White Sox unveil Comiskey statue

[greasywheels121]

Picture in article....http://whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/cws/new...s_cws&fext=.jsp

 

White Sox unveil Comiskey statue

By Scott Merkin / MLB.com 

 

CHICAGO -- The storied legacy of Charles A. Comiskey and his family's century of involvement with the White Sox might never have come to fruition if the "Old Roman" had listened to his mother back in the late 1880s.

It seems that Charles wanted to start a baseball career, as a player, but his mother thought the game was filled with ruffians who chewed tobacco and drank whiskey, according to his grandson, Charlie Comiskey. Basically, it was no place for her son to be.

 

Instead Charles listened to the advice from his father, John, who said that if his son wanted to play baseball, he needed to leave Chicago because of his mother's disapproval.

 

Charles Comiskey went to St. Louis to play and eventually served as the team's captain, the equivalent of today's manager. The seedlings were planted for what would eventually grow into the White Sox franchise in 1900 and the American League in 1901.

 

"Mothers and wives usually rule," said Charlie Comiskey of the story, "but he thought baseball was going to be a great game."

 

Prior to Thursday's series finale against the Yankees, Comiskey and his family were honored with the unveiling of a statue of the franchise founder on the main concourse of U.S. Cellular Field, to the right of the very popular fan deck.

 

The life-size bronze statue of Comiskey was done by Jerry McKenna, whose other sculptures include a bust of the late White Sox and Cubs broadcaster Jack Brickhouse, which is on display in the plaza near the Tribune Tower, and one of Edward "Moose" Krause, located on the University of Notre Dame campus.

 

Charlie Comiskey and numerous other descendants represented the family, and such White Sox greats as Minnie Minoso and Billy Pierce were on hand. Pierce described the one problem he'd had with old Comiskey Park when he visited as a member of the Detroit Tigers.

 

"I didn't want to come to Comiskey Park, because there was a stockyard in the back, and the aroma was brutal in between innings," he said with a laugh. "But the winds changed, the stockyards left and it became an area [from which it] is beautiful to watch a game."

 

Jerry Reinsdorf, the White Sox chairman for the past 24 years, also spoke at the 15-minute ceremony. He mentioned how the organization wanted to continue the Comiskey family's legacy at the new ballpark, and thus the Comiskey Park name was put into the first draft of the lease with the Stadium Authority.

 

When the naming rights were sold to U.S. Cellular, the franchise remained committed to doing something significant that would commemorate Comiskey and his family. Five other members of the Comiskey family either owned the team or served as executives from 1900 until 1962: J. Louis Comiskey, Grace Reidy Comiskey, Dorothy Comiskey Rigney, Charlie Comiskey and Gracie Lou Comiskey.

 

The sculpture seemed the perfect fit. Because of its location, a plethora of fans will be able to learn about the Comiskey family's contribution.

 

"Sometimes fans come in and don't even pay attention to the stadium name," said Reinsdorf. "Maybe this will bring his memory more to the fans' minds when they come here and look at the sculpture and read about Charles Comiskey.

 

"It's a fitting tribute to the old gentleman. It's an honor to be the person to temporarily carry the torch he lit in 1901."

 

This week has been full of White Sox tributes, as eight retired numbers and their corresponding images were unveiled on the left-center field fence prior to Tuesday's contest. That list consists of Minoso, Pierce, Nellie Fox, Harold Baines, Luke Appling, Luis Aparicio, Ted Lyons and Carlton Fisk. There is also a spot for Jackie Robinson and his No. 42, retired by all of baseball.

 

But none of of Chicago's retired numbers would have existed without Charles A. Comiskey. Although he passed away in 1931, he will always remain an enduring part of White Sox history, just as he has as a member of baseball's Hall of Fame since 1939. Now there's a physical reminder of his presence.

 

"I want everyone to know that no matter how long things go on, the Comiskeys will always be part of the White Sox," said Charlie Comiskey.

[sox4lifeinPA]

"I want everyone to know that no matter how long things go on, the Comiskeys will always be part of the White Sox," said Charlie Comiskey.

 

hey, at least he didn't say "I want everyone to know that no matter how long things go on, the Reinsdorf's will always be part of the White Sox"

[HighHeat45]

that happened like 3 days ago