Tom Fordham

Thomas James Fordham

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 2", Weight 210 lb.
• School Grossmont College
• High School Granite Hills High School
• Debut August 19, 1997
• Final Game August 30, 1998
• Born February 20, 1974 in San Diego, CA USA

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Biographical Information

Pitcher Tom Fordham played parts of two seasons in the majors with the Chicago White Sox.

After graduating from Granite Hills High School in El Cajon, California, Fordham went to Grossmont College, where he was 7-5 with a 2.26 ERA and 5 shutouts in 1993. He was then taken by the White Sox in the 11th round of the 1993 amateur draft and signed by scouts Ed Pebley and Mike Sgobba. He made his pro debut that summer, splitting the season between three different clubs. With the Hickory Crawdads in 1994, he struck out 13 in a game against the Greensboro Bats and was the starter in the South Atlantic League All-Star Game.

Fordham began 1995 with the Prince William Cannons, going 9-0 with a 2.04 ERA in 13 starts before being promoted to the Birmingham Barons. He spent the majority of 1996 with the Nashville Sounds, winning 10 games in 22 starts for the team. After starting 1997 with Nashville, he earned a call-up to Chicago to start an August 19th contest against the Toronto Blue Jays. He gave up 3 earned runs over 4 innings in that outing while striking out 3. After another stint with the Sounds, he was back with the White Sox in September, appearing in 6 games out of the bullpen.

Fordham made the Sox Opening Day roster in 1998 and got into 26 games, mostly in relief, before being sent down to the AAA Calgary Cannons. Recalled again in August, he made 3 starts for Chicago before being sent back to Calgary. He spent the entire 1999 campaign with the Charlotte Knights, struggling to a 4-7 record after posting a 7.31 ERA in 29 outings.

Moving to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization in 2000, Fordham spent the next two years with the Indianapolis Indians. He did not play in 2002 but came back the following year in the Pittsburgh Pirates chain, making appearances for the Altoona Curve and Nashville Sounds.