Josh Paul learned last Friday that a close friend from college had perished in the World Trade Center disaster, but kept it to himself out of respect for the family.
After his two-run, bases-loaded double put the White Sox ahead for keeps in Thursday’s 7-5 victory over New York, an emotional Paul revealed publicly the heartbreak he has experienced following the loss of former college teammate Mark Hindy.
“For someone who lives, eats and breathes baseball, it has taken a back seat after a tragedy like this,” Paul said.
Hindy, a former pitcher at Vanderbilt, was working in the World Trade Center at the time of the tower collapse. Paul said he called Hindy every time he has been in New York on a visit, and attempted to contact him when the Sox were in town on the day of the terrorist attacks.
As a tribute to his friend, Paul now wears Hindy’s number–41–on his chest protector.
“It really is difficult,” Paul said. “It changes your perspective. I’m not the only one out there thinking like this. No matter what happens, even if you go 0-for-4 with four strikeouts, it doesn’t matter.”
Paul plans to write about the loss of his friend and the team’s experience in New York for a guest column later this week on Chicagosports.com.
Biddle surgery: Rocky Biddle will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right labrum next week, becoming the 11th White Sox pitcher to go under the knife in the last year.
After the Sox tried to get Biddle to close up his delivery early this summer, he felt a pinching in his shoulder that has not gone away, even with the use of anti-inflammatories.
The extent of the injury is not known, but general manager Ken Williams said he expects Biddle to be ready to pitch by next spring training.
Biddle, 25, will likely have the surgery performed by Dr. Lewis Yocum.
Sox files: Buehrle, Biddle and Paul will sign copies of “Sox Appetit,” a cookbook by Sox wives benefiting Gilda’s Club Chicago, at the Michigan Ave. Borders from 12:30-1:30 p.m. on Friday … Jose Valentin is the Sox’s nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award for charitable work.
