The son of famous early White Sox catcher Billy Sullivan, Billy Jr. attended Notre
Dame with the young Ed Walsh, son of the star White Sox pitcher. It was rumored that
Chicago owner Charles Comiskey paid their tuition in hopes they would duplicate the
playing ability and drawing appeal of their fathers. Billy Jr. had played mostly
third and first, but as a publicity stunt, he and Walsh appeared as a battery once,
late in 1932. Sullivan began catching regularly only after joining Cleveland in 1936,
and never caught more than 99 games a season. He turned out to be a much better hitter
than his father; his .351 average in 1936 was seventh in the league. A top lefthanded
pinch hitter, he was extremely difficult to strike out, fanning only 119 times in
2,840 at-bats.
(CG)
FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»May 27, 1936:
Cleveland OF Bruce Campbell is released from the hospital after a 3rd attack of spinal meningitis. Cleveland wins today, 12–2, over he Browns with Billy Sullivan collecting five safeties and Hal Trosky hitting his 10th home run, a triple, and single.
»May 26, 1937: Cleveland's Billy Sullivan and Bruce Campbell blast pinch homers against the A's, the first time two American League substitutes have connected on round trippers. Harry Kelley serves up both home runs. The A's score four in the 9th to win, 8–6.
BALLPLAYERS | TEAMS | CHRONOLOGY | TODAY | BOOKS | NEWSLETTER | ERRATA | FAQ
