User:Bmicomp/Chicago White Sox

Template:MLB team2 The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are in the Central Division of the American League.

Franchise history

As described in Lee Allen's book The American League Story (Putnam, 1962), the team began as the Sioux City franchise in a minor league called the Western League. The WL had reorganized itself in November 1893, with Ban Johnson as President. Johnson, a Cincinnati-based reporter, had been recommended by his friend Charles Comiskey, former major league star with the St. Louis Browns in the 1880s, who was then managing the Cincinnati Reds. After the 1894 season, when Comiskey's contract with the Reds was up, he decided to take his chances at ownership. He bought the Sioux City team and transferred it to St. Paul, where it enjoyed some success over the next 5 seasons.

In 1900, the Western League changed its name to the American League. It was still officially a minor league, a part of the National Agreement and an underling of the National League. The NL actually gave permission to the AL to put a team in Chicago, and Comiskey moved his St. Paul club to the south side. After the season, the AL declined to renew its membership in the National Agreement, and the war was on.

The club adopted the name "White Stockings," the original name of the Chicago Cubs, and acquired a number of stars from the National League, including pitcher and manager Clark Griffith, who paced the White Sox to the AL's first pennant in 1901. The nickname was quickly shortened to "White Sox." The White Sox would continue to be built on pitching and defense in the following years, led by pitching workhorse Ed Walsh, who routinely pitched over 400 innings each season in his prime.

The Hitless Wonders

Walsh, Doc White and Nick Altrock paced the White Sox to their 1906 pennant and their first World Series victory, a stunning upset over the Cubs who had won a record 116 regular-season games. The Sox, dubbed the "Hitless Wonders" for having the lowest team batting average in the American League that year, nevertheless took the Series, and intercity bragging rights, in six games.

"Say it Ain't So, Joe!"

The White Sox contended over the next decade, but did not bring home a pennant until 1917. Led by second baseman Eddie Collins and outfielder Shoeless Joe Jackson, the White Sox now had offense to go with the pitching of Eddie Cicotte and Red Faber, and a strong defense anchored by catcher Ray Schalk. After an off-year in the war-shortened season of 1918, the club bounced back to win the pennant in 1919 and entered the World Series heavily favored to defeat the Cincinnati Reds.

However, 1919 was the year of the infamous Black Sox scandal. Eight White Sox players, including Cicotte and Jackson, reportedly took part in a plot by gamblers to "fix" the World Series. Especially considering their lack of success since the scandal, many people feel that the White Sox have never quite overcome the stigma of being the only team to allegedly fix the World Series.

In that era, gamblers had great influence over baseball games. Many players on a number of teams - likely frustrated by their inability to make what they felt was a decent living wage - were willing to participate in fixing the outcome of baseball games in exchange for cash. However, until the Black Sox scandal, rarely did such attempts to fix games blow up into major scandals.

The official evidence relating to participation in the 'fix' by the various accused players came to light late in the 1920 season, and Comiskey suspended the remaining seven players (Gandil retired after the 1919 season). The suspensions literally ground the team to a halt; it was well on its way to another pennant. However, the evidence of their involvement disappeared from the Cook County courthouse, and a criminal trial ended in acquittals of all the players. However, with the public's trust of the game of baseball at stake, newly-installed Commissioner of Baseball Judge Landis banned all the accused from baseball for life. As the players were leaving a hearing, legend has it that a young boy (said by some to have been a newsboy) is claimed to have yelled out to Shoeless Joe, "Say it ain't so, Joe!", although there is no evidence this exchange ever took place.

Though suspended from baseball, whether the Chicago Eight's efforts to fix the World Series actually succeeded remains unknown. There were a number of players on the White Sox that were not in on the fix who did play their best. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that to some extent, many of the players involved did try their best, especially as the series progressed. Specifically, Shoeless Joe Jackson hit .375 for the Series, and also swore under oath in a deposition that he played to win the World Series.

One theory that has often been suggested is that the players were driven to this plot as an act of both desperation and protest against Charles Comiskey, considered to be one of the meanest and tightest-fisted owners in the game.

Most remarkably, a pitch-by-pitch record of every at-bat of the entire World Series was kept and retained - something that had not been common practice before and would not become common practice for several more decades. Many baseball scholars who have studied this pitch-by-pitch record in tandem with other records of the game could not identify any additional specific evidence that might otherwise indicate the White Sox tried deliberately to act to fix this World Series.

The White Sox had been the league's dominant team at the time, but were severely crippled by losing seven of their best players in the middle of their prime. The team dropped into seventh place in 1921 and would not contend again until 1936. During that stretch, only the 1925 and 1926 teams even managed to top .500. During this period, the Sox featured stars such as third baseman Willie Kamm, shortstop Luke Appling and pitcher Ted Lyons. However, an outstanding team was never developed around them, or a deep pitching staff. Led from 1934 to 1946 by well-liked manager Jimmie Dykes, the White Sox didn't completely recover from their malaise until the team was rebuilt in the 1950s under managers Paul Richards, Marty Marion, and Al Lopez.

It is interesting to note that, since 1920, although the White Sox have had even less success than the Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox - whose fans can be considered some of the most angst-riddled fans in all of sports - as well as being responsible for perhaps the biggest scandal in baseball history, that the White Sox' fan base has largely shrugged off their relative lack of success over the years, blaming it more on bad teams, bad management and bad luck rather than some other-worldly "curse". Even the players who conspired to fix the 1919 World Series are not as reviled or held responsible for the White Sox' lack of success as certain icons in the Cubs' and Red Sox past.

There are also a number of people who have taken up Shoeless Joe Jackson's cause, campaigning for reversal of his ban from baseball (and thus clearing the way for his Hall of Fame induction). They point to sketchy evidence that he had acted to throw the World Series; his performance prior to his ban, and the fact that he was, most likely, driven to agreeing to fix the World Series by the lack of respect accorded to Jackson by Charles Comiskey. They also point to the fact that, immediately after the World Series, Jackson attempted to turn over his take from throwing the World Series to Charles Comiskey's lawyer; however, the lawyer would not take the money, telling Jackson to "go home to South Carolina" and that the episode would blow over before long.

In fact, until the Pete Rose scandal, players who had been permanently banned from baseball were still technically eligible for the Hall of Fame, though there was an unspoken agreement that such players would not be considered. In the Rose scandal's aftermath, the ban was codified and the loophole closed before it became an issue.

"Go Go White Sox"

Following Charles Comiskey's death in 1931, the team continued to be operated by his family – first by his son Louis, then by Louis' widow Grace, and finally by their daughter Dorothy. Not until 1959 did the team pass out of the family to a new ownership group, led by Bill Veeck, who had previously run both the Cleveland Indians and the St. Louis Browns. Veeck had also tried to buy the Philadelphia Phillies during World War II, with the stated intention of stocking the team with players from the Negro Leagues, but was rejected.

Veeck's arrival in 1959 brought an organizational approach which emphasized the entertainment aspect of the sport without sacrificing quality on the field, and Comiskey Park became home to a series of fan-friendly promotional stunts which helped draw record crowds, the most obvious being the exploding fireworks Veeck installed in the scoreboard to celebrate home runs and victories. Unlike Charles Comiskey, Veeck was also considered a player-friendly owner, and players enjoyed playing for him.

During the 1950s, the team had begun to restore its respectability utilizing an offensive philosophy emphasizing speed and a spectacular style of defense. Perennial All-Star Minnie Minoso personified both aspects, leading the league in stolen bases while hitting over .300 and providing terrific play in left field. The additions of rookie shortstop Luis Aparicio in 1956 and manager Al Lopez in 1957 continued the strengthening of the team, joining longtime team standouts such as Nellie Fox at second base, pitcher Billy Pierce and catcher Sherm Lollar. The White Sox would also acquire slugger Ted Kluszewski from the Cincinnati Reds for the final pennant push. Kluszewski gave the team a much-needed slugger for the stretch run, and he hit nearly 300 for the White Sox in the final month.

In 1959, the team won its first pennant in 40 years, thanks to the efforts of several eventual Hall of Famers – Lopez, Aparicio, Fox (the league MVP), and pitcher Early Wynn who would win the Cy Young Award in 1959 at a time only one award was presented for both leagues. Lopez had also managed the Cleveland Indians to the World Series in 1954, making him the only manager to interrupt the New York Yankees pennant run between 1949 and 1964.

After the pennant-clinching victory, Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, a life-long White Sox fan, ordered his fire chief to set off the city's air raid sirens. Many Chicagoans became fearful and confused, since 1959 was the height of the Cold War; however, they relaxed somewhat upon realizing it was part of the White Sox' celebration. The Sox won Game 1 of the World Series 11-0 on the strength of Ted Kluszewski's two home runs, their last postseason home win until 2005. The Los Angeles Dodgers, however, won four of the next five games and captured their first World Series championship since moving to the west coast. 92,706 fans witnessed Game 5 of the World Series at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the most ever to attend a World Series game. The White Sox won that game 1-0 over the Dodgers' 23-year old pitcher Sandy Koufax, but the Dodgers clinched the series by beating the Sox 9-3 two days later at Comiskey Park.

Although the White Sox had winning records every season from 1951 through 1967, the Yankees dynasty of the era often left the Sox frustrated in second place; they were league runner-up 5 times between 1957 and 1965. Health problems forced Veeck to sell the team to brothers Arthur and John Allyn in 1961, and while the team continued to play well, many of the ballpark thrills seemed to be missing.

The 1964 season was especially frustrating, as the team won 98 games, four more than 1959, including their last nine in a row – yet finished one game behind the pennant-winning Yankees, who had a late-season eleven-game win streak that opened up just enough room to stave off the Sox's final charge. The White Sox were also involved in one of the closest pennant races in history in 1967. After leading the American League for most of the season, on the final weekend, the White Sox, Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers all had a shot at the pennant. However, the Red Sox would assert themselves in the final weekend, beating the Twins to take the pennant by a single game. The White Sox would finish in 4th at 89-73, three games behind.

The Sox had a brief resurgence in 1972, with slugger Dick Allen winning the MVP award; but injuries, especially to popular third baseman Bill Melton, took their toll and the team finished 5 1/2 games behind Oakland, the eventual world champion.

