White Sox Gratitude Thread

[hi8is]

With the state of this team and with the state of this franchise, I figured we should devote a post to some of our most personal favorite memories related to the Chicago White Sox.

I’ll start…

Back in 2012 my Dad had a health scare. We thought he may only be around for a couple more months and I was living out of state. We’re from California.

I flew Dad out to Chicago and flew in from Washington to meet him. Booked us a room for a week near Navy Pier and got us seats for two series, seven games in total.

Being born in the early 80’s and growing up in Southern California you’d expect me to be a Dodgers or Angels fan… but as a really young boy I saw the Sox on WGN. It was my introduction to the game and I latched onto the Sox.

Something about the logo or the colors just grabbed me and for all my flaws, I’m a loyal guy. A couple of years into my first obsession, Frank Thomas came around and I was sold.

Every year whenever Chicago came to town, Dad would take a few days off work, take us to Anaheim, and we would see the entire series. Not only that but we would go about 5 hours before gates opened to meet players on their way into the field, we’d watch batting practice, and after the game we would wait another 2 hours for more autographs.

Each game was a full day affair that lasted at least 10 hours. My pops has had life long health complications that affected his feet and legs. By the time 2012 rolled around I was about to start a family of my own and had understood more the depth of the sacrifice he made to me in supporting my fandom for what was a nearly two decade tradition between us.

While in Chicago, I reached out to Brooks Boyer - explaining what was happening and I asked him if there was anything special we could do for my Dad. He instructed me to arrive three hours before the game at gate 4.

We did so, my Dad suspecting nothing even as we entered with members of the press and where then escorted to the front offices.

Sitting by a display of the World Series trophy, Brooks came out and introduced himself before ushering us on a tour of the executive suites. He then took us down to where the club houses are and we entered the field through the umpires tunnel.

He took pictures of us in the on deck circle and we watched the team take batting practice from the cage. It was a moment for the books and one picture in particular you can see how touched my Dad is, emotion in his eyes and hand reaching for his heart.

The best part of the story is that my pops health turned around. He’s still with us and is doing better now that he was 12 years back.

So while we suck and it’s easy to get discouraged, let’s bring about some good memories and relive what this team really means to us.

Poop.

[greg775]

Your story was great. That reminded me of the time my grandfather fell as we were going to the car after a lightly attended night game and was bleeding and the Sox people helped us get an ambulance. That was gracious of everybody. Sox security was great. He was OK.

Other memories: Being on the field on banner day between games of a doubleheader. If you had a banner you could go on the field for a parade. Fun. My friend made us a banner. Only bad part was you had to go to the left field lower concourse in the sixth or seventh inning, way too early. We were into the game. ... All the memories are from old Comiskey, quite a ballpark. Haven't been to many in GRate, but a few. Always will be fond memories of Sox park food. ... And of course the exploding scoreboard after home runs mesmerized me as a kid.

Other memories. Sad the Sox are such a woebegone organization now. Really a pathetic excuse for an organization.

[The Mighty Mite]

I’ve been a fan since 1952 and have so many memories so I have to start with my boyhood heroes of the 1950s, the GO GO SOX years which led to the Sox winning the 1959 American League Pennant and as a 13 year old I was lucky to attend game 2 of the World Series with my favorite uncle and my mother, we lost a 4-3 heartbreaker after winning game 1, 11-0, the Dodgers went on to beat us in 6 games and what still pisses me off is manager Al Lopez not giving Billy Pierce a start in the Series. Lopez IMHO was the best Sox manager of all time but he screwed up with not giving Pierce a start.
The last 64 years have brought some wonderful memories starting with 1962 when at 16 years old I snagged a job as a vendor at Comiskey and Wrigley, the Cubs were horrible in those days and couldn’t draw flies to Wrigley so I made all my money at Sox Park. I stopped working Cub games in early July and was still able to go back to my Caddy job at Edgewater Golf Club in Rogers Park when the Cubs were in town.  The Sox continued playing winning baseball in the 60s and we came close to winning the 1967 Pennant with amazing pitching but horrible hitting. Things went south in 68 as I experienced my first losing season as a Sox fan, 16 years of winning exciting baseball,  it was a rude awakening for me and things got worse in 69 and 70. Roland Hemond and Chuck Tanner came aboard in 1971 and things started to turn around.

