Ed Farmer's Life Was One of Determination & Perseverance

Longtime Chicago White Sox radio broadcaster and former Chisox closer Ed Farmer passed away yesterday at the age of 70. Farmer died of polycystic kidney disease which he inherited from his mother who died of the condition not long after signing his first professional contract with the Cleveland Indians in 1967 at the age of 17. He would lose his father a short time later.

A native of the South Side of Chicago, Farmer would earn a save in his MLB debut with the Tribe against his hometown team by striking out Tom Egan on June 9, 1971.

After two seasons with the Tribe, Farmer's career would become quite complicated for nearly the rest of the 1970's. The Indians traded Farmer to the Detroit Tigers in the middle of the 1973 season for pitcher Tom Timmerman and journeyman Kevin Collins. During spring training in 1974, the Tigers traded Farmer to the New York Yankees in a three team trade which saw the Indians land Jim Perry. Two days after the trade, the Yankees sold Farmer to the Phillies. After posting a disastrous 8.42 ERA with the Phillies in 1974 he was dealt to the Milwaukee Brewers where he spent all of 1975 pitching with their Triple AAA affiliate in Sacramento and would be released prior to the 1976 season. Following a brief stint in the Mexican League found himself out of baseball.

In 1977, Farmer would earn a tryout with the Baltimore Orioles and would be hit by a car on his way to the tryout. But he made the tryout and the O's signed him to a minor league deal. After winning 11 games for the Rochester Red Wings, Farmer made one appearance for the O's in September facing only two Detroit Tigers batters. A single to Lance Parrish and a bases loaded walk to Ben Ogilive began and ended his Orioles career.

The Brewers gave Farmer a second chance in 1978 where he would spend most of the season with their new Triple AAA affiliate in Spokane. But the Brewers did make him a September call up and he posted a 0.82 ERA giving up only one run in 11 innings pitched over three appearances. Despite acquitting himself in limited duty, the Brewers traded Farmer along with Gary Holle to the Texas Rangers for veteran pitcher Reggie Cleveland. Farmer made the big league club, but only made 11 appearances with the Rangers before they traded him along with Holle to the White Sox for Eric Soderholm.

Whether it was because Farmer was now pitching in his hometown or because his manager was Tony La Russa, his fields were now ready for harvest. Farmer quickly became the club's closer saving 14 games. But greater yields were to come in 1980 when he saved a career high 30 games and earned his only All-Star Game selection. Farmer would pitch two thirds of an inning in that game. Although Dave Winfield would reach on an error by Willie Randolph scoring Phil Garner and Keith Hernandez would single, he did end the inning by getting Pete Rose to hit into a double play. While the AL would lose the game, Farmer had to be satisfied with his station in life at that time given that he was out of baseball only four years earlier.

Unfortunately, Farmer's playing career might be best remembered when he was attacked from behind by Detroit Tigers outfielder Al Cowens in June 1980. The previous season Farmer had accidentally broken Cowens' jaw when he hit him with a pitch while a member of the Kansas City Royals. Farmer filed assault charges against Cowens, but were dropped when they shook hands at home plate. However, the attack would mark the beginning of Farmers' health problems as the brawl caused the cysts in his kidneys to burst.

Farmer would save 10 games for the White Sox in the strike shortened 1981 season, but would split closing duties with future AL Cy Young Award winner LaMarr Hoyt. Seeing the writing on the wall, Farmer elected free agency and would sign with the Phillies prior to the 1982 season. Although he would spend nearly two seasons in his second stint with the Phillies, he was released by the club in August 1983 and thus did not get to pitch in the World Series with the NL champion Wheeze Kids. Farmer made five appearances with the Oakland A's late in the '83 season and never again toed a big league mound. He would pitch in the minor leagues in the A's organization in 1984, independent ball in 1985 and the Pirates organization in 1986 before calling it a career after 20 years. In 370 big league games over 11 seasons, Farmer went 30-43 with a 4.30 ERA along with 75 saves. Of those 75 saves, 54 of them came with the White Sox.

After his playing career ended, Farmer joined the Baltimore Orioles as a scout in 1988 and serving in that capacity through 1990. During this period, Farmer would require a kidney transplant from his brother. Farmer would reunite with the Chisox in 1991. Initially hired as a special assistant to GM Ron Schueler, Farmer broadcast a few games on the radio that season and would become their color commentator on a full time basis in 1992. After the Chisox won the World Series in 2005, Farmer would become the White Sox's play by play man. Despite having to ingest 56 pills a day, Farmer somehow remained a fixture in the team's radio booth for nearly 30 years.

While Farmer's passing is sad and White Sox fans will miss Farmio (as he was affectionately known), his life on both the mound and in the broadcast booth was one of determination and perseverance. R.I.P.