Who are the White Sox Rivals?

[Green Line]

19 minutes ago, greg775 said:

BTW, the Cubs are by far the Sox only true, true RIVAL. I would accept it if you tell me the Royals are not a rival, but I think they sort of are. Cubs are definitely a rival.

A common refrain from some Cubs fans is that the Sox are not their rival and that only sox fans care about it.  Its obviously a deflection but seems that some Sox fans have been influenced by it.  Nobody who lives in Chicago and been to a sox-cubs game could ignore the intensity of it.  I guess if you live out of state you might not feel it.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

9 hours ago, Snopek said:

The Twindians. But really, it's whichever ALC team is good when the Sox are trying to be good. Does that mean they have no true rival?

This is the way I look at it. Every team in the Central during the season. Teams we play in the playoffs, ( which is very few until they make it to the playoffs which is rare). That's it . Historical rivalries mean nothing in the present. We are rivals with the Cubs because each team wants to beat the other one because it's intensified by the huge crowds for each game so those mean a lot to the fans and to the players who care about the fans who support them .

I might add one more. Reinsdorf seems to be a rival based on how often the Sox have reached the playoffs.

Edited June 3, 2021 by CaliSoxFanViaSWside

[ThirdGen]

When I think of true rivalries I think of teams who have been fighting within the same league/division for a long period of time- think Cubs/Cards, Dodgers/Giants, Yankees/Red Sox.  When division play started and the Sox were put in the West with a bunch of expansion and relocated franchises they lost some traditional rivalries with NYY, Cleveland and Detroit.  Even though they are in the same division with Cleveland and Detroit again I think the 25 year gap prevented the generational hatred that the long term rivalries hold.  I know my father hated the Yankees from the 50's, that hatred never transferred to me.  So I think the Sox current rival is just whoever is giving them the biggest challenge within the division in any given year.

[caulfield12]

1 minute ago, ThirdGen said:

When I think of true rivalries I think of teams who have been fighting within the same league/division for a long period of time- think Cubs/Cards, Dodgers/Giants, Yankees/Red Sox.  When division play started and the Sox were put in the West with a bunch of expansion and relocated franchises they lost some traditional rivalries with NYY, Cleveland and Detroit.  Even though they are in the same division with Cleveland and Detroit again I think the 25 year gap prevented the generational hatred that the long term rivalries hold.  I know my father hated the Yankees from the 50's, that hatred never transferred to me.  So I think the Sox current rival is just whoever is giving them the biggest challenge within the division in any given year.

Yeah, it’s not like anyone hates the A’s (ironically a TLR team) from 1990 or the Rangers from 1983 or whatever... 

[ChiSoxJon]

Like most other teams

The crosstown rival: Cubs

And the divisional rivals: MIN, CLE, DET, KC

There you have it nice and simple, cool project you're working on

[The Grinder]

Id accept beating our divisional rivals by 75% and getting swept by our neighboors to the North then sweeping those guys and losing 75% of the games to Min, cleveland, Det etc

[Buehrle>Wood]

I dont remember being rivals with the Royals or Tigers even when they were both good. 

It's been pretty much the Twins these past two decades no matter what. Some Indians sprinkled in.

[greg775]

2 hours ago, Buehrle>Wood said:

I dont remember being rivals with the Royals or Tigers even when they were both good. 

Now that I think about it you are probably right about the Royals. A rivalry like somebody said is when there is a buzz in the crowd and between fans and in the media. Remember when newspapers were a thing and there'd be page after page of Sox versus Cubs stuff? All over the sportscasts on chicago channel 9, 5 and 2? Folks, the Sox only rival is the Cubs even if one has to be cool and say the rivalry does not exist. Look at the all-time results in the series? Very close. Even when it was a once a year exhibition game it was huge until the clubs started to play their minor leaguers in the game. For a while, Sox vs. Cubs midseason exhibition game was a thing in which the guys on the big league roster played the whole game.

Cubs Sox rivalry, yes. All other series, no. There may be deep concern for certain series against Central teams but a rivalry? No way. How bout a cheap ticket since they play those teams 19 times a year.

Just my take.

[Quin]

18 hours ago, Green Line said:

A common refrain from some Cubs fans is that the Sox are not their rival and that only sox fans care about it.  Its obviously a deflection but seems that some Sox fans have been influenced by it.  Nobody who lives in Chicago and been to a sox-cubs game could ignore the intensity of it.  I guess if you live out of state you might not feel it.