 

 

In 1972 Dick Allen came to the Sox and the team fought pretty hard but came up short against the A’s, if Bill Melton hadn’t hurt his back in June, I think the Sox probably would have won the Division.  The next few years were tough but then the 1977 Southside Hitmen brought us the most fun filled summer that I can remember but we came up short again. If I had to pick the best game I ever went at Comiskey I’d have to pick the first game of a Sunday DH against the Royals on July 31, 1977, It was a 4 game series and the Sox won on Friday and Saturday, on Sunday old Comiskey was packed to the rafters with over 50,000 on hand, the 

 

 

game was tied after 9 at 2-2, the Royals took the lead 4-2 in the top of the 10th but with the fans cheering them on, the Sox as they were never out of a game with the offense like something we have never seen before came back and won the game 5-4 with single by Ralph Garr in the bottom of the 10th. I’ve been to hundreds of games at old Comiskey but never were the fans so delirious with joy as we were that day, the Old Palace was literally shaking from the rafters from the all the cheering, screaming and yelling  going on, I thought the old ballpark was going to come tumbling down, never experienced anything like that at a ballgame, it was unbelievable with the cheering going on for over 10 minutes. I attended many Blackhawk games at the great Chicago Stadium and that place was as loud as it got but for that one Sox game in 1977, it was louder. lm pretty sure the Sox now had a 6.5 game lead on the Royals and Twins but unfortunately the Royals came back and won the nightcap and the Sox came back to earth and only played around .500 the last 2 months of the season as the Royals won the Division and we wound up 3rd but that summer was amazing while it lasted.

 

 

 

The 80s and 90s gave us a couple of post season trips with the 83 team playing the best 4 months of baseball I’ve ever seen the Sox play, they were just unbeatable from late May to seasons end and they won the division by 20 games only to lose to the Orioles in the playoff series, I will never forget Britt Burns pitching his heart out in game 4 only to lose on a homer by Tito Landrum in the 10th inning, Burns was in tears as he left the mound after being relieved.

 

We finally put it all together in the great season of 2005 with a World Championship with an unbelievable post season as the Sox went 11-1. Another division win in 2008 was exciting with the Blackout Game. Since then the Sox have been pretty bad with this season being an absolute nightmare. 
I could be here all day with memories but with a lot more heartache so I’ll stop now.
 

 

EDIT: Sorry about the gaps as I kept hitting the return button on my I Pad. 
I started my post early this morning but had a 7:15 tee time so I posted some memories but after lunch I added a few more.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 22 by The Mighty Mite

[Timmy U]

@hi8is thank you for that beautiful story. And pictures! My mom and dad were both diehard Sox fans before I was born. Even when we lived in Michigan, we'd take the Borman or the South Shore and go to a bunch of games. I remember seeing Chet Lemon headed to the press box after the game as a small child. (I also had a lit cigarette and a chicken bucket thrown at me as a ten year-old. Can't beat fun at the old ballgame.) My brother and I drove up to Milwaukee for Frank Thomas/Alex Fernandez's first game. When things were toughest between me and my dad during adolescence, we could always talk about the Sox. There have been a lot of horrendous Sox teams, the last few years being some of the worst, but I'm grateful to be a fan. And I've met so many great fellow Sox fans, especially on this board. You guys help make it fun, even when it really isn't. Thanks.

[tray]

Wonderful memories from the Mite. My favorite memories come from the 70's and 80's going to games at Comiskey.  Always loved Opening Day starting usually at Shinnick's meeting friends for a beer then heading down Lowe past sis' Daley's house to 35th and then down to MCuddy's for another. In those days you could park throughout the Bridgeport neighborhoods or pay to park at pop-up lots for cash. We loved walking around the park including on the cat walk behind the scoreboard where we could smoke.... the 77 SSide Hitmen was one of the best summers as a Sox fan. That season left us feeling that Sox fans would always respond to teams that could smash home runs. The next time we saw anything like that was Fisk, Luzinski and Kittle, the latter two hitting roof shots, which left us in awe. The new Stadium was horrible initially because of the color combination and the upper deck. After those items were addressed (for hundreds of thousands of dollars) we came back for a lot of games again. The great thing abut GR is the way you can walk around the entire park and of course, meet friends in the outfield concourse areas where there are great concessions, etc. Of course tailgating has been a great enjoyment on Opening Day and other occasions were I fire up my Weber Q for my Italian sausage and peppers. Winning and losing never mattered much to us. It was pretty much everything else about the experience of going - good friends, good food and drink, the sights and sounds of the ballpark, and the White Sox players. More recently. I loved sitting in the GRate club and a few games in the Scout seats.

