If you think you’re having a bad day (or a bad week, or a bad month), just be glad you aren’t the Chicago White Sox baseball team.
Going into play Sunday, their record was 31 wins and 106 losses. To put that in perspective, the next-highest number of losses by a team at that point was 86.
The Colorado Rockies, going into play Sunday, were 31 and a half games out of first place in their division. The White Sox were 38 games out – of fourth place.
As the saying goes, the White Sox are at least consistent this season. They’re lost 53 games at home and 53 on the road.
They may want to look at applying to join the National League next season, since they actually have winning records (in a very small sample size) against five National League teams.
The White Sox are almost certain to break the 1962 New York Mets record for most losses in a season, which was 120. The Mets were an expansion team that year, so they weren’t expected to do well, but I don’t think anyone expected the White Sox to be this bad.
Their longest winning streak this season is four games. They have had 12 losing streaks of at least that many games. They set a new franchise record from May 22 to June 6 of 14 straight losses.
They then proceeded to break that record by losing 21 straight between July 10 and August 5. It’s very tough for a team which has been in existence in the Majors since 1901 to set a new record for consecutive losses twice in a season, but the White Sox have done it.
I mentioned the 1962 New York Mets earlier. Their owner was Joan Payson, and partway through the season she was scheduled for a long ocean cruise.
This, remember, is back in 1962. No cell phones, no internet to keep track of scores.
Payson remembers getting a transcontinental cable each day, detailing the previous day’s loss. Eventually she told the club to just let her know when they won.
“That was about the last I heard from New York until the end of the cruise.”
The White Sox are still playing hard. They’ve been in 36 one-run games this year, which is about a quarter of their total games.
It’s been a train wreck of a season for the White Sox and their fans. Thankfully, it’s almost over.