I have been a fan of former White Sox first baseman Mike Squires since the mid-70s when he was just coming up with the Sox. Mostly a platoon player, Squires did carve out a nice career.
Among other things, he won a Gold Glove in 1981. He played a couple games at third base and catcher, a rarity for a lefty. He also pitched and played a bit in the outfield. H never made an error at any of those other positions.
In 1983, when the Sox won the American League West division, Squires raised the pennant on the Comiskey Park roof. He was the most tenured player at the time.
I thought I knew all of his major accolades, but then I discovered a really interesting nugget. During the 1982-1984 seasons, the Sox had a .669 winning percentage when Squires played. When he did not play, the winning percentage dropped to .145. The .523 percentage split with or without a single player is the highest over a three season span in MLB history. That's pretty impressive.
Tony and I interviewed Squires a few months ago. That interview is at On the Beat with Mike Squires. When we recently saw him again at The National, Squires immediately recognized us an greeted us warmly. The young baseball fan in me is tickled about Squires remembering me. Okay, even the adult in me is a bit giddy. Squires was one of my all time favorites. To talk to him 50 years after first watching him is a bit surreal.
Mike Squires, Tony and me in Rosemont, IL-July 2026.
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