The White Sox of 1917 were not only no-hit in back-to-back games, they also got a no-hitter for! And Eddie Cicotte who threw it (and then helped throw the 1919 World Series), was also the losing pitcher in one of the games where Chicago was shutout in back-to-back games!
Cicotte was one of the best pitchers in baseball at the time. In 1917, two years prior to the fixed Fall Classic, he led the American League in wins with 28 and in ERA, 1.53!
But his grand moment on that honest 1917 season was his very first start on April 14. There, facing the St. Louis Browns on the road, Eddie had "it" on the mound! His teammates also were doing the job. Except for Buck Weaver and Chick Gandil (Weaver admitted he attended two such meetings where the fix of the 1919 World Series was planned, but took no money. Gandil was the ringleader in the arrangement) every White Sox got a hit. But Joe Jackson got just one hit!
But Cicotte could not have cared at what Jackson (or anyone else) was doing at this point. Backed by eleven runs on ten hits, Eddie was on cruise control. Better still, Chicago scored a run in the top of the first. It was all Eddie would need, but the Sox added seven more in the top of the second! So very early on the only question that remained was whether Eddie Cicotte would get the shutout and no-hitter.
Got it, he did, although he walked three batters and Chick Gandil made the only error for Chicago. But the Browns made five. Cicotte also hit a batter on the day where he faced just 31 batters.
Cicotte though, took a 1-0 loss to the very same Browns on May 5th. This time, it was St. Louis with the no-hitter. But Eddie, who allowed just five hits and one unearned run, faced just 30 batters in this game. Interesting to note, it was also a road game. Three members of the suspected or proven fixers contributed to the five Chicago walks on this day. Jackson and Cicotte had two and Swede Risberg had the other one. The Browns made two more errors in this game, and it was Swede Risberg (a proven fixer) with Chicago's only miscue. Cicotte's record was 2-2 at this point. But he went 26-10 the rest of the season.
Eddie Cicotte would add a two-hitter against New York on May 13th and then a one-hitter against Washington on July 17th. His no-hitter was no fluke, as you can see.
But how about the Fall Classic in 1917?
He got the start in the opening tilt against the New York Giants. And he got the win, too!
The White Sox got only seven hits, and none were by Shoeless Joe or Buck Weaver. Weaver also made the White Sox only error in the game. It did not figure into the scoring. Nor did the Giants only miscue of the opening act. But Cicotte limited New York to just one run. That, coupled with the Sox's two runs, was enough for Eddie's first postseason win!
In game three, with Chicago looking to go up 3-0 in the best-of-seven affair, it was up to Eddie to deliver. He fired a fine eighth-hitter, and New York only scored twice in the entire game. But Chicago made three errors in the game (one by Cicotte) and collected only five hits themselves. Joe Jackson was again held hitless!
Still another hitless game by Jackson and another shutout by New York in game four and the 1917 World Series was all square at two!
Cicotte was then needed in game five, as White Sox starter Reb Russell was knocked out in the top of the first, failing to retire a single batter. A run was already in by the time Eddie made it to the mound. Another would score before Cicotte got 'em out of there.
The Giants eventually stretched their lead to 4-1 before Chicago rallied. However, before the winning run was scored Eddie Cicotte was out of the game. He was relieved by Lefty Williams, who like Cicotte was another proven fixer in the debacle two years later. Williams gave up a run in his only inning of work. The winning run was scored in the bottom of the eighth. Red Faber would be the winning pitcher in this game. Shoeless Joe got three hits this time around. The Chicago White Sox would go on to win this series in six games.
The White Sox did not quite give it their all in the 1919 World Series. Even two years earlier, they seemed to be unable to play to their potential in select times in the regular season and post-season. But Cicotte, with his no-hitter in his first regular season start, and fine effort in his first World Series start, was able to lift Chicago when they needed it the most!
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