Sullivan earned a reputation as a terrible hitter and a superior catcher. His .212 lifetime batting average makes him the second worst hitter of all time (to Bill Bergen) among those with 3,000 at-bats. But from 1901 through 1911, with Sullivan calling the pitches, the White Sox won two pennants, came within two games of two others, and never finished lower than fourth. The two years he was injured, Chicago finished more than 30 games back. The sinewy Sullivan excelled in all aspects of catching - calling the game, blocking the plate, catching foul pops, and throwing out runners. Ty Cobb called him the best catcher "ever to wear shoe leather."

RELATED LINKS Photos » Photo: Can't Wait For Spring from The American League Book Excerpts » "From 1899 through 1916, Sullivan batted .212, but he was one of the best defensive catchers of his time": Edward Gruver Submissions » Catching, A Family Affair: A Father's Day Tribute by Chuck Rosciam

When Johnny Kling, star catcher of the crosstown Cubs, boasted that he was going to be the first man to catch 1,000 games, a check of the records revealed that Sullivan had already done it. In 1909 Sullivan managed the White Sox and obtained a patent on the first chest protector that featured a wind pad for compressed air. Although he was one of the early White Sox promised "lifetime employment" by Charles Comiskey, the vow was broken with his 1914 release. When his son, Billy Jr., caught in the 1940 World Series for Detroit, the two became the first father-son team to have played in the WS.

Official records indicate the 1906 Hitless Wonders hit only six home runs. Historian Rich Lindberg discovered the Sox had actually hit seven - the missing homer belonging to Sullivan. (DB)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » March 2, 1901: Jimmy Collins, Connie Mack’s choice for the all-time best third baseman, leaves the Boston NL club to manage the AL’s new Boston Somersets. The Beaneaters also lose OF Hugh Duffy, who will manage Milwaukee (AL), and C Billy Sullivan, who signs with the Chicago White Stockings. More than half the AL rosters-a total of 185-will be filled by NL players. » May 26, 1907: Chicago's Ed Walsh hurls a rain-shortened 5-inning no-hitter against New York. In a steady drizzle, New York is down 4-1 when Manager Clark Griffith lifts starter Al Orth and inserts himself. Hoping to have the game washed out, Griffith loads the bases and then serves a cripple to Walsh, who drives in two runs. The Sox figure two can play that game and, Billy Sullivan, who was on first with a walk, loafs home from 3rd and is tagged out. Umpire Jack Sheridan threatens a forfeiture if the shenanigans continue. Chicago scores two more in the 6th before rain washes out the game and the Sox win 8-1. » August 21, 1908: Nationals catcher Gabby Street stands at the base of the Washington Monument and catches the 13th ball dropped from the top, 555 feet up, duplicating the feat performed by Pop Schriver of the Chicago Colts on August 24, 1894. Billy Sullivan of the Chicago White Sox will repeat the catch on August 24, 1910. Street gets a $500 prize for his morning's efforts, then spends the afternoon behind the plate catching Walter Johnson's 3-1 win over Detroit. » April 12, 1909: Billy Sullivan, the White Sox catcher in the first AL game, replaces Fielder Jones as manager. » August 28, 1909: In the first of two games at South Side Park, William "Dolly" Gray of Washington enters the record book by walking eight White Sox in the 2nd inning, with seven of the walks in a row (both ML records). The six runs scored are enough for a 6-4 Chicago win, although they manage only one hit against Dolly. Leading off the 2nd, Patsy Dougherty logs the only hit, and when he bats again in the inning, manager Billy Sullivan suggests he go to the plate without a bat. For Dougherty, this is the 3rd of four times he'll have the only hit in a game. » March 12, 1910: At the White Sox spring training camp in San Francisco, starting catcher Billy Sullivan steps on a rusty nail. Sullivan, who managed the team in 1909, skips going to a doctor and gets blood poisoning. He will be out of the lineup till July 1. » August 24, 1910: Atop the Washington Monument, White Sox pitcher Ed Walsh throws 23 balls before C Billy Sullivan snares one, then catches two more, 555 feet below. It duplicates Gabby Street's catch of August 21, 1908. The estimated speed of the ball is 161 feet per second. On the field Walsh will be 18–20 despite a league-leading 1.27 ERA, the only time a pitcher with a losing record loses 20 and leads either league in ERA. » May 15, 1951: At Fenway Park, the Red Sox celebrate the 50th anniversary of their first American League game in Boston. On hand are 29 old-timers who played, managed, or umpired in the AL in that first year including Connie Mack, Dummy Hoy, Cy Young, Hugh Duffy, Clark Griffith, Tom Connolly, Billy Sullivan, Wid Conroy, Bill Bradley, and Ollie Pickering. Eight of the 29 participated in the first AL game, played in Chicago on April 24, 1901.