"South Side Hit Men"

On December 10, 1975, Veeck regained ownership of the team, and vowed to make the Sox an exciting team again. But the 1976 team was one of the worst White Sox teams ever fielded, winning only 64 games (.398), drawing fewer than 915,000 fans, and ridiculed for wearing uniforms which featured shorts. Things were about to change, however, as the 1977 team gave 1,657,135 fans (at the time, an all-time Chicago baseball attendance record) much to cheer about. Veeck, unable to shell out money for huge, long-term contracts, adopted a "rent a player" strategy – trading for players in the last year of their contracts. The 1977 team featured new faces Richie Zisk, Oscar Gamble, and Eric Soderholm, and by the end of July, the team was 24 games over .500 and 5 1/2 games ahead of the Kansas City Royals. Team organist Nancy Faust riled the opponents with her version of "Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)" after White Sox home runs and opponent pitching changes; despite complaints by the opposition, Faust continues the tradition to this day. Fans were also entertained by announcer Harry Caray's seventh-inning stretch renditions of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" (a tradition which, contrary to popular belief, did not originate at Wrigley Field when Caray joined the crosstown Cubs in 1982). A 4-12 stretch in early August, and a club-record 16-game winning streak by the Royals, left the White Sox in third place by the end of the season with a 90-72 record.

After the end of the 1977 season, free agents Gamble and Zisk signed with other teams. Veeck's attempt to replace them with Bobby Bonds and Ron Blomberg fizzled as the 1978 team lost 90 games. After 87 losses in 1979 (including the infamous July 12, 1979 forfeit on Disco Demolition Night) and 90 losses in 1980, Veeck sold the team to an ownership group headed by Jerry Reinsdorf and Eddie Einhorn after his earlier attempt to sell the team to Ohio real estate tycoon Ed DeBartolo was rejected by other American League owners. The new owners moved quickly to show that they were committed to winning by signing All-Star catcher Carlton Fisk from the Boston Red Sox during the 1980-81 offseason. They also retained the club's young, relatively unknown manager Tony La Russa. Rather than focus on the off-field antics of announcers Caray and Jimmy Piersall or the threat of the team moving to Denver, the focus would be the team on the field. It was a sign of good things to come for the White Sox.

"Winning Ugly"

In 1983, the White Sox enjoyed their best success in a generation. Despite great expectations, at the All-Star Break the White Sox were only one game over .500, at 39-38. After the break, they went on a tear, going 60-25 to win 99 games and the AL West title. The White Sox were led by catcher Carlton Fisk, outfielder Harold Baines, eventual Rookie of the Year outfielder Ron Kittle, designated hitter Greg Luzinski, and pitchers LaMarr Hoyt (who won the Cy Young that year), Britt Burns, Floyd Bannister and Richard Dotson. Manager Tony La Russa also won the Manager of the Year award in his first managerial success.

A catchphrase of the team was "Winning Ugly" for the style of play, which reflected a tendency to win games through scrappy play rather than consistently strong hitting or pitching. That tag was put on them derisively by Doug Rader, then manager of the Texas Rangers, but Chicago media and Sox fans picked up on it and turned it into a positive. While they had a great run in the regular season, they were not able to carry that over into the postseason as they lost to a powerful Baltimore Orioles team 3 games to 1 in the AL Championship Series. Hoyt led the Sox to a 2-1 victory in Game 1, but the Orioles clinched the series with a thrilling 3-0 ten-inning victory in Game 4. White Sox pitcher Britt Burns pitched a "gutsy" game, throwing all ten innings in the loss.

The club slid back into mediocrity for the rest of the 1980s, contending only in 1985. In 1986, broadcaster-turned-general manager Ken "Hawk" Harrelson fired La Russa after a poor start. The club wouldn't contend again until 1990, the final year in Old Comiskey Park.

New Comiskey Park/U.S. Cellular Field

In the late 1980s, the franchise threatened to relocate to Tampa Bay, but frantic lobbying of the state legislature resulted in approval (by one vote) of public funding for a new stadium. Although designed primarily as a baseball stadium (as opposed to a "multipurpose" stadium) New Comiskey Park (redubbed U.S. Cellular Field in 2003) was built in a 1960s style similar to Dodger Stadium. It opened in 1991 to positive reviews; in fact many praised the fact that the stadium had natural grass, unlike other stadiums of the era such as Skydome in Toronto. However, it was quickly overshadowed by the wave of "nostalgia" or "retro" ballparks, beginning with Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The park's inaugural season drew 2,934,154 fans - at the time, an all-time attendance record for any Chicago baseball team.

Despite a number of fan-friendly innovations - including a concourse that goes around the entire circumference of the stadium - the park was often criticized for its sterile appearance and steep upper deck (which resembles new Yankee Stadium). In recent year,s there have been renovations made in order to make the park more fan friendly. Notable renovations included moving of the bullpens to be parallel to the field of play, extending the seats further to the field of play, and renovating the concourse areas to establish a more friendly feel. In addition, the top third of the upper deck was removed in 2004 and an overhang was placed over most of it. Designed as a 5-phase plan, the renovations will be complete after the 2005 season with the 5th and final phase. The most visible renovation in this final phase will be replacing the blue seats with green seats.

"Good guys wear black"

In anticipation of the move to the new ballpark, the White Sox of the 1990s adopted classic pinstriped uniforms and the occasional use of black jerseys, instantly jumping to the top of the league in merchandise sales. The 1990s teams also contended well, led by first baseman Frank Thomas, third baseman Robin Ventura and pitcher Jack McDowell. The hugely popular Thomas became in many ways the face of the franchise, and won back-to-back MVP's in 1993 and 1994. A player who hit for power as well as a high average, most people considered Thomas to be destined for the Hall of Fame before a series of injuries derailed his career in the early 2000's.

The team reached the ALCS in 1993. The White Sox were led by Thomas, Cy Young Award winner McDowell and All-Star closer Roberto Hernandez and won the last AL West before realignment with a 94-68 record. However, the White Sox were a big dissapointment in the ALCS, losing to the eventual World Champion Toronto Blue Jays in six games.

The White Sox led the new AL Central Division at the time of the 1994 players' strike, and also reached the American League Division Series in 2000.

On July 31, 1997, with the White Sox only 3.5 games back of the Cleveland Indians for the division lead, they traded veteran pitchers Wilson Alvarez, Danny Darwin and Roberto Hernández to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for six minor leaguers, most notably Keith Foulke. Many fans saw this as their ownership (led by Jerry Reinsdorf) betraying them and trading away their chance to win the division in exchange for next to nothing. This trade was deemed as the "White Flag Trade" by the Chicago newspapers due to the perception that the White Sox organization essentially surrendered to the Indians without a fight that year. This trade did considerable harm to the already struggling White Sox fan base. The team's unpopular manager that year, Terry Bevington, while enduring a rocky relationship with the Chicago media, did nothing to help the situation – on one occasion signalling to the bullpen for a relief pitcher when no one was warming up. He was replaced by Jerry Manuel following the 1997 season.

Under Manuel, the White Sox fielded a talented but chronically under-achieving team. In the year 2000, however, the White Sox had one of their best teams since the 1983 club. This team, whose slogan was "The Kids Can Play," won 95 games en route to an AL Central division title. The team scored runs at a blistering pace, which enabled them to win all of these games despite a mediocre pitching staff led by Mike Sirotka. Frank Thomas nearly won his third MVP award with his offensive output; he was helped by good offensive years from Magglio Ordóñez, Paul Konerko, Carlos Lee and Jose Valentin.

A big key for this team was that they seemed always to get a clutch hit whenever they needed it. The pitching staff, however, was beset by injuries by playoff time. As in 1983 and 1993, this team could not carry its success over into the postseason, getting swept by the wild-card Seattle Mariners in the Division Series. Despite new club records for hits (1,615), runs scored (978), RBI (926), home runs (216), and doubles (325), the Sox managed to hit only .185 in the ALDS and failed to score a run after the third inning in any of the three games. They were eliminated when Mariners pinch-hitter Carlos Guillen drove in the winning run with a squeeze bunt.

"Win Or Die Trying"

In 2004, the White Sox hired former team shortstop Ozzie Guillén as manager. Later that year, general manager Ken Williams vowed to change the makeup of the team from one that relies on the home run to one that has good pitching and defense. They traded outfielder Carlos Lee for center fielder Scott Podsednik, and also signed outfielder Jermaine Dye and former Yankee pitcher Orlando Hernandez to complete a rotation that included Freddy Garcia and Mark Buehrle. Additionally, former Minnesota Twin and San Francisco Giant A.J. Pierzynski was signed to fill the catching spot. Finally, to complete the make-over, Williams signed Japanese second baseman Tadahito Iguchi to a contract.

The changes made an immediate impact on the team. In 2005, the White Sox posted the best record in the major leagues for much of the year, before a late season slump saw the St. Louis Cardinals overtake them (100 wins vs. 99 wins). Though a serious challenge for their dominance of the division was mounted late in the year by the Cleveland Indians (the Tribe actually reduced what was once a 15 1/2-game lead for the Sox down to 1 1/2 games at one point), Chicago scored a 4-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on September 29 to win their first AL Central Division title since 2000. Finishing at 99-63 (.611) tied their 1983 record. The last time they had a higher percentage than that was 1920, when they finished second in the league thanks to the late-season "Black Sox" suspensions. The combination of the league's best record with the American League victory in the All-Star Game gave the White Sox the home field advantage throughout the 2005 post-season.

In the first round of the 2005 playoffs, the White Sox took on the wild-card winning Boston Red Sox, the defending World Series champions. However, the ChiSox overpowered the BoSox, defeating the Red Sox in a three-game sweep. They won the first two games (scoring a 14-2 victory in the first game – their first postseason win at home since 1959 – and 5-4 in the second) of the series at home before going to Fenway Park and claiming a 5-3 victory.

The Sox then moved on to face the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the ALCS. The Angels won Game 1 3-2 despite making three cross-country airplane trips in three days.

In Game 2 on October 12, 2005, the teams were involved in one of the most controversial endings in baseball playoff history. With the score tied 1-1 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, A.J. Pierzynski apparently struck out to end the inning. At first Pierzynski headed back to the dugout but ran to first base upon realizing that umpire Doug Eddings had ruled that Angels catcher Josh Paul did not field the ball cleanly, meaning he would have to either tag the batter or throw to the first baseman to record the out (see dropped third strike). Despite vehement protests from Scioscia and the Angels, Pierzynski was awarded first base. Pinch-runner Pablo Ozuna replaced Pierzynski and stole second base. Third baseman Joe Crede then delivered a base hit on the third pitch to give the White Sox a controversial 2-1 win. Overshadowed by that play was the 1-run, 5-hit complete game pitched by Mark Buehrle. Buehrle's excellent effort allowed the White Sox to capture their first-ever home victory in ALCS history.

Buoyed by their win, the White Sox travelled to Anaheim, where they proceeded to score three more consecutive complete game wins over the Angels under starters Jon Garland, Freddy Garcia, and Jose Contreras (who had dropped Game 1 to the Angels in Chicago) to win their first American League pennant since 1959. Sox slugger Paul Konerko was named the ALCS MVP, on the strength of his two home runs, 7 RBI, and .286 average.

