Playing under the name Cass Kwietniewski in 1943-44, Michaels reached the ML for two games as a 17-year-old third baseman in 1943, and was the White Sox regular shortstop in 1945. Bumped to a utility position by Luke Appling in 1946-47, Michaels played all 154 games at second base in 1948, hitting a career-high .308 with 83 RBI. When a 1954 beaning impaired his vision and ended his 12-year career, he was only 28.
