In 1914, the White Sox and New York Giants engaged in an exhibition game in Cairo, Egypt, as part of their 56-game World Tour. The intense match ended in a 3-3 draw after 10 innings. Despite the challenging travel conditions, including a nine-day boat trip and a 23-hour train journey to Cairo, the players experienced an adventurous journey that included a short train ride to the suburbs, a car trip to visit the Great Pyramids, and eventually suiting up for a 2:30 p.m. game. A crowd of 2,000 spectators at the Heliopolis Sporting Club witnessed the first baseball game in Egypt in 25 years, enjoying a hard-fought contest where Jim Thorpe, a legendary athlete, drove in all three runs for the Giants with a solo home run. The game concluded not due to player fatigue but due to darkness.
In 2002, the White Sox made a notable signing by signing center fielder Kenny Lofton to a one-year, $1.25 million contract. Lofton, an underappreciated player in baseball history, had already accumulated 52.9 wins above replacement (WAR) in his career, demonstrating Hall of Fame worthiness. However, despite his impressive credentials, Lofton’s signing marked the beginning of a nomadic final career stage, playing for nine teams in six years and never staying with one club for more than a single season. During his tenure with the White Sox in 2002, Lofton delivered a strong performance in 93 games, boasting a slash line of.259/.348/.418 and contributing 2.1 WAR. He was later traded to the San Francisco Giants on July 28 to support their playoff push. Lofton concluded his career in 2007 with 68.4 WAR, ranking 118th in MLB history. Despite his achievements, he received only 3.2% support on his first and only Hall of Fame ballot in 2013, highlighting the perceived shortcomings of Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) writers in determining Hall of Fame elections.
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