This one’s for you, Chicago. Old Chicago, new Chicago, and all of Chicago that cares about the Chicago White Sox.
Make that the world-champion Chicago White Sox. They earned that distinction for the first time since 1917–that’s 88 years if you’re counting, and most Sox fans most assuredly are–by besting the Houston Astros in the World Series, completing an improbable four-game sweep Wednesday night with a 1-0 victory that literally came down to the final pitch.
Series MVP Jermaine Dye singled home the only run of the game, Freddy Garcia and three relievers combined on a five-hit shutout and shortstop Juan Uribe made two remarkable fielding plays to end it, touching off a wild celebration among team members who knew it wasn’t as easy as they might have made it look. Two of the games were decided by one run and the 14-inning Game 3 marathon was a two-run affair.
“I congratulate the Chicago White Sox,” Astros manager Phil Garner said. “They played well all year, and they deserve to be called world champions.”
Sox fans from Bourbonnais to Barrington joined the party vicariously, as did the few hundred who had made their way to Minute Maid Park. After watching so many fans in so many other cities celebrate so often, it was almost as if they didn’t know what to do with themselves besides smile, shout and hug somebody.
The formula the Sox devised in spring training–strong pitching, tight defense and clubhouse togetherness–was followed to the letter during a 99-win regular season and one of the most dominant playoff runs in recent memory. The Sox went 11-1 in the postseason, taking care of the Boston Red Sox, the Los Angeles Angels and the Astros as their starting pitchers gave them at least seven innings in 11 of the 12 games.
“A lot of people have waited a long time for this moment, and I’m happy that we were able to give it to them,” said Ozzie Guillen, the Sox’s charismatic, live-wire manager who won baseball’s biggest prize in his second year in charge.
“I didn’t come here for the glamor, I didn’t come here for the money. I came here to win.”
And he did. Did he ever.
