J Louis Comiskey

The only son of Charles Comiskey, Lou was a shy and benevolent man who lived in the shadow of his illustrious father. He was appointed vice-president and treasurer of the White Sox in 1910. Two years later, he contracted scarlet fever and, for the rest of his life, had to maintain a hospital suite at St. Luke’s in Chicago. Complicating his condition was his weight – 300 lbs. In 1931, Charles Comiskey passed away, leaving the last-place White Sox to his son. Within a few years, Lou restored the club to respectability. He purchased Mule Haas, Al Simmons, and Jimmy Dykes from Philadelphia in 1932, and started the first White Sox farm system, which began yielding results by 1939. That year, Lou had lights installed in Comiskey Park, but he did not live to see the first night game, passing away on July 18.