Forgotten Sox: Zeke Bonura

Henry John "Zeke" Bonura was born September 20th, 1908. On that day, Frank Smith no hit the Philadelphia A's in a 1-0 victory for the Chi-Sox. He obtained his nickname "Zeke" from legendary Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne, who remarked upon seeing him "What A Physique!" Zeke would grow up to be a star in multiple sports.

Zeke Bonura attended St. Stanislaus High School in Mississippi at the age of 16, where he starred in many sports, including track and field. In 1925, he competed in the AAU National Track & Field Championships. He entered the javelin throw and recorded a mark of 65.18 meters, the longest ever recorded at the championship by 20 feet. This record fell just five years later, but he is still the youngest person to ever win an event at the AAU Championships. After high school, Zeke would go on to attend college at Loyola in New Orleans, Louisiana.

As a freshman in 1927, Bonura played on and coached, the freshman basketball team because Loyola did not field a varsity team that year. He also served as captain of the team and was its “super player,” scoring 226 points, an average of 25 points per game. His total was more than half of the team’s total.  As a sophomore, he continued his phenomenal scoring record in varsity competition, and was named the outstanding forward of the AAU League in which Loyola participated. He probably would have become one of Loyola’s all time great athletes, but he left the university at the end of his second year to sign a professional baseball contract. Bonura returned to the university for the 1930-31 season to coach the varsity basketball team. Bonura also played on the football team during his first two years.[1]

That contract he signed was with an independent team in the Southern Association known as the New Orleans Pelicans. He played for other teams such as the Indianapolis Indians and Dallas Steers between 1931 and 1933. Toward the end of the minor league season in 1933, the White Sox purchased his contract from the Dallas Steers. Just two seasons later Dallas would become an official White Sox affiliate.

Upon arriving for Spring Training, Bill Henry wrote: "Remember the farmer who stood in front of the hippo’s cage for twenty minutes and then said ‘There ain’t no such animal?’ He should see Zeke. Zeke has legs like Jim Londo’s (who was a wrestler during that time period) chest, weighs 220 pounds on the hoof and scampers around first base with astounding agility."

Bonura found instant success in his first season as White Sox starting first baseman. He hit .302/27/110 with a .925 OPS in his rookie season.  He could have won rookie of the year, but that award did not begin until 1947.  His 27 home runs remained the White Sox rookie record until Ron Kittle hit 35 in his 1983 rookie campaign. Upon finding out that he had broken Zeke Bonura's rookie Sox record, he remarked: "Oh yea, Zeke...he was my hero." This was also the team record for any season and stood until 1950 when Gus "Ozark Ike" Zernial would hit 29.

Zeke saw only a small sophomore slump in his second year, still having a very productive .295/21/92 season. One highlight from his 1935 season was noted in the August 27th, 1935 issue of the New York Times:

The Yankees fought their longest battle of the year today before 15,000 fans at Comiskey Park and lost to the White Sox. In the fifteenth inning of the first game in their second straight double-header here, the slow-footed Zeke Bonura summoned an amazing burst of speed when he caught Jimmy De Shong in the midst of a long wind-up and stole home with the run that won for the Sox, 9 to 8.[2]

A first baseman whose description of his "speed" sounds a lot like Paul Konerko, managed to steal home because the guy wasn't pitching out of the stretch, and in the fifteenth inning. Sounds like an awesome way to win a game to me. This is definitely one of those plays that I wish had existing footage.

In 1936, Zeke put up a line of .330/12/138 with a .908 OPS. In 1937, his line was .345/19/100 with a .984 OPS. You would think a player of his calibur of production would be adored by all as a hero of the Southside, but you would be wrong. He may have had love among the fans, but there was no such love among manager Jimmy Dykes or ownership. To say his relationship there was strained would be understating the situation.

He held out every Spring Training for more money according to sources. He also played first base with as little effort as possible. I think he missed his calling as a DH as he had absolutely no desire to play the field. He actually lead AL first basemen in overall fielding but only because he refused to field anything that wasn't hit directly to him, leading to no chance to make an error. Zeke's signature "play" at first base was to wave his glove mockingly at the ball as it skipped past just a few feet away from him, as a white flag signaling that he had only made a sarcastic attempt on the play.