Especially in light of the evolution of the game, the White Sox' four straight complete games was considered an unbelievable achievement. The last time four consecutive complete games had been pitched in a championship series was in the 1956 World Series between the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees, and the 1928 Yankees were the last team to win four consecutive complete games in a championship series. In fact, the last time that 4 complete games had been pitched by any major league team at all was in 1983 by the Texas Rangers. Ironically, the phrase "Winning Ugly" had been coined in that very season by Rangers manager Doug Rader to describe the White Sox.

The White Sox' appearance in the World Series was bittersweet for longtime franchise star Frank Thomas. One of the most popular and productive players in the franchise's long history, Thomas would finally be going to a World Series in his 16th major league season. However, due to injury, Thomas would be unable to participate except as an observer, and his contributions to the White Sox in 2005 were limited.

The White Sox faced their most serious challenge in Game 1 of the 2005 World Series from the Houston Astros, with the White Sox winning 5-3. Roger Clemens started the game for the Astros (he was the second oldest pitcher to start the World Series). After giving up three runs in the first two innings, Clemens had to come out of the game due to a sore hamstring. The Astros returned the favor with a second inning home run and two additional runs in the third to tie the score. Joe Crede, White Sox third baseman, hit a solo home run in the fourth to give the White Sox a lead they would never relinquish. Crede also made some great defensive plays. The Astros had runners at first and third with no outs when manager Ozzie Guillen replaced starter José Contreras, who went seven innings and gave up three runs on six hits, with Neal Cotts who gave up one hit and struck out two before giving the ball to Bobby Jenks. Jenks proceeded to nail down the Astros for the save.

In Game Two, the Houston Astros took an early lead off White Sox starting pitcher Mark Buehrle on a Morgan Ensberg solo home run. The Sox came back in the bottom of the second with Joe Crede and Juan Uribe driving in one run each. In the third, Willy Taveras hit a triple, scoring later on a Lance Berkman sacrifice fly. The Astros scored 2 more in the 5th inning with Berkman driving in 2 more runs. Then, with the bases loaded and 2 outs in the bottom of the 7th, the Astros brought in Chad Qualls to face Paul Konerko. On the first pitch, Konerko hit a grand slam. The Sox brought in closer Bobby Jenks, who looked unstoppable in Game One, gave up two runs in the top of the 9th to tie the game 6-6. White Sox leadoff hitter Scott Podsednik hit a walk-off home run in the bottom half, his second home run in the post season after going the entire regular season without hitting a single one, to win the game 7-6, and give the Sox a 2-0 lead in the 2005 Fall Classic.

History of White Sox uniforms

Over the years the White Sox have become noted for many of their uniform innovations and changes. In 1960, the White Sox became the first team in the major sports to put players' last names on jerseys.

The White Sox team colors prior to the 1970's were primarily navy blue and red. Their logo in the 50s and 60s was the word "SOX" in Old English font, diagonally arranged. In 1964, their road uniforms changed from gray to pale blue. In 1971, the team's primary color changed from navy blue to red, with the color of their pinstripes and caps changing to red.

In 1976 the team's uniforms changed again. The team's primary color changed back from red to navy. The team based their uniforms on a style worn in the early days of the franchise, with white jerseys worn at home, blue on the road. The team also had the option to wear blue or white pants with either jersey. Additionally the teams "SOX" logo was changed to a modern-looking "SOX" in a bold font, spelled across. Finally the team's logo featured a silhouette of a batter over the words "CHICAGO WHITE SOX", piled on top of each other.

The new uniforms also featured collars and were designed to be worn untucked - both unprecedented wrinkles. Yet by far the most unusual wrinkle was the option to wear shorts, which the White Sox did for one game against the Kansas City Royals in 1976. After being ridiculed by fans and pundits, and George Brett calling the White Sox "the sweetest team we have ever played," the White Sox retired the shorts. The Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League had tried the same concept at one time, and it was also poorly received. Apart from aesthetic issues, as a practical matter shorts are not conducive to sliding, due to the likelihood of significant abrasions.

Upon taking over the team in 1980 new owners Eddie Einhorn and Jerry Reinsdorf announced a contest where fans were invited to create new uniforms for the White Sox. The winning entry was submitted by a fan where the word "SOX" was written across the front of the jersey, in the same font as a cap, inside of a large blue stripe trimmed with red. The red and blue stripes were also on the sleeves, and the road jerseys were gray to the home whites. It was in those jerseys that the White Sox won 99 games and the AL West championship in 1983 with 99 wins, the best record in the majors.

After five years those uniforms were retired and replaced with a more basic uniform which had "White Sox" written across the front in script, with "Chicago" on the front of the road jersey. The cap logo was also changed to a cursive "C", although the batter logo was retained for several years.

Prior to the closing of original Comiskey Park in 1990, the White Sox switched uniform styles one more time. In September, the old English "SOX" logo was restored, the pinstripes were restored, and the team's colors changed to black and silver. With minor modifications (i.e., occasionally wearing vests, black game jerseys) the White Sox have used this style ever since.

Rivalries

The Chicago Cubs and the Sox are currently in, respectively, the first- and second-longest championship droughts of any professional baseball teams. (The Sox' drought is fully 31 years longer than that of the Cleveland Indians, the team with the third-longest drought.) This fact, in addition to the teams' geographic proximity, has created a heated Sox-Cubs rivalry. Most White Sox fans take joy in the failures of their crosstown rival and the same is true for Cubs fans. The advent of interleague play has intensified the rivalry.

Since 2000, a heated feud has grown between the White Sox and their Central Division rivals, the Minnesota Twins, fueled in large part by the unchallenged Central Division dominance of the Twins in the 2002, 2003 and 2004 seasons. A short-lived rivalry with the Indians that blossomed in the mid-1990s is showing signs of re-emergence, especially given the fact the White Sox swept the Indians during the last weekend of the 2005 season, eliminating their chance to make the playoffs as the wild card team.

Baseball Hall of Famers

• Luis Aparicio 1956-62, 1968-70
• Luke Appling 1930-43, 1945-50
• Chief Bender 1925
• Steve Carlton 1986
• Eddie Collins 1915-26
• George Davis 1902, 1904-09
• Larry Doby 1956-57, 1959
• Johnny Evers 1922
• Red Faber 1914-33
• Carlton Fisk 1981-93
• Nellie Fox 1950-63
• Clark Griffith 1901-02
• Harry Hooper 1921-25
• George Kell 1954-56
• Ted Lyons 1923-42, 1946
• Edd Roush 1913
• Red Ruffing 1947
• Ray Schalk 1912-28
• Tom Seaver 1984-86
• Al Simmons 1933-35
• Ed Walsh 1904-16
• Hoyt Wilhelm 1963-68
• Early Wynn 1958-62

Current roster

"White Sox" redirects here. For other uses, see White Sox (disambiguation).

Chicago White Sox
2024 Chicago White Sox season
Logo Cap insignia
Established in 1894 Based in Chicago since 1900
Major league affiliations
American League (1901–present) Central Division (1994–present) West Division (1969–1993)
Current uniform
Retired numbers	2 3 4 9 11 14 16 19 35 56 72 42
Colors
Black, silver, white
Name
Chicago White Sox (1904–present) Chicago White Stockings (1900–1903) St. Paul Saints (1895–1899) Sioux City Cornhuskers (1894)
Other nicknames
The Sox The Chi Sox The South Siders The Pale Hose The Good Guys The Black Sox (1919)
Ballpark
Guaranteed Rate Field (1991–present) Comiskey Park (1910–1990) Milwaukee County Stadium (1968–1969) South Side Park (1900–1910) Lexington Park (1897–1899)
Major league titles
World Series titles (3)	1906 1917 2005
AL Pennants (7)	1900 1901 1906 1917 1919 1959 2005
WL Pennants (1)	1894
AL West Division titles (2)	1983 1993
AL Central Division titles (4)	2000 2005 2008 2021
Wild card berths (1)	2020
Front office
Principal owner(s)	Jerry Reinsdorf
General manager	Chris Getz
Manager	Will Venable
Website	mlb.com/whitesox

The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The club plays its home games at Guaranteed Rate Field, which is located on Chicago's South Side. They are one of two MLB teams based in Chicago, alongside the National League (NL)’s Chicago Cubs.

The White Sox originated in the Western League, founded as the Sioux City Cornhuskers in 1894, moving to Saint Paul, Minnesota, as the St. Paul Saints, and ultimately relocating to Chicago in 1900. The Chicago White Stockings were one of the American League's eight charter franchises when the AL asserted major league status in 1901. The team, which shortened its name to the White Sox in 1904, originally played their home games at South Side Park before moving to Comiskey Park in 1910, where they played until 1990. They moved into their current home, which was originally also known as Comiskey Park like its predecessor and later carried sponsorship from U.S. Cellular, for the 1991 season.

The White Sox won their first World Series, the 1906 World Series against the Cubs, with a defense-oriented team dubbed "the Hitless Wonders", and later won the 1917 World Series against the New York Giants. Their next appearance, the 1919 World Series, was marred by the Black Sox Scandal in which eight members of the White Sox were found to have conspired with gamblers to fix games and lose the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds. In response, the new Commissioner of Baseball, Kenesaw Mountain Landis, banned the players from the league for life. The White Sox have only made two World Series appearances since the scandal. The first came in 1959, where they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers, before they finally won their third championship in 2005 against the Houston Astros. The 88 seasons it took the White Sox to win the World Series stands as the longest MLB championship drought in the American League, and the second longest in both leagues, to the Cubs' 108 seasons.

From 1901 to 2024, the White Sox have an overall win-loss record of 9,594–9,612–103 (.500).

History

Main article: History of the Chicago White Sox

1919 "Black Sox" team photo

Ed Walsh holds the record for lowest career earned run average (ERA), 1.82.

The White Sox originated as the Sioux City Cornhuskers of the Western League, a minor league under the parameters of the National Agreement with the National League. In 1894, Charles Comiskey bought the Cornhuskers and moved them to St. Paul, Minnesota, where they became the St. Paul Saints. In 1900, with the approval of Western League president Ban Johnson, Charles Comiskey moved the Saints into his hometown neighborhood of Armour Square, where they became the Chicago White Stockings, the former name of Chicago's National League team, the Orphans (now the Chicago Cubs).

In 1901, the Western League broke the National Agreement and became the new major league American League. The first season in the AL ended with a White Stockings championship. However, that would be the end of the season, as the World Series did not begin until 1903. The franchise, now known as the Chicago White Sox, made its first World Series appearance in 1906, beating the crosstown Cubs in six games.

