Jan. 20--At 25, Chris Sale seems young to be having his number retired, but the White Sox star left-hander will receive that honor this month from Florida Gulf Coast University.
Sale, who wore No. 41 in college, will be honored during halftime of Florida Gulf Coast's basketball game against Northern Kentucky on Jan. 31. It will mark the first time the school has retired an athlete's number.
In a release, the school notes that Sale is one of only six players in major league history to play in the majors the same year he was drafted. Sale was the 13th overall selection of the White Sox in the 2010 draft after his junior season. Sale was 11-0 as a junior for Florida Gulf Coast with a 2.01 ERA and led the nation with 146 strikeouts in 103 innings, with only 14 walks.
"For me it's kind of mind-blowing to think about this," Sale said in a statement. "Coming here in 2007 doesn't seem like that long ago. You don't think this kind of stuff is going to happen when you're starting out or when you're going through it. But, what an honor, it's very humbling.
"It's something that I take with a lot of appreciation. I appreciate the fact that FGCU is doing this for me, it's really awesome. It's going to be a fun event and it's going to be something that I will cherish for the rest of my life. My son (Rylan) will be here, my family, my parents and my wife (Brianne) -- it will be a fun experience for all of us."
