Pope Leo XIV is a huge fan of Chicago White Sox.
It is also good: otherwise, the event that is being launched in his honor at the local stadium of the team this weekend could be a bit uncomfortable.
While the white socks play the Rangers in Texas on Saturday afternoon, the Chicago archdiocese will be in the field of tariffs celebrating the new leader of the Catholic Church, who was born and grew on the southern side of the city, with a Mass of the Archbishop Jjj Cupich of Chicago and other festivities.
While the man who once known as Robert Prevost will not be there in person, will appear in what the event organizers describe as “a video message of Pope Leo XIV to the young people of the world.”
Leo will also be represented in mural. The White Sox announced a graphic installation with their similarity in a lobby wall before a game of May 19 against the Seattle sailors, less than two weeks after Leo was selected as the first Pope born in the United States. He replaced Pope Francis, who died on April 21 at age 88.
Chicago's white socks have commemorated the Fandom of Pope Leo XIV with a graphic installation in the speed field.
(Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press)
The graphic was installed next to section 140, where Leo sat in row 19, seat 2 for game 1 of the 2005 World Series between the White Sox and Houston Astros. As remarkable as it may seem, there are images of the National Fox broadcast of that October 22, which shows the man then known as Father Bob in the stands in the stadium then known as the cell field of the United States.
Organizing a world series game for the first time since 1959, the White Sox led two races with one at the top of the ninth entrance. The Chicago closer, Bobby Jenks, had just launched a fast 95 mph ball beyond Adam Everett in Houston for a 0-1 count and was preparing for his next release.
It was then that the camera went to a nervous -looking father Bob, who seems to be wearing a team jacket on a team shirt.
The spectators could never see the reaction of the Pope's future to what happens next, but it must have been ecstatic when Jenks hits Everett in two more releases for a 5-3 Chicago victory. The White Sox are going to sweep the stars for their first victory in the World Series since 1917.
“That was his. He liked to go out and go to a game from time to time,” Louis Prevost said to the Chicago Tribune of his brother, The Future Pope. “Eat a Hot Dog. Take some pizza. Like any other guy in Chicago on the southern side.”
His favorite team may have fallen in more difficult times since then: the white socks are games of 23-45 and 20.5 of the American league behind the first Detroit tigers in the central division, but Leo is still willing to exhibit his fandom so that the world sees him.
On Wednesday, he wore a hat of the white socks along with his traditional papal cassock as he blessed newly married couples in the Plaza de San Pedro outside the Vatican.
Kelly and Gary Detefano, who live in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and are fans of Boston's red socks, gave him the hat. Kelly Detefano told Boston.com that they were only trying to get the attention of the new Pope.
“I just wanted to make sure that everyone knew we hadn't directed our team,” he told Boston.com. “Everything was joking and good fun.”
Chicago White Sox fans dress as their fellow fan of the White Sox, Pope Leo XIV to see a game against the puppies on May 17 at Wrigley Field.
(Paul Beaty / Associated Press)
It worked, with Boston.com informing that Leo gave the couple a rib of good character once he discovered where they are.
“You're going to get into trouble,” he told them, in a video of the meeting.
“Don't tell anyone in Massachusetts,” Kelly destefano replied.
While Leo could be too busy to attend a game in the short term, the Executive Executive Vice President of the White Sox, the director of Income and Marketing, Brooks Boyer, last month, the Pope can return to qualify the field when he wishes.
“He has an open invitation to launch a first release,” Boyer said. “Devils, we may let him get a turn to the bat.”
