thrill of living is alive and well.

1999.  Our first daughter is born.  2001,  Our son is born. 2005.  Our 2nd daughter is born.

When you have kids, you see the thrill of living again through a fresh set of eyes.

So, John Mellencamp, know this.  Holding on to 16 is one thing, never losing the joy, curiosity and zeal for life is quite another.  I'll choose the latter.  But a chili dog does sound kind of good about now.

Click A to Z or Six Word Saturday to return to their  respective abodes.

I is for Ivan

White Sox Homerun hitters from A.J. to Zeke

I is For Ivan

Ivan Calderon

Ivan Calderon played for the White Sox from 1982 to 1990. Calderon also played for the Mariners, Expos, and Red Sox.  

Calderon hit 70 of his 104 Major league homeruns as a member of the White Sox .  This makes him 39th all time for the Sox.  Ivan averaged  18 home runs over 162 game season.  Ivan's annual home run production for the white sox was always in increments of 7.  He hit 28 homers in 87 and 14 each in 88, 89 and 90.  

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