The Chicago White Sox plan to unveil a statue of Mark Buehrle when they celebrate their 2005 World Series-winning team at Rate Field on July 11.
Buehrle pitched for Chicago for the first 12 of his 16 seasons in the majors. Known for working quickly with pinpoint control, the left-hander went 161-119 with a 3.83 ERA in 390 appearances with the White Sox, including 365 starts.
The White Sox announced the honor for Buehrle at the team’s fan festival on Friday. He had his No. 56 retired by the franchise in 2017.
“It’s an incredible honor,” Buehrle said. “To put a statue up, of me, out there, forever. I guess the number could be unretired and get taken out and put it back into play. But the statue, unless someone tears it down or does something to it, it’s always going to be there.”
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Buehrle, 45, put on his old uniform and made a few throws to help the sculptor with the details for the statue.
“I ain’t going to lie. It actually felt pretty good — for the 10 minutes I did it. A couple hours later it did not feel good,” a smiling Buehrle cracked.
Buehrle pitched for Miami and Toronto after departing Chicago. The five-time All-Star finished with a 214-160 record and a 3.81 ERA over 3,283 1/3 innings, to go along with four Gold Gloves. He struck out 1,870 and walked 734.
He received 45 votes (11.4%) in his fifth year on the Hall of Fame ballot for the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
“I’m literally just honored to be on the ballot this many years,” he said. “Just getting my name on the first, I was like, ‘Man if I can just stay on for another year,'” Buehrle said. “And now we are going into Year 6. I mean literally giving me goosebumps. It’s insane.”
Buehrle played a key role in Chicago’s last World Series title. He posted a 16-8 record with a career-low 3.12 ERA in 33 starts, helping the White Sox win the 2005 AL Central. Then he went 2-0 with a 3.47 ERA in four postseason appearances, including three starts.
He got the save when he came in and retired Adam Everett on a popup for the final out of the 14th inning in a 7-5 win at Houston in Game 3 of the World Series.
“Every time you go out there you’re trying to win a World Series. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t,” Buehrle said. “I have the feeling the way these fans are and the way they talk to you about that year, they start tearing up and shaking when they’re talking to you about it, yeah you can definitely feel how it affects everybody.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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