White Sox fans stay true to team
HUNTLEY — Chicago White Sox fans gather at Huntley’s American Legion Hall to express their devotion to all things South Side baseball. The White Sox Fan Club has been meeting since 2019.
Ages of the fans ranged from 12-year-old Adrien Hernandez, who comes to meetings with his grandmother from Mundelein, to many in their 70s. Hernandez wore a former team star Chris Sale t-shirt this Monday and brought a front page of the Chicago Tribune from their squad’s last World Series title in 2005.
Their team may have had a couple of down years, but it’s not the present players or owner (both who received criticism for only a 43-win season to date), but the lifetime experience. The trade deadline news of letting current players go for prospects was a topic for the local Sox fan base.
“Richie Allen, the home run hitting first baseman, was my hero,” Ed Fabro, of Sun City, said. “I also remember recording a game from the 1959 World Series.”
Phil Cody was one of many fans who mentioned second baseman Nellie Fox. He played had 12 All-Star games, was with the South Siders for 14 years and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1997.
“I remember going to a game when I was 11 and getting his autograph,” Cody said. “In the old days, the players would come down near the dugout and sign autographs before the game.”
“I was always a big fan of first baseman Paul Korenko,” said member Glenn Groebli, who wore a 2021 Central Division Champions shirt.
The membership was told of the team’s support for a youth with a brain tumor condition, how he received a special experience at Guaranteed Rate Field, courtesy of owner Jerry Reinsdorf, and how Eloy Jimenez made a connection and hit a home run.
The night had raffle drawings, including a framed Chicago Tribune front page of the White Sox’s World Championship in 2005 and trivia questions on the heroes who played first base. For the 40 White Sox fans included some partisan Cubs-Sox talk, of course, ahead of the final two Chicago baseball series games Aug. 15 and 16.
Some fun facts about the Wintrust Crosstown Series, from Wikipedia: the Cubs won the first two games this year, but the White Sox own a 73-67 edge in wins; the White Sox have three World Series Titles as well as the Cubs, but the North Siders lead in league titles, 17-6 and division crowns, 3-1 and in World Series appearances, 11-5. The two teams, prior to this season, are separated by just 10 percentage points in total record. The White Sox won the 1906 World Series over
the Cubs.
The 2023 season will be heading to the home stretch when the White Sox Fan Club convenes again in late August.
“Sox fans have been through it all, good and bad,” Groebli said, adding he was happy with the turnout despite the team’s standing.