The White Sox won a third pennant and a second World Series in 1917, beating the New York Giants in six games with help from stars Eddie Cicotte and "Shoeless" Joe Jackson. The Sox were heavily favored in the 1919 World Series, but lost to the Cincinnati Reds in eight games. Huge bets on the Reds fueled speculation that the series had been fixed. A criminal investigation went on in the 1920 season, and although all players were acquitted, commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis banned eight of them for life, in what was known as the Black Sox Scandal. This set the franchise back, as they did not win another pennant for 40 years.

The White Sox did not finish in the upper half of the American League again until after founder Charles Comiskey died and passed ownership of the club to his son, J. Louis Comiskey. They finished in the upper half most years between 1936 and 1946, under the leadership of manager Jimmy Dykes, with star shortstop Luke Appling (known as "Ol' Aches and Pains") and pitcher Ted Lyons, who both had their numbers 4 and 16 retired.

After J. Louis Comiskey died in 1939, ownership of the club was passed down to his widow, Grace Comiskey. The club was later passed down to Grace's children Dorothy and Chuck in 1956, with Dorothy selling a majority share to a group led by Bill Veeck after the 1958 season. Veeck was notorious for his promotional stunts, attracting fans to Comiskey Park with the new "exploding scoreboard" and outfield shower. In 1961, Arthur Allyn, Jr. briefly owned the club before selling to his brother John Allyn.

Al López, manager of the "Go-Go Sox"

From 1951 to 1967, the White Sox had their longest period of sustained success, scoring a winning record for 17 straight seasons. Known as the "Go-Go White Sox" for their tendency to focus on speed and getting on base versus power hitting, they featured stars such as Minnie Miñoso, Nellie Fox, Luis Aparicio, Billy Pierce, and Sherm Lollar. From 1957 to 1965, the Sox were managed by Al López. The Sox finished in the upper half of the American League in eight of his nine seasons, including six years in the top two of the league. In 1959, the White Sox ended the New York Yankees' dominance over the American League, and won their first pennant since the ill-fated 1919 campaign. Despite winning game one of the 1959 World Series 11–0, they fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games.

During the late 1960s and 1970s, the White Sox struggled to win games and attract fans. The team played a total of 20 home games at Milwaukee County Stadium in the 1968 and 1969 seasons. Allyn and Bud Selig agreed to a handshake deal that would give Selig control of the club and move them to Milwaukee, but it was blocked by the American League. Selig instead bought the Seattle Pilots and moved them to Milwaukee, where they would become the Milwaukee Brewers, putting enormous pressure on the American League to place a team in Seattle. A plan was in place for the Sox to move to Seattle and for Charlie Finley to move his Oakland A's to Chicago. However, the city had a renewed interest in the Sox after the 1972 season, and the American League instead added the expansion Seattle Mariners. The 1972 White Sox had the lone successful season of this era, as Dick Allen wound up winning the American League MVP award. Bill Veeck returned as owner of the Sox in 1975, and despite not having much money, they managed to win 90 games in 1977, with a team known as the "South Side Hitmen".

However, the team's fortunes plummeted afterwards, plagued by 90-loss teams and scarred by the notorious 1979 Disco Demolition Night promotion. Veeck was forced to sell the team, rejecting offers from ownership groups intent on moving the club to Denver and eventually agreeing to sell it to Ed DeBartolo, the only prospective owner who promised to keep the White Sox in Chicago. However, DeBartolo was rejected by the owners, and the club was then sold to a group headed by Jerry Reinsdorf and Eddie Einhorn. The Reinsdorf era started off well, with the team winning their first division title in 1983, led by manager Tony La Russa and stars Carlton Fisk, Tom Paciorek, Ron Kittle, Harold Baines, and LaMarr Hoyt. During the 1986 season, La Russa was fired by announcer-turned-general manager Ken Harrelson. La Russa went on to manage in six World Series (winning three) with the Oakland A's and St. Louis Cardinals, ending up in the Hall of Fame as the second-winningest manager of all time.

Harold Baines at the plate in 1986

Frank Thomas in 1997

The White Sox struggled for the rest of the 1980s, as Chicago fought to keep them in town. Reinsdorf wanted to replace the aging Comiskey Park, and sought public funds to do so. When talks stalled, a strong offer was made to move the team to Tampa, Florida. Funding for a new ballpark was approved in an 11th-hour deal by the Illinois State Legislature on June 30, 1988, with the stipulation that it had to be built on the corner of 35th and Shields, across the street from the old ballpark, as opposed to the suburban ballpark the owners had designed. Architects offered to redesign the ballpark to a more "retro" feel that would fit in the city blocks around Comiskey Park; however, the ownership group was set on a 1991 open date, so they kept the old design. The new ballpark opened in 1991 under the name new Comiskey Park. The park, renamed in 2003 as U.S. Cellular Field and in 2016 as Guaranteed Rate Field, underwent many renovations in the early 2000s to give it a more retro feel.

The White Sox were fairly successful in the 1990s and early 2000s, with 12 winning seasons from 1990 to 2005. First baseman Frank Thomas became the face of the franchise, ending his career as the White Sox's all-time leader in runs, doubles, home runs, total bases, and walks. Other major players included Robin Ventura, Ozzie Guillén, Jack McDowell, and Bobby Thigpen. The Sox won the West division in 1993, and were in first place in 1994, when the season was canceled due to the 1994 MLB Strike.

In 2004, Ozzie Guillén was hired as manager of his former team. After finishing second in 2004, the Sox won 99 games and the Central Division title in 2005, behind the work of stars Paul Konerko, Mark Buehrle, A. J. Pierzynski, Joe Crede, and Orlando Hernández. They started the playoffs by sweeping the defending champion Boston Red Sox in the ALDS, and beat the Angels in five games to win their first pennant in 46 years, due to four complete games by the White Sox rotation. The White Sox went on to sweep the Houston Astros in the 2005 World Series, giving them their first World Championship in 88 years.

Guillén had marginal success during the rest of his tenure, with the Sox winning the Central Division title in 2008 after a one-game playoff with the Minnesota Twins. Guillén left the White Sox after the 2011 season and was replaced by former teammate Robin Ventura. The White Sox finished the 2015 season, their 115th in Chicago, with a 76–86 record, a three-game improvement over 2014. The White Sox recorded their 9,000th win in franchise history by the score of 3–2 against the Detroit Tigers on September 21, 2015. Ventura returned in 2016, with a young core featuring José Abreu, Adam Eaton, José Quintana, and Chris Sale. Ventura resigned after the 2016 season, in which the White Sox finished 78–84. Rick Renteria, the 2016 White Sox bench coach, was promoted to the role of manager.

The White Sox celebrate after winning a tie-breaker game against the Minnesota Twins for a spot in the 2008 playoffs.

Prior to the start of the 2017 season, the White Sox traded Sale to the Boston Red Sox and Eaton to the Washington Nationals for prospects including Yoán Moncada, Lucas Giolito and Michael Kopech, signaling the beginning of a rebuilding period. During the 2017 season, the White Sox continued their rebuild when they made a blockbuster trade with their crosstown rival, the Chicago Cubs, in a swap that featured the Sox sending pitcher José Quintana to the Cubs in exchange for four prospects headlined by outfielder Eloy Jiménez and pitcher Dylan Cease. This was the first trade between the White Sox and Cubs since the 2006 season.

During the 2018 season, relief pitcher Danny Farquhar suffered a brain hemorrhage while he was in the dugout between innings. Farquhar remained out of action for the rest of the season and just recently got medically cleared to return to baseball, despite some doctors doubting that he would make a full recovery. Also occurring during the 2018 season, the White Sox announced that the club would be the first Major League Baseball team to entirely discontinue use of plastic straws, in ordinance with the "Shedd the Straw" campaign by Shedd Aquarium. The White Sox broke an MLB record during their 100-loss campaign of 2018, but broke the single-season strikeout record in only a year after the Milwaukee Brewers broke the record in the 2017 season. On December 3, 2018, head trainer Herm Schneider retired after 40 seasons with the team; his new role will be as an advisor on medical issues pertaining to free agency, the amateur draft and player acquisition. Schneider will also continue to be a resource for the White Sox training department, including both the major and minor league levels.

On August 25, 2020, Lucas Giolito recorded the 19th no-hitter in White Sox history, and the first since Philip Humber's Perfect Game in 2012. Giolito struck out 13 and threw 74 of 101 pitches for strikes. He only allowed one baserunner, which was a walk to Erik González in the fourth inning. In 2020, the White Sox clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2008, with a record 35–25 in the pandemic-shortened season, but lost to the Oakland Athletics in three games during the Wild Card Series. The White Sox also made MLB history by being the first team to go undefeated against left-handed pitching, with a 14–0 record. At the end of the season, Renteria and longtime pitching coach Don Cooper were both fired. Jose Abreu became the 4th different White Sox player to win the AL MVP joining Dick Allen, Nellie Fox, and Frank Thomas. During the 2021 offseason, the White Sox brought back Tony La Russa as their manager for 2021. At the age of 76 when hired, La Russa became the oldest active manager in MLB.

On April 14, 2021, pitching against the Cleveland Indians, Carlos Rodon recorded the team's 20th no-hitter. Rodon retired the first 25 batters he faced and was saved by an incredible play at first base by first baseman Jose Abreu to get the first out in the 9th before hitting Roberto Pérez which was the only baserunner Rodon allowed. Rodon struck out seven and threw 75 of 114 pitches for strikes. On June 6, 2021, the White Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 3–0. This also had Tony La Russa winning his 2,764th game as manager passing John McGraw for 2nd on the all-time managerial wins list. On August 12, 2021, the White Sox faced New York Yankees in the first ever Field of Dreams game in Dyersville, Iowa. The White Sox won the game 9–8 on a walk-off two-run Home Run by Tim Anderson. The homer was the 15th walk-off home run against the Yankees in White Sox history; the first being Shoeless Joe Jackson on July 20, 1919, whose character featured in the movie Field of Dreams. On September 23, 2021, the White Sox clinched the American League Central Division for the first time since 2008 against the Cleveland Indians.

In 2024, the White Sox tied a 14-game losing streak, then proceeded to have a 21-game losing streak from July 10 to August 5. They became the 7th team all time, and the first since the 1988 Baltimore Orioles to lose 20 consecutive games. On September 1, the White Sox set a new franchise record for losses at 107 following a 2–0 loss to the New York Mets. They are also the first team since the 1965 Mets to have 3 separate 10 or more game losing streaks in one season. On September 27, the White Sox lost their 121st game of the season, surpassing the 1962 Mets for the most losses in modern MLB history.

