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Paul Konerko Appreciation Thread


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QUOTE (SoxAce @ Sep 26, 2014 -> 04:13 PM)
I think he is. That's why I mentioned White Sox legend. Legend by itself is for guys like Frank who was one of the best ever (hall of fame) and is remembered by outside fans. We as white sox fans will always remember Paulie.

 

I look at Konerko as a legend and Frank at the Sox GOAT.

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Scot Gregor ‏@scotgregor 33m

 

Reinsdorf: Konerko's number will one day be retired and he will have statue at the Cell

Reinsdorf says Konerko is on "cusp" of being Hall of Famer. Still thinks Harold Baines should be in Cooperstown

 

Chicago White Sox ‏@whitesox 34m

 

"We need more Jeters, we need more Konerkos." Jerry Reinsdorf says whether or not they choose to be, they're role models to the kids. #PK14

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Like a lot of people my age (turn 25 in November), '98 was my first real exposure to watching baseball. 1999 was my first year watching all the way from Opening Day, and my first year going to the park. Going back to the box scores, Paulie actually didn't play in my first game on June 6th, '99--Frank DHed, Norton played third, and Liefer played at first.

 

Regardless, he's a guy who's always been there. I took a bit of a sabbatical from baseball during my high school years, meaning I unfortunately didn't get to fully appreciate '05 in the moment, but when I came back to it in '08 it was meaningful to me that Konerko was still around. He and Buehrle were the guys who spanned the two eras for me.

 

I'll be glued to the TV for tomorrow's ceremony and at the park on Sunday.

Edited by OsweGo-Go Sox
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QUOTE (BFirebird @ Sep 26, 2014 -> 02:48 PM)
The Game 2 Grand Slam is definitely what I will always remember Paulie for as a player, but I also got to know him a little bit as a person as well and that made watching his career even more special for me.

 

As a kid, I caddied at Olympia Fields Country Club and we used to have a March of Dimes outing where every group played with a local celebrity. In 1999, Paulie's 1st year with the Sox, he came to play in the event. Based on our rank we got to select which group we wanted to caddy for in the event. I was only 17 at the time (3rd year caddy), so I was in the middle of the pack somewhere. Being a huge Sox fan, I definitely wanted a Sox player. I don't remember all the players that were there, but when it was my turn I of course knew Paulie was a Sox player, so I took him.

 

Getting to meet a local celebrity was always a thrill, especially as a kid. I had of course seen Paulie on the field, now I get to actually meet him and spend a few hours with him. Most guys take a cart in outings, but Paulie decided he wanted to walk the course instead so I carried his bag....which actually turned out to be Greg Norton's clubs. Paulie didn't have his with him. None of the guests in the group really seemed to know who Paulie was, so they kind of just had their own fun while I got to walk 18 holes with PK. Couldn't have been a nicer guy. Asked questions about myself, school, where I was going to go to college, etc. He pretty much was exactly how we see PK every day talking to the media...same guy. He always engaged me in conversation, like he actually wanted to talk to this 17 year old kid carrying his bag. I will never forget how cool he was.

 

After a few holes, he sees I am a decent caddy and he starts to ask for advice on clubs and reading greens. We get to a Par 3 and it is a hole you can win a prize. A trip to Ireland with a hole in one. I had been clubbing PK for a few holes now so he turned to me and said, 7 or 8 iron. I handed him the 8 and he hit a real good shot right at the hole. The green is a little elevated, so from our vantage point it was a little tough to see what happened to the ball, but it definitely disappeared and we see the people on the green screaming and celebrating. He hit a hole in one and won the trip...with someone else's clubs mind you. Nevertheless, everyone is excited and of course I get a huge high five from PK. Next hole was longest drive and still probably pumped up from the last hole, he rips one right down the middle of the fairway...longest of the day to that point. Not sure if he won that one though.

 

The day was definitely the best selection I ever made on the March of Dimes picks. Got to spend 4 hours with a guy that would become one of my favorite players ever in a White Sox uniform and some great memories to go along with it.

 

 

That's the greatest story in the history of Soxtalk. He got a hole in one after you gave him the 8 iron. Holy s***. What a story. Wild thing is if you ever run into Paulie again, he'd remember that day in a second. Nobody forgets their holes in one.

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QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 26, 2014 -> 10:29 PM)
That's the greatest story in the history of Soxtalk. He got a hole in one after you gave him the 8 iron. Holy s***. What a story. Wild thing is if you ever run into Paulie again, he'd remember that day in a second. Nobody forgets their holes in one.

 

I don't know, Gordon Beckham sucks in the day was a pretty awesome story too.

 

We'll go with best non-fiction story :)

 

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I actually find myself getting a little more emotional than I thought I would. It almost feels like the closing of a chapter in my life. I've watched or followed most every White Sox game since 97, so I've been watching PK his entire career with the Sox. I'm sad that the end of his career kind of goes out on a low note team-wise. He was such a great guy. A class act. 2005 was the best year of my life and needless to say, he was a big part of that.

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QUOTE (jphat007 @ Sep 27, 2014 -> 08:47 AM)
I'm sad that the end of his career kind of goes out on a low note team-wise.

 

I dunno about that. Last year, I would've agreed with you. But despite this season being bad results-wise, this team is a lot more inspiring than it's been for years. It seems fitting that his final curtain is at the end of a season where we've definitely felt a changing of the guard for the roster and the organization. We have some fantastic young pieces including one of the best pitchers in baseball and a slugging first baseman. No time like now to say goodbye.

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