Apparently the final straw that broke the camel's back was his repeated attempts to "court" the daughter of owner J. Lou Comiskey. He was traded to the Washington Senators for the 1938 season. In 1939, he was signed by the New York Giants. Apparently there were players who didn't like Bonura either. In a game in 1939 against the Brooklyn Dodgers, Leo Durocher deliberately spiked him on a double play. Zeke threw the ball at Durocher, then chased him into right field where he landed a few punches before umpires separated them and ejected both men.[3] 

Overall, his numbers were good but declined in 1939 and 1940 and he signed up for military service after that season. He would not play another game in the Majors. He finished his career with a .307/119/704 line. He finished his career with a 121 OPS+. This ranks him among some great players who finished with similar OPS+ including: Tony Perez (122), Gil Hodges (120), Mark Grace (119), Pete Rose (118), and Andres Galarraga (118) and Hall of Famers Jim Bottomley (125) and George Sisler (124).

Zeke, along with Hank Greenberg, finished their service time, and were released from the Army because they were over 28 on December 5th, 1941. Two days later, the Japanese would attack Pearl Harbor and Bonura and Greenberg would immediately re-enlist. Bonura joined a long list of over 500 men who would trade their baseball uniforms for military ones. During his tenure in the military, Bonura recieved the Legion of Merit award while serving in the US Army during World War 2, for his work as athletic director for the Army in Oran, Algeria in 1943 and 1944.

The ceremony was very special for him when receiving the Merit award. He was given this award by General Dwight D. Eisenhower. As Zeke tells the story: “It was on Goat Hill,” Bonura recalled. ‘They had the troops drawn up and I was called out, and the general pinned the medal on me. I was so proud, I could have cried. I hadn't fired a shot in the war and here I was getting a medal on Goat Hill. A lot of our guys died taking that hill.”[4]

While searching for more information on Bonura, I stumbled across an old poster advertising "Zeke Bonura's New Orleans Pro Basket Ball Team vs Delmas All Stars." This game apparently took place on February 5th, 1940.  As stated earlier, he had been a star basketball player for Loyola College. He also organized wrestling and boxing events.

 

After war, he went back to baseball.  From 1946-1952 he played for various independent teams, racking up a .367/62 line (RBI were not recorded accurately). He was finished as a player in 1952 after just two games with the Midland, Texas Indians at the age of 43. In 1953, he managed the Fargo-Moorhead Twins, a Cleveland Indians affiliate. The team won the league title behind a young Roger Maris. Zeke never married and in his life after baseball, he raised and sold pedigree beagles. Zeke Bonura died March 9th, 1987, and was buried in a cemetery in New Orleans.[5]

 

During his baseball career, Zeke was often teased about his nose. He earned the nickname "Banana Nose".  In a radio interview before a 1935 White Sox/Yankees game, legendary dugout heckler, Babe Ruth, asked listeners, "Say, Is that Zeke's nose, or did his pants fall down?" He was definitely one of the most colorful characters of baseball history. He should not have been forgotten like he has been. Zeke was the ultimate sports athlete and could have succeeded at nearly any sport he attempted. He chose baseball over all others, America's Pastime. In 1929, it was the premier sport garnering the most recognition. No doubt, most kids who dreamed to become sport stars, dreamed of playing in the Major Leagues with Babe Ruth, Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig and Rogers Hornsby.

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While his Major League baseball career was relatively short and incomplete, his overall life is certainly that of a sports hall of famer. He has been awarded such, inducted into the Loyola, Louisiana and Italian American Sports Halls Of Fame.[6] Zeke certainly earned those accolades and should be known as one of the greatest 'athletes' of all time; as well as a great Sock, despite his poor defense. I wonder if it could have been different for him had there been a DH? We'll never know.

[1]http://alumni.loyno.edu/s/1135/NoRtCol.aspx?sid=1135&gid=1&pgid=830
[2]http://goldenrankings.com/baseballlore3.htm
[3][4]http://www.lasportshall.com/inductees/baseball/henry-zeke-bonura/?back=inductee
[5]http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=5861207
[6]http://www.niashf.org/Inductee_Search.php?f=1&iid=29

Strikeouts Are Overrated, Period

 

Strikeouts. For some reason when you talk about who are the greatest pitchers in the game, people want to use strikeouts as one of the top 3 metrics. The "Pitcher's Triple Crown" consists of Wins, ERA and strikeouts. I could go on about how much the other two statistics matter (or not), but strikeouts is the one that gets under my skin the most. It's one of several types of out, period. 

First, how do you strikeout a batter? Well there is the conventional way, of whiffing the guy. Then, there's the more rare version which includes a batter bunting a ball foul with two strikes in the count. There is an entry in the official rule book about strikeouts which states:

10.15 Strikeouts
A strikeout is a statistic credited to a pitcher and charged to a batter when the umpire calls three strikes on a batter, as set forth in this Rule 10.15.
(a) The official scorer shall score a strikeout whenever a batter:
(1) is put out by a third strike caught by the catcher;
(2) is put out by a third strike not caught when there is a runner on first before two are out; (3) becomes a runner because a third strike is not caught; or
(4) bunts foul on third strike, unless such bunt on third strike results in a foul fly caught by any fielder, in which case the official scorer shall not score a strikeout and shall credit the fielder who catches such foul fly with a putout.
(b) When a batter leaves the game with two strikes against him, and the substitute batter completes a strikeout, the official scorer shall charge the strikeout and the time at bat to the first batter. If the substitute batter completes the turn at bat in any other manner, including a base on balls, the official scorer shall score the action as having been that of the substitute batter.

So there's a lot to a strikeout that requires its own subsection. You can strikeout a guy with a third strike thrown, caught by the catcher. You get a strikeout if the catcher drops the ball and does (or does not) throw the ball successfully to first base to record the out. You get a strikeout if you are pitching to one guy, and he has to leave the game and another guy takes his place and strikeouts finishing the at bat. You get a strikeout if a guy bunts foul with two strikes. So I guess it does deserve to be a subsection.

Let's get to the part that makes me upset; that people overstate the value of this type of out. A pitcher's goal when he takes the mound is to limit the amount of guys who get on base. He can do that with strikeouts, sure. He can also do that with ground outs, popouts, flyouts, lineouts, etc. If a pitcher makes a good pitch, most guys will get themselves out one way or another. So do strikeout totals make you a more or less successful pitcher?

There is a debate going on as to whether Jered Weaver or Justin Verlander is the Cy Young frontrunner in the American League. I don't see the debate at all, but people keep discussing it on sports shows and pages. I think that Jered Weaver's total statistics speak for themselves: 15-1, 2.13 ERA, 0.916 WHIP, 6.4 H/9. All of those statistics lead the league. Justin Verlander is 12-7, 2.51 ERA, 0.984 WHIP, 6.7 H/9.  So you would see these two stat lines and say clearly Jered Weaver is having the better year to this point and should win over Verlander. Then why is there an ongoing argument? Because of Strikeouts!

For some people, they can't look past strikeouts in deciding who a better pitcher is. Jered Weaver has 101 strikeouts. Justin Verlander has 168 strikeouts. Has this lead to Verlander posting better statistics in key metrics such as H/9, or WHIP? No, it hasn't, but some people can't overlook strikeouts. To them, strikeouts clearly shows that Justin MUST be the more dominant pitcher, especially since he has 67 more strikeouts this year. Surely he is the best pitcher in the game.

It's this mindset that I cannot get over. I have no idea why people actually believe this to be true. To show how strikeouts do NOT make you a great pitcher, just look at other guys on the strikeout leader board this year. Max Scherzer is number two in MLB with 160 strikeouts. Surely he's having a great season? He's 10-6 with a 4.72 ERA and 1.41 WHIP. Yu Darvish, the big name Japanese prospect for the Texas Rangers is sixth in MLB with 154 strikeouts. Surely he's on pace for AL ROY and a Cy Young candidate...wait, he's 11-8 with a 4.57 ERA and 1.46 WHIP? Oh, hmm.  Well what about James Shields, he's eighth with 151 strikeouts. Surely, oh, well you know where this is going. (10-7, 4.08 ERA, 1.33 WHIP)

Tim Lincecum is the last guy I will mention to make this point. He's having the worst statistical season in his career bar none. He's 6-11, 5.43 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 9.1 H/9, the most wild pitches and the most earned runs allowed. So you can see he's having an atrocious season. However, he is still in the top 15 in strikeouts in MLB with 139. This to me is proof that strikeouts don't matter.

What do I think does matter the most? A great metric to me is just the stat the shows how you limit base runners (WHIP). Only three retired pitchers have a WHIP under 1.00. Low WHIP is, to me, a greater feat than high strikeout total. ERA really isn't that great of a metric because there are ways for ERA not to be affected by poor pitching: 1)Someone makes an error then you give up runs 2)You never record an out, and your ERA is infinity which can't be calculated. ERA is flawed to me. Almost all pitchers have ERAs that don't reflect the actual number of runs they allowed in their appearances. Wins I can see, it's a pitcher's job to put his team in position to win. If he does that enough times while also being the winning pitcher, that's fine. It's team dependent but it's their job.