Ballparks

Main article: Guaranteed Rate Field

In the late 1980s, the franchise threatened to relocate to Tampa Bay (as did the San Francisco Giants), but frantic lobbying on the part of the Illinois governor James R. Thompson and state legislature resulted in approval (by one vote) of public funding for a new stadium. Designed primarily as a baseball stadium (as opposed to a "multipurpose" stadium), the new Comiskey Park (redubbed U.S. Cellular Field, often nicknamed "The Cell", in 2003 and Guaranteed Rate Field in 2016, after mortgage company Guaranteed Rate) was built in a 1960s style, similar to Dodger Stadium and Kauffman Stadium. There were ideas for other stadium designs submitted to bring a more neighborhood feel, but ultimately they were not selected. The park opened in 1991 to positive reaction, with many praising its wide-open concourses, excellent sight lines, and natural grass (unlike other stadiums of the era, such as Rogers Centre in Toronto). The park's inaugural season drew 2,934,154 fans — at the time, an all-time attendance record for any Chicago baseball team.

View from the upper deck of then U.S. Cellular Field in 2006

In recent years, money accrued from the sale of naming rights to the field has been allocated for renovations to make the park more aesthetically appealing and fan-friendly. Notable renovations of early phases included reorientation of the bullpens parallel to the field of play (thus decreasing slightly the formerly symmetrical dimensions of the outfield); filling seats in up to and shortening the outfield wall; ballooning foul-line seat sections out toward the field of play; creating a new multitiered batter's eye, allowing fans to see out through one-way screens from the center-field vantage point, and complete with concession stand and bar-style seating on its "fan deck"; and renovating all concourse areas with brick, historic murals, and new concession stand ornaments to establish a more friendly feel. The stadium's steel and concrete were repainted dark gray and black. In 2016, the scoreboard jumbotron was replaced with a new Mitsubishi Diamondvision HDTV screen.

The top quarter of the upper deck was removed in 2004, and a black wrought-metal roof was placed over it, covering all but the first eight rows of seats. This decreased seating capacity from 47,098 to 40,615; 2005 also had the introduction of the Scout Seats, redesignating (and reupholstering) 200 lower-deck seats behind home plate as an exclusive area, with seat-side waitstaff and a complete restaurant located underneath the concourse. The most significant structural addition besides the new roof was 2005's FUNdamentals Deck, a multitiered structure on the left-field concourse containing batting cages, a small Tee Ball field, speed pitch, and several other children's activities intended to entertain and educate young fans with the help of coaching staff from the Chicago Bulls/Sox Training Academy. This structure was used during the 2005 American League playoffs by ESPN and the Fox Broadcasting Company as a broadcasting platform.

Designed as a seven-phase plan, the renovations were completed before the 2007 season with the seventh and final phase. The most visible renovation in this final phase was replacing the original blue seats with green seats. The upper deck already had new green seats put in before the beginning of the 2006 season. Beginning with the 2007 season, a new luxury-seating section was added in the former press box. This section has amenities similar to those of the Scout Seats section. After the 2007 season, the ballpark continued renovation projects despite the phases being complete. In July 2019, the White Sox extended the netting to the foul pole.

Previous ballparks

Batting practice at Comiskey Park, 1986

The St. Paul Saints first played their games at Lexington Park. When they moved to Chicago's Armour Square neighborhood, they began play at the South Side Park. Previously a cricket ground, the park was located on the north side of 39th Street (now called Pershing Road) between South Wentworth and South Princeton Avenues. Its massive dimensions yielded few home runs, which was to the advantage of the White Sox's Hitless Wonders teams of the early 20th century.

After the 1909 season, the Sox moved five blocks to the north to play in the new Comiskey Park, while the 39th Street grounds became the home of the Chicago American Giants of the Negro leagues. Billed as the Baseball Palace of the World, it originally held 28,000 seats and eventually grew to hold over 50,000. It became known for its many odd features, such as the outdoor shower and the exploding scoreboard. When it closed after the 1990 season, it was the oldest ballpark still in Major League Baseball.

Spring-training ballparks

The White Sox have held spring training in:

• Excelsior Springs, Missouri (1901–1902)
• Mobile, Alabama (1903);
• Marlin Springs, Texas (1904)
• New Orleans (1905–1906)
• Mexico City, Mexico (1907)
• Los Angeles (1908)
• San Francisco (Recreation Park, 1909–1910)
• Mineral Wells, Texas (1911, 1916–1919)
• Waco, Texas (1912, 1920);
• Paso Robles, California (1913–1915)
• Waxahachie, Texas (1921)
• Seguin, Texas (1922–1923)
• Winter Haven, Florida. (1924)
• Shreveport, Louisiana (1925–1928)
• Dallas (1929)
• San Antonio (1930–1932)
• Pasadena, California (1933–1942, 1946–1950)
• French Lick, Indiana (1943–1944)
• Terre Haute, Indiana (1945)
• Palm Springs, California (Palm Springs Stadium, 1951)
• El Centro, California (1952–1953);
• Tampa, Florida (1954–1959, Plant Field, 1954, Al Lopez Field 1955–1959)
• Sarasota, Florida (1960–1997; Payne Park Ed Smith Stadium 1989–97).
• Tucson, Arizona (Tucson Electric Park, 1998–2008, Cactus League, shared with Arizona Diamondbacks)
• Phoenix, Arizona (Camelback Ranch, 2009–present)

On November 19, 2007, the cities of Glendale and Phoenix, Arizona, broke ground on a new Cactus League spring-training facility. Camelback Ranch, the $76 million, two-team facility, is the home of both the White Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers for their spring training, featuring state-of-the-art baseball facilities and an over 10,000-seat stadium. The facility is also home to amenities such as 118,000 sq ft. of clubhouse space, 13 full fields, citrus groves, and a large lake and river system stocked with fish running throughout the complex.

Logos and uniforms

See also: Major League Baseball uniforms

Over the years, the White Sox have become noted for many of their uniform innovations and changes. In 1960, they became the first team in the major sports to put players' last names on jerseys for identification purposes.

The 1912–1917, 1919–1929, 1931, and 1936–1938 Chicago White Sox logo

In 1912, the White Sox debuted a large "S" in a Roman-style font, with a small "O" inside the top loop of the "S" and a small "X" inside the bottom loop. This is the logo associated with the 1917 World Series championship team and the 1919 Black Sox. With a couple of brief interruptions, the dark-blue logo with the large "S" lasted through 1938 (but continued in a modified block style into the 1940s). Through the 1940s, the White Sox team colors were primarily navy blue trimmed with red.

Uniform design from 1971 to 1975

The White Sox logo in the 1950s and 1960s (actually beginning in the 1949 season) was the word "SOX" in Gothic script, diagonally arranged, with the "S" larger than the other two letters. From 1949 through 1963, the primary color was black (trimmed with red after 1951). This is the logo associated with the Go-Go Sox era.

In 1964, the primary color went back to navy blue, and the road uniforms changed from gray to pale blue. In 1971, the team's primary color changed from royal blue to red, with the color of their pinstripes and caps changing to red. The 1971–1975 uniform included red socks.

Uniform designs from 1976–1981

In 1976, the team's uniforms changed again. The team's primary color changed back from red to navy. The team based their uniforms on a style worn in the early days of the franchise, with white jerseys worn at home, and blue on the road. The team brought back white socks for the last time in team history. The socks featured a different stripe pattern every year. The team also had the option to wear blue or white pants with either jersey. Additionally, the team's "SOX" logo was changed to a modern-looking "SOX" in a bold font, with "CHICAGO" written across the jersey. Finally, the team's logo featured a silhouette of a batter over the words "SOX".

Alternate logo, used on the road uniform (1991–2010) and on the black alternate uniform (1993–present).

The new uniforms also featured collars and were designed to be worn untucked — both unprecedented. Yet by far, the most unusual wrinkle was the option to wear shorts, which the White Sox did for the first game of a doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals in 1976. The Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League had previously tried the same concept, but it was also poorly received. Apart from aesthetic issues, as a practical matter, shorts are not conducive to sliding, due to the likelihood of significant abrasions.

Upon taking over the team in 1980, new owners Eddie Einhorn and Jerry Reinsdorf announced a contest where fans were invited to create new uniforms for the White Sox. The winning entries, submitted by a fan, had the word "SOX" written across the front of the jersey in the same font as the cap, inside of a large blue stripe trimmed with red. The red and blue stripes were also on the sleeves, and the road jerseys were gray to the home whites. In those jerseys, the White Sox won 99 games and the AL West championship in 1983, the best record in the majors.

After five years, those uniforms were retired and replaced with a more basic uniform that had "White Sox" written across the front in script, with "Chicago" on the front of the road jersey. The cap logo was also changed to a cursive "C", although the batter logo was retained for several years.

For a midseason 1990 game at Comiskey Park, the White Sox appeared once in a uniform based on that of the 1917 White Sox. They then switched their regular uniform style once more. In September, for the final series at the old Comiskey Park, the White Sox rolled out a new logo, a simplified version of the 1949–63 Gothic "SOX" logo. They also introduced a uniform with black pinstripes, also similar to the Go-Go Sox era uniform. The team's primary color changed back to black, this time with silver trim. The team also introduced a new sock logo—a white silhouette of a sock centered inside a white outline of a baseball diamond—which appeared as a sleeve patch on the away uniform until 2010 (switched to the "SOX" logo in 2011), and on the alternate black uniform since 1993. With minor modifications (i.e., occasionally wearing vests, black game jerseys), the White Sox have used this style ever since.

During the 2012 and 2013 seasons, the White Sox wore their throwback uniforms at home every Sunday, starting with the 1972 red-pinstriped throwback jerseys worn during the 2012 season, followed by the 1982–86 uniforms the next season. In the 2014 season, the "Winning Ugly" throwbacks were promoted to full-time alternate status, and are now worn at home on Sundays. In one game during the 2014 season, the Sox paired their throwbacks with a cap featuring the batter logo instead of the wordmark "SOX"; this is currently their batting-practice cap prior to games in the throwback uniforms. After the 2023 season, the Sunday throwback uniforms were quietly taken off the team's uniform rotation.

In 2021, to commemorate the Field of Dreams game, the White Sox wore special uniforms honoring the 1919 team. That same year, the White Sox wore "City Connect" alternate uniforms introduced by Nike, featuring an all-black design with silver pinstripes, and "Southside" wordmark in front.