Edited July 22 by tray

[Falstaff]

Best memories:

Taking Dad to the 2003 All Star game.

Taking Dad, brothers, and brother-in-law to Game 2 2005 against the Angels.

Going to all the 2005 playoffs and WS at the Cell.

Most fun season: 1972

Greatest ballplayer memories:  Dick Allen's MVP season was the greatest single season I have witnessed by a White Sox or Cub.

 

[southsider2k5]

I am grateful for all of the freetime the 2024 team has given me back by watching them so much less than normal  

[Falstaff]

10 hours ago, hi8is said:

 

 

 

You are a chip of the old block!   Great story, the best part is your dad is doing better now.  The Sox will turn this mess around and you will both be celebrating again.

[Backwash07]

I don't post too often , but am on here many times a day celebrating and suffering with all of you. This topic is one  I have thought often to bring to the group to hear some of your 'stories" of how the Sox have effected our lives.  My dad was a moderate Sox fan, but his best friend seemingly had an Encyclopedic knowledge of Sox and baseball history.  He took me on as an apt pupil and I have never looked back. Going to games in the 1980s and 90s with him meant hearing tales of Minoso and Allen.  He passed away in 2002, I hated that he did not live to see the World Series year as so many of our older loved ones deserved that. I went straight from being a pall bearer at his funeral to a tattoo parlor to get a Sox tattoo with his name encompassed on it. 

I look forward to hearing some of your Sox stories. 

 

[wegner]

It was late in the season in 2003 and the Sox were still in the hunt for the playoffs, so I bought tickets for myself and my Dad to go see a home game against the hated Yankees in late September. The White Sox then fell apart but we still went to the game 9/23/03 and saw the Yankees clinch their division on the South Side. The winning pitcher for the Yankees was one Jose Contreras and as we watched him dominate my Dad said, "Boy, I sure wish the Sox had a guy like this."

The next season, I was driving back from a visit to Milwaukee with my wife and son and turned on the news to get traffic....they announced that the Sox had traded Esteban Loaiza to the Yankees and that was all they said, so I yelled back at the radio..."FOR WHO?" I soon found out for who and immediately called my Dad to tell him he got his man.

[Dick Allen]

Most of us became Sox fans because of our dads, so most of these will be dad stories. i'm no different. He took me to my first game when I was 3 or 4. I still remember parts as crazy as that seems. It was helmet day, and a double header. We sat in the first row of the upper deck at Old Comiskey around first base. My dad caught a foul ball, and even though I really had no clue as to what that really was, i was gushing with pride when he got a nice ovation for the catch., and was very curious when he handed me the ball. The other thing I remember was another ball came up and hit off the façade right below me. I do remember my dad trying to show me how I should have trapped the ball using my new helmet. I WAS 3. I couldn't have done that when I was 23.  He also had 3 secretaries, and would take them to a Sox game every year, and let me come along. I remember stopping to eat somewhere on the way home once, and Bucky Dent came in and sat at a table right next to us. My dad want me to walk over and introduce myself, but I was way too shy. Growing up in the NW suburbs, my dad would come home around 6 pm, and I would always ask him if he wanted to go to the Sox game. Once in a while he said yes, and one of those times was Richie Zisk's return to Comiskey Park in 1978 with Texas. Sox fans were not happy he left. My younger brother came with us, and we moved around the park. At one point we were in the CF bleachers and Zisk was coming to bat. Everyone was chanting f*** you Zisk, f*** you Zisk...so my brother and I jointed in . My dad laughed. Obviously everything peaks in 2005. My season ticket partner could not make the 2nd game of the WS, and told me to take my dad. Game 2 was Paulie's grand slam and Pods walk off. My dad was going nuts. As we were leaving he said it was the greatest White Sox game he had ever attended. I agreed. They wound up winning the WS on his birthday. 

[The Beast]

I started following the White Sox in 1998, when I went to a late season White Sox game against the Yankees.