If Cubs fans didn't care, they would shrug it off completely, but I have friends who love the Cubs that bring it up constantly.

Twins are definitely the primary rival - there was legitimate hatred between the teams, especially when Mauer and Morneau were around. 

#3 kind of rotates between Indians, Tigers, and Royals in that order, whoever is best at the time. If no one is doing particularly well, that's the default order based on history.

[Chisoxfn]

1 hour ago, greg775 said:

Now that I think about it you are probably right about the Royals. A rivalry like somebody said is when there is a buzz in the crowd and between fans and in the media. Remember when newspapers were a thing and there'd be page after page of Sox versus Cubs stuff? All over the sportscasts on chicago channel 9, 5 and 2? Folks, the Sox only rival is the Cubs even if one has to be cool and say the rivalry does not exist. Look at the all-time results in the series? Very close. Even when it was a once a year exhibition game it was huge until the clubs started to play their minor leaguers in the game. For a while, Sox vs. Cubs midseason exhibition game was a thing in which the guys on the big league roster played the whole game.

Cubs Sox rivalry, yes. All other series, no. There may be deep concern for certain series against Central teams but a rivalry? No way. How bout a cheap ticket since they play those teams 19 times a year.

Just my take.

Did the Sox really have a mid-season exhibition game they used to do with the Cubs (pre interleague play?).  I totally don't remember this or is this something that happened before my time?  

[South Side Hit Men]

9 minutes ago, Chisoxfn said:

Did the Sox really have a mid-season exhibition game they used to do with the Cubs (pre interleague play?).  I totally don't remember this or is this something that happened before my time?  

Yes, it was the Crosstown Classic, with proceeds going to charity (not Jerry and the Tribune). They stopped sometime in the late 1980s a few years before interleague.

I worked a few as Andy Frain usher, including one disturbing incident at Wrigley. A woman and her young (9-10 years old?) daughter were standing behind the first base dugout and they respectfully asked Ozzie's autograph as he approached during pre-game activities. Ozzie took the chewing tobacco out of his mouth and threw it at them, soling the girls clothes. Never liked him afterward.

Edited June 3, 2021 by South Side Hit Men

[NWINFan]

There will always be an intense atmosphere at either park, but there's only so much importance to these games.  It has been said these games are like playoff games. That is not true. Playoff games are like playoff games.

It may be more interesting this season since both teams are contending. The Sox will need these games along every other because I have the feeling the division race will be close. Even with that, the games against the Indians will mean more.

[NWINFan]

1 hour ago, Quin said:

If Cubs fans didn't care, they would shrug it off completely, but I have friends who love the Cubs that bring it up constantly.

 

Cub fans always say they don't care about the Sox, and that is the biggest lie ever been told. No matter what they say, they are obsessed with the Sox, even when their team is winning. I wish they would just go away.

[southsider2k5]

30 minutes ago, Chisoxfn said:

Did the Sox really have a mid-season exhibition game they used to do with the Cubs (pre interleague play?).  I totally don't remember this or is this something that happened before my time?  

Honestly?  It has been decades.  I remember Jordan playing in one, to let you know how long ago it was.

[ThirdGen]

2 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

Honestly?  It has been decades.  I remember Jordan playing in one, to let you know how long ago it was.

It stopped in the early nineties, but existed in one way or another for many years before that.  It was pretty popular in the sixties, and I recall games where both teams would throw their ace and play legitimate lineups.  I believe the proceeds went to some charity.  There was actually a period of time where they played a City Series at the end of the season if neither team won the pennant.

Edited June 3, 2021 by ThirdGen
typo

[RTC]

Jerry Reinsdorf 

[greg775]

5 hours ago, Chisoxfn said:

Did the Sox really have a mid-season exhibition game they used to do with the Cubs (pre interleague play?).  I totally don't remember this or is this something that happened before my time?  

Yeah it was called the Boys Benefit game with all proceeds going to charity. It rotated from Wrigley to Comiskey year to year. The teams traditionally tried to win and played their starters, then the last several years it got ruined. GMs pitched their top minor league prosepect to see how he'd do in a full stadium. Only a couple fan favorite starters would play and get one or two at bats. But before that, both teams tried to win the exhibition and it was a big deal.

[tray]

Cub fans and Detroit fans who come to Sox park for games.