Paul Konerko wearing the White Sox's current home uniform in 2006

Aaron Rowand wearing the White Sox's sleeveless alternate home uniform in 2005

James McCann wearing the White Sox's current road uniform in 2019

Mark Buehrle wearing the White Sox's current alternate uniform with home pants in 2009

Tim Anderson wearing the White Sox's current alternate uniform with road pants in 2017

Lucas Giolito wearing the White Sox's 1982–86 home uniform in 2019, used as a Sunday throwback alternate from 2013–23

Awards and accolades

Eddie Murphy, John "Shano" Collins, Joe Jackson, Happy Felsch, and Nemo Leibold in their dugout during the 1917 World Series

World Series championships

Season	Manager	Regular season record	World Series opponent	World Series record	Ref
1906	Fielder Jones	93–58	Chicago Cubs	4–2
1917	Pants Rowland	100–54	New York Giants	4–2
2005	Ozzie Guillén	99–63	Houston Astros	4–0
3 World Championships

American League championships

Note: American League Championship Series began in 1969

Season	Manager	Regular season record	AL Runner-Up/ALCS opponent	Games ahead/ALCS record	Ref
1900	Charles Comiskey	82–53	Milwaukee Brewers	2.0
1901	Clark Griffith	83–53	Boston Americans	4.0
1906	Fielder Jones	93–58	New York Highlanders	3.0
1917	Pants Rowland	100–54	Boston Red Sox	9.0
1919	Kid Gleason	88–52	Cleveland Indians	3.5
1959	Al López	94–60	Cleveland Indians	5.0
2005	Ozzie Guillén	99–63	Los Angeles Angels	4–1
7 American League Championships

Award winners

Main article: List of Chicago White Sox award winners and league leaders

Luis Aparicio (1956–62, 1968–70)

Luke Appling (1930–43, 1945–50)

Carlton Fisk (1981–1993)

Nellie Fox (1950–1963)

Shoeless Joe Jackson (1915–1920)

Ted Lyons (1923–1942, 1946)

Minnie Miñoso (1951–57, 1960–61, 1964, 1976, 1980)

Most Valuable Player

• 1959 – Nellie Fox
• 1972 – Dick Allen
• 1993 – Frank Thomas
• 1994 – Frank Thomas
• 2020 - Jose Abreu

Cy Young Award

• 1959 – Early Wynn (MLB)
• 1983 – LaMarr Hoyt (AL)
• 1993 – Jack McDowell (AL)

Rookie of the Year Award

• 1951 – Orestes "Minnie" Miñoso (Sporting News)
• 1956 – Luis Aparicio
• 1963 – Gary Peters
• 1966 – Tommie Agee
• 1983 – Ron Kittle
• 1985 – Ozzie Guillén
• 2014 – José Abreu

Manager of the Year Award

• 1983 – Tony La Russa
• 1990 – Jeff Torborg
• 1993 – Gene Lamont
• 2000 – Jerry Manuel
• 2005 – Ozzie Guillén

Team captains

• Willie Kamm 1927–1928
• Art Shires 1929
• Luke Appling 1930–1950
• Ozzie Guillén 1990–1997
• Carlton Fisk 1990–1993
• Paul Konerko 2006–2014

Retired numbers

See also: List of Major League Baseball retired numbers

The White Sox have retired a total of 12 jersey numbers: 11 worn by former White Sox and number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson.

Nellie Fox 2B   Retired May 1, 1976 Harold Baines RF, DH Coach Retired August 20, 1989 Luke Appling SS Coach Retired June 7, 1975 Minnie Miñoso LF Coach Retired May 8, 1983 Luis Aparicio SS   Retired August 14, 1984 Paul Konerko 1B   Retired May 23, 2015 Ted Lyons P  Manager Retired July 25, 1987 Billy Pierce P   Retired July 25, 1987 Frank Thomas 1B, DH   Retired August 29, 2010 Mark Buehrle P   Retired June 24, 2017 Carlton Fisk C   Retired September 14, 1997 Jackie Robinson 2B   Retired By all of MLB 1997

Luis Aparicio's No. 11 was issued at his request for 11-time Gold Glove winner shortstop Omar Vizquel (because No. 13 was used by manager Ozzie Guillén; Vizquel, like Aparicio and Guillen, play(ed) shortstop and all share a common Venezuelan heritage). Vizquel played for team in 2010 and 2011.

Also, Harold Baines had his No. 3 retired in 1989; it has since been 'unretired' 3 times in each of his subsequent returns.

Out of circulation, but not retired

• 6: Since Charley Lau's death in 1984, no White Sox player or coach (except Lau disciple Walt Hriniak, the Chicago White Sox's hitting coach from 1989 to 1995) has worn his No. 6 jersey, although it has not been officially retired.
• 13: Since Ozzie Guillén left as manager of the White Sox, no Sox player or coach has worn his No. 13 jersey, although it is not officially retired.

Baseball Hall of Famers

Chicago White Sox Hall of Famers
Affiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Chicago White Sox Roberto Alomar Luis Aparicio * Luke Appling * Harold Baines * Chief Bender Steve Carlton Eddie Collins * Charles Comiskey * George Davis Larry Doby Hugh Duffy Johnny Evers Red Faber * Carlton Fisk * Nellie Fox * Goose Gossage Ken Griffey Jr. Clark Griffith Harry Hooper Jim Kaat George Kell Tony La Russa Bob Lemon Al López * Ted Lyons * Minnie Miñoso * Tim Raines Edd Roush Red Ruffing Ron Santo Ray Schalk * Tom Seaver Al Simmons Frank Thomas * Jim Thome Bill Veeck * Ed Walsh * Hoyt Wilhelm * Early Wynn Players and managers listed in bold are depicted on their Hall of Fame plaques wearing a White Sox cap insignia.

Ford C. Frick Award recipients

Chicago White Sox Ford C. Frick Award recipients
Affiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Jack Brickhouse Harry Caray Bob Elson Milo Hamilton Ken Harrelson Names in bold received the award based primarily on their work as broadcasters for the White Sox.

Players and personnel

Roster

Chicago White Sox 2025 spring training roster
40-man roster				Non-roster invitees		Coaches/Other
Pitchers 60 Justin Anderson 66 Prelander Berroa 59 Sean Burke 57 Ky Bush 48 Jonathan Cannon 45 Garrett Crochet 62 Enyel De Los Santos 46 Jake Eder 61 Fraser Ellard 52 Jairo Iriarte 49 Jordan Leasure -- Ron Marinaccio 65 Davis Martin -- Penn Murfee 43 Nick Nastrini 62 Jesse Scholtens 51 Jared Shuster 33 Drew Thorpe 37 Gus Varland 36 Steven Wilson		Catchers 26 Korey Lee 47 Chuckie Robinson Infielders 18 Jacob Amaya 27 Brooks Baldwin 44 Bryan Ramos 17 Braden Shewmake 50 Lenyn Sosa 25 Andrew Vaughn Outfielders 23 Andrew Benintendi 22 Oscar Colás 31 Zach DeLoach  7 Dominic Fletcher 30 Corey Julks 88 Luis Robert Jr. 32 Gavin Sheets 20 Miguel Vargas				Manager  1 Will Venable Coaches 38 Jason Bourgeois (first base/outfield) 39 Drew Butera (catching) 73 Mike Gellinger (assistant hitting) 98 Miguel González (bullpen catcher) 28 Justin Jirschele (third base) 21 Ethan Katz (pitching) 96 Luis Sierra (bullpen catcher) 29 Doug Sisson (bench) 99 Marcus Thames (hitting) 53 Matt Wise (bullpen) 36 active, 0 inactive, 0 non-roster invitees 7-, 10-, or 15-day injured list * Not on active roster † Suspended list Roster, coaches, and NRIs updated November 13, 2024 Transactions • Depth chart → All MLB rosters

Front office and key personnel

Bill Veeck, White Sox owner (1959–61, 1975–80) who revolutionized baseball by introducing many innovations in promotion

Chicago White Sox key personnel
Chairman	Jerry Reinsdorf
Senior Executive Vice President	Howard Pizer
General Manager	Chris Getz
Assistant General Manager	Jeremy Haber
Senior Director of Baseball Operations	Dan Fabian
Director of Baseball Analytics	Matt Koenig
Director of Baseball Operations	Daniel Zien
Senior Vice President, Administration	Tim Buzard
Senior Vice President, Stadium Operations	Terry Savarise
Senior Vice President, Communications	Scott Reifert
Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing	Brooks Boyer
Vice President, General Counsel	John Corvino
Head Groundskeeper	Roger Bossard
Spanish Language Interpreter	Billy Russo
Public Address Announcer	Gene Honda
Organist	Lori Moreland

• Source:

Culture

Nicknames

The White Sox were originally known as the White Stockings, a reference to the original name of the Chicago Cubs. To fit the name in headlines, local newspapers such as the Chicago Tribune abbreviated the name alternatively to Stox and Sox. Charles Comiskey would officially adopt the White Sox nickname in the club's first years, making them the first team to officially use the "Sox" name. The Chicago White Sox are most prominently nicknamed "the South Siders", based on their particular district within Chicago. Other nicknames include the synonymous "Pale Hose"; "the ChiSox", a combination of "Chicago" and "Sox", used mostly by the national media to differentiate them between the Boston Red Sox (BoSox); and "the Good Guys", a reference to the team's one-time motto "Good guys wear black", coined by broadcaster Ken Harrelson. Most fans and Chicago media refer to the team as simply "the Sox". The Spanish language media sometimes refer to the team as Medias Blancas for "White Socks."

Several individual White Sox teams have received nicknames over the years:

• The 1906 team was known as the Hitless Wonders due to their .230 batting average, worst in the American League. Despite their hitting woes, the Sox would beat the crosstown Cubs for their first world title.
• The 1919 White Sox are known as the Black Sox after eight players were banned from baseball for fixing the 1919 World Series.
• The 1959 White Sox were referred to as the Go-Go White Sox due to their speed-based offense. The period from 1951 to 1967, in which the White Sox had 17 consecutive winning seasons, is sometimes referred to as the Go-Go era.
• The 1977 team was known as the South Side Hitmen as they contended for the division title after finishing last the year before.
• The 1983 White Sox became known as the Winning Ugly White Sox in response to Texas Rangers manager Doug Rader's derisive comments that the White Sox "...weren't playing well. They're winning ugly." The Sox went on to win the 1983 American League West division on September 17.

Mascots

Southpaw

See also: List of Major League Baseball mascots

From 1961 until 1991, lifelong Chicago resident Andrew Rozdilsky performed as the unofficial yet popular mascot "Andy the Clown" for the White Sox at the original Comiskey Park. Known for his elongated "Come on you White Sox" battle cry, Andy got his start after a group of friends invited him to a Sox game in 1960, where he decided to wear his clown costume and entertain fans in his section. That response was so positive that when he won free 1961 season tickets, he decided to wear his costume to all games. Comiskey Park ushers eventually offered free admission to Rozdilsky. Starting in 1981, the new ownership group led by Jerry Reinsdorf introduced a twosome, called Ribbie and Roobarb, as the official team mascots, and banned Rozdilsky from performing in the lower seating level. Ribbie and Roobarb were very unpopular, as they were seen as an attempt to get rid of the beloved Andy the Clown.

