The New Pope and His White Sox Affiliation

The newly elected Pope, Robert Francis Prevast, who now goes by Pope Leo XIV, has a notable fondness for the Chicago White Sox.

Recently uncovered footage shows him attending Game 1 of the 2005 World Series in Chicago, proudly sporting White Sox gear. It’s kind of interesting, right? This historic game, where the White Sox triumphed over the Astros 5-3, marked the team’s first World Series title since 1917.

This revelation has sparked a lot of excitement among fans, linking the Pope more intimately with the Sox and the sport itself.

Meanwhile, Cubs manager Craig Counsel jokingly remarked that Pope Leo should probably channel his energies to help the Bulls in the upcoming lottery draft, scheduled for Monday night.

As for the Bulls, they’re positioned 12th with a mere 8% chance of landing in the top four and only 1.7% for the overall pick. It’s, well, not the greatest scenario for them.

Interestingly, Leo’s brother John also reiterated his loyalty to the White Sox. He shared that their family had diverse baseball allegiances—his mother was a Cubs fan, while their father supported the Cardinals. It raises the question of how Leo ended up with the Sox. “He was never a Cubs fan, so I don’t really know how that happened,” John told WGN-TV. “He’s always backed the Sox.” I mean, it’s a curious family dynamic.

In a fun twist, fans even showed up at a recent White Sox game dressed in papal garb, celebrating their new spiritual leader. This all comes even as the Sox struggle this season with a record of just 11-28, although they did secure a win against the Marlins, finishing 6-2. Perhaps better times are ahead?