Neighborhood News: The White Sox’s ‘Baseball Palace of the World’
‘White Sox! White Sox!
Go-Go White Sox!
Fight song of the Chicago White Sox, by White Sox minor leaguer Al Trace and Walter “Li’l Wally” Jagiello.
As the Chicago White Soxwraps the first series of their 122nd season against the San Francisco Giants at Armour Square’s Guaranteed Rate Field, 333 W. 35th Street, it’s no small miracle that Chicago has supported two Major League Baseball teams for more than a century. Today, as always, they are more than just ballgames. They remain events, writ large.
Be-ginnings: New League/New Park, 1910-91
According to Wikipedia sources, the Chicago White Sox began life as the White Stockings, one of eight charter members of the new American League. The park was built on a former city dump that owner Charles Comiskey bought in 1909 to replace the wooden South Side Park. He started construction on his ‘Baseball Palace of the World’ at the corner of 35th Street and Shields Avenue. Designed by architect Zachary Taylor Davis, who also designed Wrigley Field, the park’s design was strongly influenced by Sox pitcher Ed Walsh, and was known for its pitcher-friendly proportions-362 feet to the foul poles; 420 feet to center field, according to the Chicago White Sox website.
Big Events
Through the years, Comiskey Park hosted four World Series (including the infamous ‘Black Sox’ series of 1919)and more than 6,000 Major League Baseball games. The first All-Star Game was held there in 1933, followed by four more, the last in 2003, when it was called US Cellular Field.
Additionally, the Chicago American Giants of the Negro American League called Comiskey Park home from 1941 to 1950, as well as hosting the Negro League East-West All-Star Game from 1933 to 1960.
The Original Seventh-Inning Stretch
In the 1970’s, White Sox broadcaster Harry Caray started ‘conducting’ the baseball anthem ‘Take Me Out to the Ball Game’ during the seventh-inning stretch, egged on by then-owner Bill Veeck, who (according to Harry) said that “the fans would sing along when they realized that none of them sang any worse than Harry did, “ according to Wikipedia sources. Caray was accompanied by White Sox organist Nancy Faust.
“Bill Veeck, as in Wreck”
The Comiskey family sold the White Sox to master promoter Bill Veeck in 1959, who had gained infamy by sending 3’7 Eddie Gaedel to pinch hit when he owned the St. Louis Browns. He remained explosive on the South Side with the addition of the first “exploding scoreboard” in the major leagues – shooting fireworks whenever the White Sox hit a home run.
Not Baseball, But Sure Fun!
In one of the most famous boxing matches in history, Comiskey was the site of the 1937 heavyweight title match, in which Joe Louis defeated then champion James J. Braddock (‘The Cinderella Man’).
The Chicago (football) Cardinals won the 1947 NFL Championship Game over the Philadelphia Eagles.
The park was also home to Chicago Mustangs and Chicago Sting of the NASL, hosting the final edition of the original Soccer Bowl.
They hosted The Beatles in one of their first US concerts in 1964.
On July 12, 1979, Veeck, with assistance from son Mike and radio personality Steve Dahl, held one of his most infamous promotions, Disco Demolition Night between games of a scheduled doubleheader, which resulted in a riot at Comiskey Park and a forfeit to the visiting Detroit Tigers.
1991-present
Veeck sold the Sox to business executives Jerry Reinsdorf and Eddie Einhorn, who were faced with a crumbling infrastructure. They began construction on a brand-new park in 1989. The park opened on April 18, 1991. Since then, the infrastructure has undergone many renovations and naming rights changes, first as US Cellular Field and since 2016, Guaranteed Rate Field. The ballpark now stands as a tribute to the fun days, as well as the serious business of the ballgame. The White Sox won their first World Series of the new millennium in 2005, and still command the crowds with such innovations as:
Rain Rooms: A place where fans can cool off during hot game days. Near section 107 & 537.
Kids Zone: Located in left field. This 15,000-square-foot area provides young fans with the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of baseball. It features a youth-sized whiffle ball diamond for coaching clinics, batting and pitching cages, batting “swing” boxes for proper batting techniques and areas for base running and skills instruction.
Speed Pitch Machines: Near section 155 and 522
Shower: A carry-over from old Comiskey Park where fans can cool off during hot gamedays. Near Section 160.
Go Go White Sox, indeed!
Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago
