Baseball fans love a bargain story, especially one involving a $6,000 purchase that felt like a total steal. On August 30, 1931, the White Sox snagged second baseman Carey Selph from the St. Louis Cardinals organization. According to South Side Sox, Selph was hitting .322 for the Houston Buffaloes at the time. The price tag looked tiny for a player of his caliber, and the front office thought they had outsmarted the league.
Here is the twist that still stings today: Selph ended up playing for the worst team in White Sox history. At least until the 2024 squad came along to take that title. Per South Side Sox, Selph was the primary third baseman on a roster that had no starting player averaging more than the 2.0 WAR standard for an MLB regular. He posted a .283/.341/.371 slash line and a 1.0 WAR, which actually tied for fourth on the entire lineup.
A Reluctant Hero on a Broken Team
Money talks, but heart stays put. Selph, who had established a thriving insurance enterprise in Houston, did not wish to depart that city. The White Sox responded with courtesy, stating that should Selph ever desire to return to baseball, it must be in Chicago. He participated in only a single season before being traded back to St. Louis as a player to be named later. According to South Side Sox, he would never reach the majors again after that single, strange year in the wind.
The irony of his arrival is hard to miss. The club thought they were getting a star to lift a mediocre squad. Instead, they got a guy who was simply too good for the rest of the lineup. His 1.0 WAR was high because everyone else on the team was so bad. It was a hollow victory for a franchise that needed a miracle, not a slightly above-average player on a sinking ship.
Other August 30 Heartbreaks
The date holds other painful memories for South Side fans, too. Johnny Humphries, a pitcher, watched his record of 35 consecutive scoreless innings end on August 30, 1941. Chet Laabs of the Browns ended the streak with a home run during the second inning. St. Louis won that afternoon going away, 10-1. According to South Side Sox, Humphries had pitched three straight shutouts entering the game and began the streak on July 19 with relief appearances.
Then there was the tragedy of Jackie Hayes on August 30, 1949. The team organized and celebrated “Jackie Hayes Night” at Comiskey Park. Hayes, an excellent second baseman, suddenly became blind because of glaucoma. One afternoon following a shower, Hayes experienced the sensation that soap was in his right eye. The next day his vision was blurry. The club honored a man who could no longer see the game he loved so well.
History on August 30 is a mix of cheap deals, broken streaks, and silent tributes. The White Sox have had many bad years, but the 1931 team stands out for its sheer lack of talent. Carey Selph was a good player stuck in a bad place. His story reminds fans that sometimes the best deals are still not enough to fix a broken team.
