White Sox Man

Went to the White Sox game the other day.

Took the train. On the way, I broke out a paperback--Demon Copperfield by Barbara Kingsolver. Great read.

Love reading on the subway. Makes the trip fly. Before you know it, the voice on the speaker’s saying next stop Sox Park.

Joined the tumult of Sox fans pouring onto the platform. On the backs of jerseys, I saw the names of all the greats down through the years--Aparacio, Minoso, Fisk, Baines, Guillen, Ordonez, Thomas, Ventura, Konerko, Anderson--right up to Murakami. The rookie slugger on this year's team. I love Murakami. Might even get one of his jerseys.

On 35th street, I bought peanuts and a Gatorade from a vendor. Told him in the old days I used to bring my sandwich to the game. Salami and cheese on rye. Wrapped in wax paper. 

"Bet you're too young to know about wax paper..."

He's not paying attention. No matter. Mostly talking to myself.  Suddenly overwhelmed with nostalgia. Happens all the time these days. Especially at baseball games.

Been going to games at Sox Park since 1966. Different stadium, true. But same general location.

Uh-oh, flashback time...

I'd just moved to Evanston from Rhode Island. Where there was no major-league team. Now I was living near a city with two--Cubs and Sox. 

I was ecstatic—instantly, a fan of both. Never occurred to me I was supposed to pick one over the other. That was just one of the many weird things Chicago people did that made no sense. Still doesn't.

My mother--may she rest in peace--took me to my first Sox game. The Yankees were in town. And I wanted to see Mickey Mantle, who was on his last legs.

In those days there was no Dan Ryan line. We rode the north-south line to 35th and State. And walked the rest of the way--past IIT. My mother was no baseball fan. But she was a Benny fan. And so to the Sox game she went. Thanks, mom.

Okay--flashback over.

I made my way to 35th and Shields, where I'm supposed to meet Adolfo. The latest in a long line of friends with whom I've bonded over the Sox...

Jon, Josh, Clarence, Norm and now Adolfo. Oh yes, Fitz and Nate. I see you fellas. It takes a special breed to remain loyal to the Sox. 

Stood next to the bust of former Governor Jim Thompson. It reads: "He kept the White Sox in Chicago."

Legend has it that Thompson and Speaker Michael Madigan stopped the legislative clock just before the midnight deadline, so they could round up the votes needed to pass the bill to fund the new stadium and keep the Sox from moving to Florida.

Still have mixed feelings about that. There are far greater needs--like schools. But, yes, the handout kept the Sox in Chicago and out of Florida. And here I am, still coming to games. So that's worth something, I guess.

Sox fans line up for freebies…

Met Adolfo outside the Stadium Club. He's standing in a long line that just keeps growing. There are hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people waiting for the gates to open. 

That's cause the Sox are giving away black-and-red windbreakers. You'd think they were handing out cash, the way people were lined up so early for those jackets.

What's that line from the movie? If you build it, they will come. Well, with Sox fans it's--if you give us something, we'll come.

Took our seats in the upper deck. Gorgeous day. Chilly but sunny. Hit by another wave of nostalgia and love for this city that's been my home for 45 years. Where my wife and I raised our children. Who never took to baseball--Sox or Cubs. No big deal. Though I made a mental note...

Gotta take my granddaughters to a Sox game. Who knows, it may skip a generation and catch on with them. 

One thing you need to know about Adolfo. He shares my gift for gab. As the game went on, we talked for several hours without stop about this and that and the other thing. Now, that's how you watch a baseball game!

I wish I could say the Sox won. Alas, the bullpen folded. And they lost--again.

By the time the game ended, the wind had picked up, the sun disappeared behind clouds and Adolfo and I were so chilly we practically ran to his car. 

We tried to eat at Connnie's--the pizza place--but it was packed with Sox fans. So we headed north. Wound up at the Greek Islands, speaking of Chicago institutions I've been going to for years.

Had a wonderful dinner. Ordered a glass of wine and drank a toast to all my friends who share my love for the Sox. Some still living, some gone.

Here's hoping for more games to come.