The next spring, my dad took me to the third game of the year. I had just quit playing baseball to be an umpire and my dad was looking for something for us to bond over. We were working in the back yard when he asked me if I wanted to go to the game. Off we went. We got to the park and didn’t have tickets and were headed to the box office, when a guy and his daughter approached us and offered tickets to join them. My dad and I followed them and we walked towards home plate. We eventually get to the seats and we found ourselves three rows behind the plate. My dad and I couldn’t believe it. We also got to see Jermaine Dye play that day and he became one of my dad’s favorite players to watch. 

This lead to countless games when I was a kid, making Sunday Kids Days and Fuji Film Photo Days a regular habit. We would go to SoxFest when I was younger and had a blast. In 2005, my dad got seats in the 300 level and generously gave me tickets to go with friends and a girlfriend at the time. I also met some posters around here sometime between 2004-2005 and attended some games with them. I’ve had my birthday game at Sox Park for all except this year, when my daughter was born and I had to be home to help my wife. I had my own bachelor party there and hosted a friend’s bachelor party there. I saw the Tim Anderson walk off against Detroit in 2019, a Jose Abreu walk off grand slam against the Rays in 2014?, Carlos Lee’s walkoff grand slam against the Cubs, several White Sox bullpen meltdowns against the Twins and more recently against the Rays in 2023, when they couldn’t stop the losing streak and Vaughn needed to the next day, along with Konerko’s last game, Buehrle versus Sale and my first game during the pandemic which turned out to be my last game with my father in law, who learned he had pancreatic cancer six months later and died less than a year later. The night before my father in law passed, I took my dad to the Sox game against Houston and got great seats so that we could celebrate his retirement, I could thank him for all he did for me and we could watch a game together as my father in law would have wanted.

I have tons of memories at the park and have continued them with my son. My parents, my wife and I took my son to his first game against the Twins last fall. It was a terrible game that the White Sox did not have a chance winning. I’ll take my son, now three, to his second game this Sunday with a friend of mine, some of his kids and his father in law. Hopefully my dad shows up so we can have three generations of Sox fans watching the games together.

[WhiteSox2023]

Great stories.  All-Star father and son beards as well.

[greg775]

On 7/22/2024 at 5:31 AM, The Mighty Mite said:

You wrote: In 1972 Dick Allen came to the Sox and the team fought pretty hard but came up short against the A’s, if Bill Melton hadn’t hurt his back in June, I think the Sox probably would have won the Division.  

-- Dick Allen hit a HR in the nook in RC in old Comiskey. It's said to be the only homer struck at that part of the park. It was quite a blast.

You wrote: I’d have to pick the first game of a Sunday DH against the Royals on July 31, 1977, It was a 4 game series and the Sox won on Friday and Saturday, on Sunday old Comiskey was packed to the rafters with over 50,000 on hand, the game was tied after 9 at 2-2, the Royals took the lead 4-2 in the top of the 10th but with the fans cheering them on, the Sox as they were never out of a game with the offense like something we have never seen before came back and won the game 5-4 with single by Ralph Garr in the bottom of the 10th.

-- Wasn't that Ralph Garr single a bunt? They won it on a bunt and strangers were hugging each other. Wasn't game two the one where Hal McRae led the Royals to victory and put an end to the Sox players tipping their caps after home runs by mocking the Sox and tipping his own cap? Harry Caray called that loss the key to the Sox demise. KC called out the Sox, telling them to quit having fun as the 77 run was over. ... Also in the first game of that DH you mention didn't Soderholm break up a no hitter by Marty Pattin in the sixth or maybe the seventh?

I didn't realize til recently the Sox who were already falling out of the race in 77 picked up Don Kessinger late that season cause Bannister was a bad fielder and had a great season at the plate but ran out of gas. Kessinger I believe was a Sox 2-3 seasons and wound up being player/manager on a horsebleep team and stepped down in September for LaRussa.

The Baltimore series you mentioned might be the biggest choke in Sox history. The Sox in the Britt Burns game couldn't score a run and eliminate the O's. It was 0-0 in the 10th and Baltimore got 3 runs to win it. In the ninth, the Dybber had the worst baserunning mistake in Sox history, costing them the game and the title. The Sox had LaMarr Hoyt ready to go in the deciding game on Sunday had there been a deciding game five. It didn't happen all cause the Sox couldn't get one run in that Saturday game, 0-0 after nine thanks to the Dybber.

 

Edited July 26 by greg775