Chalk this one up to White Sox owner Bill Veeck.
Knowing he needed a drawing card and a big bat to replace Richie Zisk and Oscar Gamble, Veeck dealt future All-Star Brian Downing and pitchers Chris Knapp and Dave Frost to California. He got back Bobby Bonds and two youngsters, Thad Bosley and Rich Dotson. Bonds would only play in 26 games for the White Sox, with two home runs and eight RBIs, before he was dealt to Texas in May.