The World Series logo was painted on the field at the Cell on Wednesday as the White Sox gear up for Chicago’s first Fall Classic in nearly 50 years on Saturday.
Sox merchandise continues to fly off store shelves, said Sox spokeswoman Katie Kirby. The most popular items? Hats, especially those with the new American League Champions logo, she said.
Oh, and pink.
“Anything pink is selling like crazy,” she said. “I have no idea why. Maybe people are buying Sox stuff for their girlfriends.”
Dozens of extra service reps have been hired to help with tickets and concessions, Kirby said, and they will also be on hand to help first-time visitors to the ballpark.
She would not say whether additional security has been hired for the series, but said “security will be as tight as it is for any other games.” Hopefully, that means there won’t be repeat incidents of the fans who ran on the field and attacked a coach in 2002 and an umpire in 2003.
There’s still no word on whether fans who weren’t lucky enough to score tickets will be able to gather outside U.S. Cellular Field to watch games. A police spokesman said an announcement about street closures near the stadium will be made Thursday.
The Sox suggest going somewhere else if you are ticketless. “We don’t recommend that anyone without a ticket come to the ballpark,” Kirby said.
For those who have tickets, parking will be available for $20 at various lots near the stadium. Shuttles also will be available from parking lots at McCormick Place and the Illinois Institute of Technology.
Public transportation is a cheaper option, although there likely will be many riders, a CTA spokesperson said. The agency plans to announce its plans for handling crowds on Thursday.
The Sox do not plan to allow fans into the Cell to watch away games, Kirby said, but they are looking for other locations for fans to gather and cheer on the team.
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mcarberry@tribune.com