[Vulture]

22 hours ago, South Side Hit Men said:

A woman and her young (9-10 years old?) daughter were standing behind the first base dugout and they respectfully asked Ozzie's autograph as he approached during pre-game activities. Ozzie took the chewing tobacco out of his mouth and threw it at them, soling the girls clothes. Never liked him afterward.

I find this extremely difficult to believe. I don’t want to say you’re a liar but I dont believe Guillen ever even chewed tobacco let alone threw it one nine year old girls.

[South Side Hit Men]

19 minutes ago, Vulture said:

I find this extremely difficult to believe. I don’t want to say you’re a liar but I dont believe Guillen ever even chewed tobacco let alone threw it one nine year old girls.

It happened at the May 1986 game. 35 years later, I still remember clearly the incident. I wouldn’t have posted it if I didn’t. 

It was the final season Andy Frain was at Wrigley (I also worked at Comiskey, the Rosemont Horizon and the race tracks).

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.southsidesox.com/platform/amp/2012/4/11/2940373/ozzie-guillen-discussion-that-doesnt-involve-castro

Nor does Guillen pore over his roster in an attempt to familiarize himself with personnel. "A lot of people say I’m un-f----ing-prepared," he volunteered one afternoon in his office, and did little to dispel the notion, shuffling distractedly through some papers on a fake-mahogany desk that he deemed too big for his purposes by at least seventy-five per cent. "I no like this desk," he said. "This is overrated." He required only space enough for his can of dip tobacco and his scented candle (peach cilantro, to counteract the clubhouse stench).

[Jerksticks]

 It’s the cubs and it’s not even close.

 

We are rivals for the adoration and support of an entire city.  

[The Grinder]

I understand the cub thing and I'm happy when they lose but not cubessed. Here in the Rockford area I notice the cubs get all the attention on local TV when they win but the same media seems to forget them when they lose......strange eh??!!

[chitownsportsfan]

4 hours ago, South Side Hit Men said:

It happened at the May 1986 game. 35 years later, I still remember clearly the incident. I wouldn’t have posted it if I didn’t. 

It was the final season Andy Frain was at Wrigley (I also worked at Comiskey, the Rosemont Horizon and the race tracks).

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.southsidesox.com/platform/amp/2012/4/11/2940373/ozzie-guillen-discussion-that-doesnt-involve-castro

Nor does Guillen pore over his roster in an attempt to familiarize himself with personnel. "A lot of people say I’m un-f----ing-prepared," he volunteered one afternoon in his office, and did little to dispel the notion, shuffling distractedly through some papers on a fake-mahogany desk that he deemed too big for his purposes by at least seventy-five per cent. "I no like this desk," he said. "This is overrated." He required only space enough for his can of dip tobacco and his scented candle (peach cilantro, to counteract the clubhouse stench).

Holy shit a mildly racist Jim hit piece on Ozzie and a slurpfest of RV, who was the worst manager I've ever seen, well, non Bevington edition.  Thanks for linking that, that was an absolute trip.

My only experience with Ozzie the player was when he was signing autographs for at least 15 minutes after a Sox game at old Comiskey in the parking lot.  He was incredibly gracious that night, maybe you just got him on the wrong night.  Doesn't excuse his actions.

Edited June 4, 2021 by chitownsportsfan

[South Side Hit Men]

4 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

Holy shit a mildly racist Jim hit piece on Ozzie and a slurpfest of RV, who was the worst manager I've ever seen, well, non Bevington edition.  Thanks for linking that, that was an absolute trip.

My only experience with Ozzie the player was when he was signing autographs for at least 15 minutes after a Sox game at old Comiskey in the parking lot.  He was incredibly gracious that night, maybe you just got him on the wrong night.  Doesn't excuse his actions.

He was also very young (22), in his eighth month (May 1986) in MLB. I don’t think he would have done this a few years later with more maturity under his belt.

[chitownsportsfan]

3 minutes ago, South Side Hit Men said:

He was also very young (22), in his eighth month (May 1986) in MLB. I don’t think he would have done this a few years later with more maturity under his belt.

Makes sense, I'm a little too young (don't get to say that much anymore) to have seen him then.  I believe the game we ran into outside old comiskey was in 1991 and I was all of 7, but I still remember it fairly clearly as my dad was a huge ozzie fan and we just watched him sign for a bit as we waited for my mom to get back from the bathroom.

edit: nope, must have been 1990.

Edited June 4, 2021 by chitownsportsfan