‘Chicago White Sox Suspend Chris Sale for ‘Destroying Team Equipment’
“The Chicago White Sox on Sunday said it has suspended Chris Sale following a clubhouse incident Saturday night, in which the pitcher reportedly damaged throwback jerseys the team was scheduled to wear. 
“Sale was given a five-day suspension, which began Saturday, for “violating team rules, for insubordination and for destroying team equipment”, White Sox Senior Vice President and General Manager Rick Hahn said in a statement. The pitcher was also fined an undisclosed amount.
“Sale reportedly was opposed to wearing a throwback version of the Chicago team’s 1976 “leisure suit” uniform and cut up his jersey and those of some of his teammates, ESPN reports. That jersey, which was designed to be tucked into a player’s pants, was often ridiculed when it was worn from 1976 until 1981, according to ESPN.
“Officials did not specify what Sale did prior to Saturday’s game with the Detroit Tigers to warrant the suspension. The team said the incident was “non-physical in nature”. Sale was scratched from Saturday’s game and was sent home, the White Sox said in a statement.
“While we all appreciate Chris’ talent and passion, there is a correct way and an incorrect way to express concerns about team rules and organizational expectations,” Hahn said.
–‘Chicago White Sox Suspends Chris Sale for ‘Destroying Team Equipment’,
Melissa Chan, Time, July 24, 2016
http://time.com/4420963/white-sox-chris-sale-suspend/
Main Image: AP
(David Robertson, right, celebrates with catcher Tyler Flowers)
“In 1976, Bill Veeck (4th from left above) returned as owner of the Chicago White Sox and true to his reputation he brought a bunch of whacky ideas with him to try to sell more tickets. One of those ideas turned out to be arguably the most infamous uniform in baseball history, the “leisure suit” uniform.
“The uniform included a collared jersey that was typically worn untucked and even included shorts (seen above) that were worn for three games during the season…
–‘The most infamous uniform in baseball history is coming back for one game’,
Cork Gaines, UK Business Insider, Aug. 21, 2015
http://uk.businessinsider.com/chicago-white-sox-leisure-suit-throwback-uniform-2015-8
“If the reports currently circulating are true, Chris Sale might have issued the most emphatically negative review of a uniform that any athlete has ever issued.
“But it’s certainly not the first negative review.
“First, some quick background: The Chicago White Sox were slated to wear a throwback version of their infamous 1976 “leisure suit” uniform on Saturday night, complete with the untucked jerseys and the disco collars.
“But when the Sox took the field tonight against the Detroit Tigers, they weren’t wearing the 1970s throwbacks. Instead, they wore their 1980s “beach blanket” throwbacks, which they normally wear on Sundays. And instead of Sale, who had been scheduled to be on the mound, the starting pitcher was Matt Albers — a relief pitcher.
“The Sox soon issued a statement indicating that Sale had been scratched due to “a clubhouse incident.”
“That prompted a flurry of reports from multiple sources indicating that Sale had been so upset about the prospect of wearing the throwback uniform that he cut his jersey to shreds, along with those of some of his teammates…”
–‘Uni Watch: Chris Sale not the first to protest uniform’,
Paul Lukas, ESPN, July 24, 2016
See also:
‘Walking Away From $13 Million’ {Mar.28. 2016}:
https://insidesportssite.wordpress.com/2016/03/28/walking-away-from-13-million/
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