So when we look at Jered and Justin, I just don't think strikeouts should put a guy over the top when he doesn't have better numbers at any other metric. You have to take the metrics as a whole. I get that people treat strikeouts like they treat batter home runs. It's the flashy, firework statistic that excites the crowd the most. For me, I don't care how you do it as long as you do it. If Chris Sale has two outs, bases loaded in a one run game and gets a popup, that's just as awesome as a strikeout would have been. To record strikeouts, you also have to throw more pitches. It's always better to throw less pitches in this era of glass-arms with innings limits being placed on guys around the league.

Guy A (17-9, 2.88 ERA, 127 strikeouts, 0.90 WHIP, 6.7 H/9, 177 IP) and Guy B (16-8, 3.00 ERA, 205 strikeouts, 1.01 WHIP, 7.2 H/9, 177 IP) I would definitely pick Guy A for Cy Young. I don't see where the debate is. If he keeps it up, give the Cy Young to Jered Weaver. Why is there even a debate?

A guy had more outs that were strikeouts than another guy's outs were? So what? Did the other guy have better over all production? Yeah and that's my whole point. Strikeouts don't necessarily give you better production or lead to a high rate of success on the mound. I know people will disagree with me. Conversation is healthy. What do you think?

White Sox Birthday Games Are Special

If you’re like me and have a birthday falling somewhere between April 1 and October 5th, the White Sox often play on your birthday.  My birthday is August 7th. I feel that these games, when they occur, are a little bit more special. I am 28 years old (as of 8/7/2012), and the Sox have now played on 23 of my birthdays.

I look forward to each birthday game, even if the Sox are not doing so well that particular season. For one day, I throw out the standings and feel like they are playing for me. Tonight, August 7th, 2012, they are playing the Kansas City Royals. Jake Peavy is starting the game on my birthday for the second year in a row.  He is definitely one of my favorite players on the team, in my Top 5 at least. Hope he wins and gets the Sox to their 61st win in the standings this evening.

Last August 7th, the Sox rolled over the Twins 7-0, earning their first sweep of the Twins @ Minnesota since 2004, and first ever at Target Field. This was a great game, seeing the Sox go yard four times, including my favorite player Konerko. Jake Peavy was brilliant, going 8 innings of 3 hit baseball, 6 Ks.

My White Sox birthday game list began in 1984, my birth year, with a 6-3 victory over the New York Yankees @ Yankee Stadium. Their total record in all games occurring on August 7th since 1984 is 12-11. The team we have played most is the Angels, all three incarnations (California, Anaheim and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim). In those seven games, the Sox are 4-3.

There has only been one shutout win by the White Sox; last season versus the Twins. There has only been one decision by 10 or more runs, which was an 11-1 loss to Oakland in 1999. The longest win streak for the Sox has been 3 games(1988-1991) and the longest losing streak is also 3 games (twice). My Sox birthday games have only gone to extra innings one time, an 8-4 victory over the Yankees in 10 innings back in 1996. You can watch an interesting version of events HERE

The White Sox have averaged being in 2.54th place after the result of the games on August 7th each year since 1984. That doesn’t surprise me, since the White Sox have the second most second place league/division finishes in AL history (19). I am surprised that they have gone 3-0 against the Yankees over those games.

The most games the White Sox have trailed first place after my birthday game was 10 games back in 2006. Despite the large deficit, the Sox were in 2nd place at the time. The Sox have played 12 of those games on the road, and 11 of those games at home. On the road, they are 8-5; at home they are just 4-6. Their longest streak of home games in a row is 7 (2002-2009), while their longest road streak is 6 (1994-2001). In 1994, the White Sox won 10-5 over the California Angels. The Sox would only play 3 more games that year, then the season ended with the Strike.

If you are like me and are lucky enough to have a birthday that falls during the baseball season, what does your Sox Birthday history look like?  Do you celebrate by watching the games?  I have never been lucky enough to attend a Sox game on my birthday, hopefully I can do that someday.  The day will always be special to me no matter what the Sox are doing before or after that date in the season.  Go Sox! (Especially on August 7th)

***Updates***
8/7/2013: The White Sox finished in 2nd place last season, so that number is now 20 all time second place finishes. The White Sox lost in 2012 to Cy Chen 5-2, so my all time birthday record falls to 12-12. The White Sox will need to take care of the Yankees tonight to get me over .500 all time. No matter what happens, this will be the most the White Sox have trailed first place after my birthday. (either 23, 24 or 25 games back after tonight)

My Thoughts On The Sox Since The Break

At the All-Star break, I think a lot of people were satisfied with the first half for the White Sox.  The team was playing really well, the team was revamped due to the addition of Kevin Youkilis, and the rookie pitchers had gotten it done.  Well so far in the second half, some things have changed.

