On Thursday, the Chicago Cubs made headlines by asserting that Chicago native and newly elected Pope Leo XIV is a fan of their team.
This news quickly spread worldwide, catching the Chicago White Sox and others off guard.
A sign read, “Hey, Chicago. He’s a Cubs fan!”
ABC’s Conclave shared that David Muir and Terry Moran discussed the claims, noting that the Pope, who is said to be a fan of the Cubs, is already “very familiar with the pain” of being a Northsider.
Chicago’s WGNTV decided to dig deeper, attempting to trace the rumor straight to the source—well, almost. They reached out to the Pope’s brother.
“He was never a Cubs fan, so I don’t know where that came from,” John Presto remarked. “He’s always supported the Sox. Our mother liked the Cubs, and I’m not sure how that happened. Our dad was a Cardinals fan, so… who knows?”
“All of our aunts were Cubs fans, though, since our mom’s family hailed from the north.”
The Sun Times of Chicago added to the discussion by sharing a photo that allegedly showed the future Pope dressed in White Sox gear during the 2005 World Series, where the Sox faced off against the Astros.
After the interview with the Pope’s brother gained traction online, the White Sox found themselves in an unusual position where they had something to celebrate and shared the video along with a message on their video board.
Interestingly, the White Sox aren’t the only team finding hope in the newly minted Pope. Fans of the Knicks have also sparked optimism; given that Leo XIV graduated from Villanova, the same college associated with basketball talents like Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikael Bridges.
So, it appears Pope Leo XIV has already begun to inspire hope—something central to his role.