In 1988, the Sox got rid of Ribbie and Roobarb; Andy the Clown was not permitted to perform in the new Comiskey Park when it opened in 1991. In the early 1990s, the White Sox had a cartoon mascot named Waldo the White Sox Wolf that advertised the "Silver and Black Pack", the team's kids' club at the time. The team's current mascot, SouthPaw, was introduced in 2004 to attract young fans.

Fight and theme songs

Nancy Faust became the White Sox organist in 1970, a position she held for 40 years. She was one of the first ballpark organists to play pop music, and became known for her songs playing on the names of opposing players (such as Iron Butterfly's "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" for Pete Incaviglia). Her many years with the White Sox established her as one of the last great stadium organists. Since 2011, Lori Moreland has served as the White Sox organist.

Similar to the Boston Red Sox with "Sweet Caroline" (and two songs named "Tessie"), and the New York Yankees with "Theme from New York, New York", several songs have become associated with the White Sox over the years. They include:

• "Let's Go Go Go White Sox" by Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers – A tribute to the "Go-Go White Sox" of the late 1950s, this song serves as the unofficial fight song of the White Sox. In 2005, scoreboard operator Jeff Szynal found a record of the song and played it for a "Turn Back the Clock" game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, whom the Sox played in the 1959 World Series. After catcher A. J. Pierzynski hit a walk-off home run, they kept the song around, as the White Sox went on to win the 2005 World Series.
• "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" by Steam – Organist Nancy Faust played this song during the 1977 pennant race when a Kansas City Royals pitcher was pulled, and it became an immediate hit with White Sox fans. Faust is credited with making the song a stadium anthem and saving it from obscurity. To this day, the song remains closely associated with the White Sox, who play it when the team forces a pitching change, and occasionally on Sox home runs and victories.
• "Sweet Home Chicago" – The Blues Brothers version of this Robert Johnson blues standard is played after White Sox games conclude.
• "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC – One of the most prominent songs for the White Sox player introductions, the team formed a bond with AC/DC's hit song in 2005 and it has since become a staple at White Sox home games. The White Sox front office has tried replacing the song several times in an attempt to "shake things up", but White Sox fans have always showed their displeasure with new songs and have successfully gotten the front office to keep the fan-favorite song.
• "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey – During the 2005 season, the White Sox adopted the 1981 Journey song as their rally song after catcher A.J. Pierzynski suggested it be played through U.S. Cellular Field's speakers. During the 2005 World Series, the White Sox invited Journey's lead singer, Steve Perry, to Houston and allowed him to celebrate with the team on the field after the series-clinching sweep of the Houston Astros. Perry also performed the song with members of the team during the team's victory parade in Chicago.
• "Don't Stop the Party" by Pitbull – After every White Sox home run at Guaranteed Rate Field, Pitbull's "Don't Stop the Party" played over the loudspeakers.

Rivalries

Crosstown Classic

Fielder Jones of the White Sox hits the ball against Cubs at West Side Grounds, 1905

Main article: Cubs–White Sox rivalry

The Chicago Cubs are the crosstown rivals of the White Sox, a rivalry that some made fun of prior to the White Sox's 2005 title because both of them had extremely long championship droughts. The nature of the rivalry is unique; with the exception of the 1906 World Series, in which the White Sox upset the favored Cubs, the teams never met in an official game until 1997, when interleague play was introduced. In the intervening time, the two teams sometimes met for exhibition games. The White Sox currently led the regular-season series 48–39, winning the last four consecutive seasons. The BP Crosstown Cup was introduced in 2010 and the White Sox won the first three seasons (2010–2012) until the Cubs first won the Cup in 2013 by sweeping the season series. The White Sox won the Cup the next season and retained the Cup the following two years (series was a tie - Cup remains with defending team in the event of a tie). The Cubs took back the Cup in 2017. Two series sweeps have occurred since interleague play began, both by the Cubs in 1998 and 2013.

An example of this volatile rivalry is the game played between the White Sox and the Cubs at U.S. Cellular Field on May 20, 2006. White Sox catcher A. J. Pierzynski was running home on a sacrifice fly by center fielder Brian Anderson and smashed into Cubs catcher Michael Barrett, who was blocking home plate. Pierzynski lost his helmet in the collision, and slapped the plate as he rose. Barrett stopped him, and after exchanging a few words, punched Pierzynski in the face, causing a melee to ensue. Brian Anderson and Cubs first baseman John Mabry got involved in a separate confrontation, although Mabry was later determined to be attempting to be a peacemaker. After 10 minutes of conferring following the fight, the umpires ejected Pierzynski, Barrett, Anderson, and Mabry. As Pierzynski entered his dugout, he pumped his arms, causing the sold-out crowd at U.S. Cellular Field to erupt in cheers. When play resumed, White Sox second baseman Tadahito Iguchi blasted a grand slam to put the White Sox up 5–0 on their way to a 7–0 win over their crosstown rivals. While other major league cities and metropolitan areas have two teams co-exist, all of the others feature at least one team that began playing there in 1961 or later, whereas the White Sox and Cubs have been competing for their city's fans since 1901.

Historical

A historical regional rival was the St. Louis Browns. Through the 1953 season, the two teams were located fairly close to each other (including the 1901 season when the Browns were the Milwaukee Brewers), and could have been seen as the American League equivalent of the Cardinals–Cubs rivalry, being that Chicago and St. Louis have for years been connected by the same highway (U.S. Route 66 and now Interstate 55). The rivalry has been somewhat revived at times in the past, involving the Browns' current identity, the Baltimore Orioles, most notably in 1983.

The current Milwaukee Brewers franchise were arguably the White Sox's main and biggest rival, due to the proximity of the two cities (resulting in large numbers of White Sox fans who would regularly be in attendance at the Brewers' former home, Milwaukee County Stadium), and with the teams competing in the same American League division for the 1970 and 1971 seasons and then again from 1994 to 1997. The rivalry has since cooled off, however, when the Brewers moved to the National League in 1998. However, with the start of the 2023 season, all teams will play each other at least once a year, leading to the Brewers-White Sox series to return on a yearly basis.

Divisional

Minnesota Twins

See also: Twins–White Sox rivalry

The rivalry between the White Sox and Minnesota Twins developed during the 2000s, as the two teams consistently battled for the AL Central Crown. The Twins won the division in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2009, with the Sox winning in 2000, 2005, and 2008, many of those years their rival was the division runner-up. The teams met in the 2008 American League Central tie-breaker game, which was necessitated by the two clubs finishing the season with identical records. The White Sox won this game 1–0 on a Jim Thome home run. The rivalry re-emerged in the 2020s, with the Twins winning the AL Central in 2020 by a single game over the White Sox and Cleveland Indians, and the Sox and Twins have continued to compete for the division title since that point.

Detroit Tigers

Main article: Tigers-White Sox rivalry

The series between the White Sox and Detroit Tigers is one of the oldest active rivalries in the league today. Both teams joined the American League in 1901 after being charter members of the original Western League. Both have actively played one another annually for over 120 seasons. As is often the case between professional sports teams located Chicago or Detroit; there usually exists a rivalry as such with the Bulls-Pistons rivalry of the NBA. Despite playing one another for over 2,200 games; both teams have yet to meet in the postseason in their 122-year series.

Community Outreach

In 1990, then new White Sox owners Eddie Einhorn and Jerry Reinsdorf began Chicago White Sox Charities, a 501(c) (3) charitable organization that is the team's philanthropic arm, donating over $27 million over time to a plethora of Chicago organizations. White Sox Charities began centering on early childhood literacy programs, then expanded to focusing on encouraging high school graduation and college matriculation so the team can monitor its success. It also supports children at risk as well as promotes wellness and health.

Home attendance

Comiskey Park

Home attendance at Comiskey Park
Year	Total attendance	Game average	League rank	Ref
2000	1,947,799	24,047	20th
2001	1,766,172	21,805	26th
2002	1,676,911	20,703	23rd

U.S. Cellular Field

Home attendance at U.S. Cellular Field
Year	Total attendance	Game average	League rank	Ref
2003	1,939,524	23,945	21st
2004	1,930,537	23,834	21st
2005	2,342,833	28,924	17th
2006	2,957,414	36,511	9th
2007	2,684,395	33,141	15th
2008	2,500,648	30,496	16th
2009	2,284,163	28,200	16th
2010	2,194,378	27,091	17th
2011	2,001,117	24,705	20th
2012	1,965,955	24,271	24th
2013	1,768,413	21,832	24th
2014	1,650,821	20,381	28th
2015	1,755,810	21,677	27th
2016	1,746,293	21,559	26th

Guaranteed Rate Field

Home attendance at Guaranteed Rate Field
Year	Total attendance	Game average	League rank	Ref
2017	1,629,470	20,117	27th
2018	1,608,817	19,862	25th
2019	1,649,775	20,622	24th
2020	–	–	–
2021	1,596,385	19,708	13th
2022	2,009,359	24,087	19th
2023	1,669,628	20,613	24th

Broadcasting

See also: List of Chicago White Sox broadcasters

Radio

Elson in the 1940s

The White Sox did not sell exclusive rights for radio broadcasts from radio's inception until 1944, instead having local stations share rights for games, and after WGN (720) was forced to abdicate their rights to the team in the 1943 after 16 seasons due to children's programming commitments from their network, Mutual. The White Sox first granted exclusive rights in 1944, and bounced between stations until 1952, when they started having all games broadcast on WCFL (1000). Throughout this period of instability, one thing remained constant, the White Sox play-by-play announcer, Bob Elson. Known as the "Commander", Elson was the voice of the Sox from 1929 until his departure from the club in 1970. In 1979, he was the recipient of the Ford Frick Award, and his profile is permanently on display in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

After the 1966 season, radio rights shifted from WCFL to WMAQ (670). An NBC-owned and -operated station until 1988 when Westinghouse Broadcasting purchased it after NBC's withdrawal from radio, it was the home of the Sox until the 1996 season, outside of a team nadir in the early '70s, where it was forced to broker time on suburban La Grange's WTAQ (1300) and Evanston's WEAW-FM (105.1) to have their play-by-play air in some form (though WEAW transmitted from the John Hancock Center, FM radio was not established as a band for sports play-by-play at the time), and a one-season contract on WBBM (780) in 1981. After Elson's retirement in 1970, Harry Caray began his tenure as the voice of the White Sox, on radio and on television. Although best remembered as a broadcaster for the rival Cubs, Caray was very popular with White Sox fans, pining for a "cold one" during broadcasts. Caray often broadcast from the stands, sitting at a table set up amid the bleachers. It became a badge of honor among Sox fans to "Buy Harry a beer..." By game's end, one would see a large stack of empty beer cups beside his microphone. This only endeared him to fans that much more. In fact, he started his tradition of leading the fans in the singing of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" with the Sox. Caray, alongside color analyst Jimmy Piersall, was never afraid to criticize the Sox, which angered numerous Sox managers and players, notably Bill Melton and Chuck Tanner. He left to succeed Jack Brickhouse as the voice of the Cubs in 1981, where he became a national icon.