Players Making An Impact

Paul Konerko - .318/3/10

Alex Rios - .290/4/14

Gavin Floyd - 2.13 ERA in two starts

AJ Pierzynski - .317/2/6 

Hector Santiago* - 9 IP, 9 K, 2.00 ERA, .111 BAA

Adam Dunn - .232/6/12
Dayan Viciedo - .258/2/12
Leyson Septimo - 5 IP, 3 ER(but all were in one appearance), .125 BAA, 0.80 WHIP

Players Staying Afloat

Alexei Ramirez - .273/2/5

Alejandro De Aza - .279/1/9, 5 SB

Addison Reed - 4 saves, only one 1-2-3 inning since break

Jake Peavy - 2-2, 3.85 ERA with 26 K

Players Who Are Struggling

Kevin Youkilis - .164/3/8

Matt Thornton - 7.04 ERA, .344 BAA

Jose Quintana - 0-0, 4.44 ERA, .301 BAA

Gordon Beckham - .172/0/1**

Philip Humber - 5.40 ERA, 5 HR allowed in 15 IP

Nate Jones - 5 appearances, 3.1 IP, 8.10 ERA, .944 OPS-Allowed

Tyler Flowers - .266/0/1***

Chris Sale - 21.1 IP, 4.64 ERA, .328 BAbip, 5 ER in 2 of 3 starts

*Hector Santiago had the best stretch of his season and his reward was being optioned to Triple-A Charlotte.

**Gordon Beckham has given this team zero production at the plate. It sucks to not have any other options at second. I miss Tad Iguchi.

***It's nice to have AJ back.

The Sox needed a starting pitcher and KW delivered by getting Francisco Liriano for next to nothing (Pedro Hernandez and Eduardo Escobar).  Liriano delivered a very solid first start for the team going 6 IP 2 ER 8 K in a no decision eventual Sox victory over his former Twins team.  I like the move now that I have dug deeper into the numbers.  From May 1st to now, he's pitched 14 starts and 5 relief appearances.  His numbers over that time are 89.2 IP, 4.12 ERA, .209 BAA, 105 K/46 BB and a WHIP of 1.27. These are much better numbers for him than his disastrous April.  I hope he can just stay steady and keep the White Sox in games and give them a chance to win.

KW also picked up Brett Myers from the Astros for RHP Matt Heidenreich(who?) and LHP Blair Walters(no really, who?) and a PTBNL.  It's a good move to add depth and experience to the bullpen.  He lost in an appearance to the Twins, but I think he'll add a lot more positive value to the team than negative.  I don't like him as a person but will have to accept that he's part of this team now for the playoff run and I'll just have to hope he pitches well for the better of the team's outcomes.

The team has beaten who they are "supposed" to beat (KC & Minnesota), although no games or series are ever gimmes in MLB. They struggled against the Tigers, being swept in a series that was definitely discouraging since they are our main competition. Mistakes and poor pitching lead to losing three of four to the Red Sox.  The team then rebounded to take two of three from the Rangers.  The White Sox are going to have to figure out how to beat the Tigers and contend against the best teams in the league if they're going to keep it up going forward.

I like where the Sox are going and they have stayed in first place, despite only being 10-9 since the break.  The guys who are struggling need to pick it up if the Sox are going to go strong for the next two months and make a realistic post season run.  They can't have multiple starters struggling and expect to win consistently.  They can't have position guys not even hitting .200 or plating base runners over a long stretch of games and expect to score enough runs to win.  

I want this team to succeed but it's going to take a lot of work to keep it up and hope that Detroit continues to flounder and not play to their potential.  I don't know what will happen but they survived 16 of 19 on the road and now look at an August filled with 15 home games and 12 road games.  There are multiple teams (Angels, A's, Orioles, Rays) right in the fight for the Wild Card and hopefully that will be Detroit's problem to worry about.  It's going to take everyone playing at least close to their full potential and staying healthy to pull this off but I think they can.  This team is gritty and they fight to win ball games.  This team cares, and it shows and Robin is doing a good job at the helm. Go Sox!