Times Staff Report
CHICAGO -- A life-sized sculpture of White Sox pitching legend Billy Pierce will be unveiled prior to tonight's game against the Detroit Tigers.
The Pierce sculpture will be located on the main concourse near left-center field. Pierce's will be the sixth in a series of sculptures unveiled honoring White Sox greats. Sculptures of club founder Charles A. Comiskey and Cuban great Orestes "Minnie" Minoso were unveiled in 2004. Carlton Fisk's likeness was unveiled in 2005, while the double play duo of Luis Aparicio and Nellie Fox was honored with sculptures last summer.
Pierce will participate in the sculpture's unveiling before throwing out the ceremonial first pitch.
"Bill Pierce is one of the truly great pitchers in Chicago White Sox history," said White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. "And as great a pitcher as Bill was for those 1950s Sox teams, he is an even greater human being, working for decades as the heart and soul of Chicago Baseball Cancer Charities. While he won over 200 games in his career, Bill should be just as proud of the millions of dollars he has raised to help others. It is more than fitting that he is immortalized in bronze along with other legends of the organization and will forever be a part of White Sox tradition and history."
Pierce was acquired from the Detroit Tigers on November 10, 1948. In the next 13 years with the White Sox, the left-hander won 186 games, struck out 1,796 batters and was selected to the All-Star Game seven times, starting the game on three different occasions. Pierce's strikeouts rank first in team history, while his win total ranks fourth. A member of the 1959 American League Champion White Sox, Pierce threw four scoreless innings out of the bullpen during the World Series.
Pierce made one more World Series appearance with the San Francisco Giants in 1962. He retired following the 1964 season, finishing his career with 211 wins, 193 complete games and 38 shutouts. But it was his congenial personality and upbeat demeanor, not his numbers, which made him a favorite among fans throughout the city.
After his playing career, Pierce served as and continues to be an ambassador for the White Sox, appearing at community events on behalf of the organization. Pierce also is a driving force on behalf of Chicago Baseball Cancer Charities, which since its inception in 1971, has raised over $11 million for cancer patient care, education and research programs at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Children's Memorial Hospital.