The White Sox shifted through several announcers in the 1980s, before hiring John Rooney as play-by-play announcer in 1989. In 1992, he was paired with color announcer Ed Farmer. In 14 seasons together, the duo became a highly celebrated announcing team, even being ranked by USA Today as the top broadcasting team in the American League. Starting with Rooney and Farmer's fifth season together, Sox games returned to the 1000 AM frequency for the first time in 30 years. By then, it had become the ESPN owned and operated WMVP. The last game on WMVP was game 4 of the 2005 World Series, with the White Sox clinching their first World Series title in 88 years. That also was Rooney's last game with the Sox, as he left to join the radio broadcast team of the St. Louis Cardinals.

In 2006, radio broadcasts returned to 670 AM, this time on the sports radio station WSCR owned by CBS Radio (WSCR took over the 670 frequency in August 2000 as part of a number of shifts among CBS Radio properties to meet market ownership caps). Ed Farmer became the play-by-play man after Rooney left, joined in the booth by Chris Singleton from 2006 to 2007 and then Steve Stone in 2008. In 2009, Darrin Jackson became the color announcer for White Sox radio, where he remains today. Farmer and Jackson were joined by pregame/postgame host Chris Rogney.

The Chicago White Sox Radio Network currently has 18 affiliates in three states. As of recently, White Sox games are also broadcast in Spanish with play-by-play announcer Hector Molina joined in the booth by Billy Russo. Formerly broadcasting on ESPN Deportes Radio via WNUA, games are now broadcast in Spanish on WRTO (1200).

In the 2016 season, the play-by-play rights shifted to Cumulus Media's WLS (890) under a five-year deal, when WSCR acquired the rights to Cubs games after a one-year period on WBBM. However, by all counts, the deal was a disaster for the White Sox, as WLS's declining conservative talk format, associated ratings, and management/personnel issues (including said hosts barely promoting the team and its games), and a signal that is weak in the northern suburbs and into Wisconsin, was not a good fit for the team. Cumulus also had voluminous financial issues, and by the start of 2018, looked to both file Chapter 11 bankruptcy and restructure their play-by-play deals or depart them, both with local teams and nationally through their Westwood One/NFL deal.

The White Sox and Tribune Broadcasting (which has since merged with Nexstar Media Group) then announced a three-year deal for WGN Radio to become the White Sox flagship as of February 14, 2018, just in time for spring training. Ed Farmer and Darrin Jackson continued to be on play-by-play, with Andy Masur taking over pregame/postgame duties. Ed Farmer died suddenly on April 1, 2020, a long-term battle with polycystic kidney disease, but the team waited to announce his successor due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty of the 2020 season going forward. On June 30 with the season's structure announced, Masur was confirmed as Farmer's successor for the season.

Under Nexstar's new management, WGN decided to pursue a thriftier programming direction, and made no moves to renew the deal at the end of the 2020 season. The team thus returned to WMVP (now managed by Good Karma Brands, which also owns Brewers flagship WTMJ) for a multi-year agreement to start with the 2021 season. In a surprising turn of events, WMVP and the team announced on December 4, 2020, that Len Kasper, the longtime television play-by-play voice of the Cubs, would move to the South Side and become the radio play-by-play voice of the White Sox. The agreement has flexibility which allows Kasper to do some television games on NBC Sports Chicago on days when Jason Benetti has other national commitments.

Television

White Sox games appeared sporadically on television throughout the first half of the 20th century, most commonly announced by Jack Brickhouse on WGN-TV (channel 9). Starting in 1968, Jack Drees took play-by-play duties as the Sox were broadcast on WFLD (channel 32). After 1972, Harry Caray (joined by Jimmy Piersall in 1977) began double duty as a TV and radio announcer for the Sox, as broadcasts were moved to channel 44, WSNS-TV, from 1972 to 1980, followed by one year on WGN-TV.

Don Drysdale became the play-by-play announcer in 1982, as the White Sox began splitting their broadcasts between WFLD and the new regional cable television network, Sportsvision. Ahead of its time, Sportsvision had a chance to gain huge profits for the Sox. However, few people would subscribe to the channel after being used to free-to-air broadcasts for many years, along with Sportsvision being stunted by the city of Chicago's wiring for cable television taking much longer than many markets because of it being an area where over-the-air subscription services were still more popular, resulting in the franchise losing around $300,000 a month. While this was going on, every Cubs game was on WGN, with Harry Caray becoming the national icon he never was with the White Sox. The relatively easy near-national access to Cubs games versus Sox games in this era, combined with the popularity of Caray and the Cubs being owned by the Tribune Company, is said by some to be the main cause of the Cubs' advantage in popularity over the Sox.

Harrelson in the broadcast booth in 2007

Three major changes to White Sox broadcasting occurred in 1989-1991: in 1989, with the city finally fully wired for cable service, Sportsvision was replaced by SportsChannel Chicago (itself eventually turning into Fox Sports Net Chicago), which varied over its early years as a premium sports service and basic cable channel. In 1990, over-the-air broadcasts shifted back to WGN. And in 1991, Ken Harrelson became the play-by-play announcer of the White Sox. One of the most polarizing figures in baseball, "Hawk" has been both adored and scorned for his emotive announcing style. His history of calling out umpires has earned him reprimands from the MLB commissioner's office, and he has been said to be the most biased announcer in baseball. However, Harrelson has said that he is proud of being "the biggest homer in baseball", saying that he is a White Sox fan like his viewers. The team moved from FSN Chicago to the newly launched NBC Sports Chicago in March 2005, as Jerry Reinsdorf looked to control the rights for his team rather than sell rights to another party; Reinsdorf holds a 40% interest in the network, with 20% of that interest directly owned by the White Sox corporation.

Previously, White Sox local television broadcasts were split between two channels: the majority of games were broadcast on cable by NBC Sports Chicago, and remaining games were produced by WGN Sports and were broadcast locally on WGN-TV. WGN games were also occasionally picked up by local stations in Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana. In the past, WGN games were broadcast nationally on the WGN America superstation, but those broadcasts ended after the 2014 season as WGN America began its transition to a standard cable network. WGN Sports-produced White Sox games not carried by WGN-TV were carried by WCIU-TV (channel 26) until the 2015 season, when they moved to MyNetworkTV station WPWR (channel 50). That arrangement ended on September 1, 2016, when WGN became an independent station.

Prior to 2016, the announcers were the same no matter where the games were broadcast: Harrelson provided play-by-play, and Steve Stone provided color analysis since 2009. Games that are broadcast on NBC Sports Chicago feature pregame and postgame shows, hosted by Chuck Garfein with analysis from Bill Melton and occasionally Frank Thomas. In 2016, the team announced an official split of the play-by-play duties, with Harrelson calling road games and the Crosstown Series and Jason Benetti calling home games. In 2017, the team announced that the 2018 season will be Harrelson's final in the booth. He will call 20 games over the course of the season, after which Benetti will take over full-time play-by-play duties.

On January 2, 2019, the White Sox (along with the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks) agreed to an exclusive multiyear deal with NBC Sports Chicago, ending the team's broadcasts on WGN-TV following the 2019 season.

Prior to the 2024 season, the White Sox named John Schriffen as its new lead television play-by-play announcer, after Benetti departed to join the Detroit Tigers broadcast team.

Minor league affiliates

Main article: List of Chicago White Sox minor league affiliates

The Chicago White Sox farm system consists of six minor league affiliates.

Class	Team	League	Location	Ballpark	Affiliated
Triple-A	Charlotte Knights	International League	Charlotte, North Carolina	Truist Field	1999
Double-A	Birmingham Barons	Southern League	Birmingham, Alabama	Regions Field	1986
High-A	Winston-Salem Dash	South Atlantic League	Winston-Salem, North Carolina	Truist Stadium	1997
Single-A	Kannapolis Cannon Ballers	Carolina League	Kannapolis, North Carolina	Atrium Health Ballpark	2001
Rookie	ACL White Sox	Arizona Complex League	Glendale, Arizona	Camelback Ranch	2014
	DSL White Sox	Dominican Summer League	Boca Chica, Santo Domingo	Baseball City Complex	1999

Silver Chalice subsidiary

Silver Chalice is a digital and media investment subsidiary of the White Sox with Brooks Boyer as CEO.

Silver Chalice was co-founded by Jerry Reinsdorf, White Sox executive Brooks Boyer, Jason Coyle and John Burris in 2009. The company first invested in 120 Sports, a digital sports channel, that launched in June 2014. Chalice then partnered with IMG on Campus Insiders, a college sports digital channel, in 2015. These two efforts merged with Sinclair Broadcasting Group's American Sports Network into the new multi-platform network Stadium in September 2017.

In May 2023, Sinclair sold its controlling interest in Stadium to Silver Chalice.

External links

• Bmicomp/Chicago White Sox official website
• Chicago White Sox at the Chicago Tribune

Awards and achievements
Preceded by New York Giants 1905	World Series champions 1906	Succeeded by Chicago Cubs 1907
Preceded by Boston Red Sox 1916	World Series champions 1917	Succeeded by Boston Red Sox 1918
Preceded by Boston Red Sox 2004	World Series champions 2005	Succeeded by St. Louis Cardinals 2006
Preceded by None (first)	American League champions 1901	Succeeded by Philadelphia Athletics 1902
Preceded by Philadelphia Athletics 1905	American League champions 1906	Succeeded by Detroit Tigers 1907
Preceded by Boston Red Sox 1915–1916	American League champions 1917	Succeeded by Boston Red Sox 1918
Preceded by Boston Red Sox 1918	American League champions 1919	Succeeded by Cleveland Indians 1920
Preceded by New York Yankees 1955–1958	American League champions 1959	Succeeded by New York Yankees 1960–1964
Preceded by Boston Red Sox 2004	American League champions 2005	Succeeded by Detroit Tigers 2006

Retired numbers

•   2 Nellie Fox
•   3 Harold Baines
•   4 Luke Appling
•   9 Minnie Miñoso
• 11 Luis Aparicio
• 16 Ted Lyons
• 19 Billy Pierce
• 42 Jackie Robinson (retired throughout baseball)
• 72 Carlton Fisk

• List of Chicago White Sox people
• White Sox-Cubs rivalry
• Disco Demolition Night - one of former owner Bill Veeck's most famous promotions
• List of Major League Baseball franchise post-season droughts

External links

• Chicago White Sox official web site
• White Sox Interactive
• FutureSox.com
• Soxtalk.com