World Series Champions!
I never, ever thought I would live to hear those words
associated with the Sox. 35 years... that's how long I waited.
Every spring wondering if this was going to be "the year". Every
summer living and dying inside with every win and loss. Every fall
with the exception of 1983,1993 and 2000 I watched other teams and
other cities celebrate, wondering how it felt. Hoping one day I
would know. On Oct. 26th 2005, I found out... and it was a feeling
I will never forget.
I want to share my Game 4 experience...(I wrote
this the day after)
Amy comes over and wakes me from my short nap that I desperately
needed. It's 5:30 -sh. We are not sure what we want to do. She
suggests going to the United Center to watch the game. Hmm....
Hmmm... O.k.!
I call my kids and the 13 year old daughter declines but my son,
David, accepts. We have one hour to get there. We rush to pick up
David and zoom to the UC just in time for the first inning...
What a freakin' game... the Sox had no chance against Backe.
Thank you Phil Garner for pinch hitting for him.
Anyway... it was alot like being at the game. People
cheering.."LET"S GO WHITE SOX" in hope of a rally. Between innings
they did all the usual things like they would at the game... the
races, trivia, 7th inning stretch complete with singing "Take Me
Out To The Ball Game". The best was the sing-a-long with the "Let's
Go-Go White Sox" song from the 50's.
Willie Harris leads off the 8th and you could feel it. The crowd
was excited. He's moved to second ... then to third... Two outs..
Jermaine Dye dribbles a single into center and we all jump up and
down with glee. Me and David high fiving and clapping.
After the Astros are retired in the 8th this feeling comes over
me... we are 3 outs from a Championship !!...
My body is numb.. I feel like I'm gonna throw up... I don't know
how to act or what to say. I wanted more runs but I also wanted
just to hurry up and get to the bottom of the ninth.
After the Sox make their third out I have to excuse myself and
pace the concorse of the UC. Me and a few other long timers (old
guys) are pacing in silence. Nervously smiling at each other.
Finally one says... "Can you F'in believe this?" ...Time head back
inside...
I return to my seat and Amy looks at me and knows I'm just a
mess at this point.A single and an out and then Juan Uribe makes
one of the best catches I have ever seen for the second out... the
crowd is now at a level of hysteria... I am speechless and still
numb... then it happens...
A ground ball and you could feel the crowd hold their breath...
the ump signals out!!
Mayhem!! THE WHITE SOX ARE WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS !
First thing I do is grab my son screaming and crying and jumping
up and down. I think I scared him, LOL. He's in tears, I'm in
tears. Finally I get up and hug Amy still yelling....
More high fives with David and celebration as I look around and
taking it all in... look at all these people hugging complete
strangers.. high fiving and cheering....
I first recall watching the Sox with my dad in 1970...That's
5670 regular season and 23 playoff games ago. And yes... I have
watched and/or listen to probably 90% of them in part or in whole.
That's alot of time and emotion invested.
We get home and promptly break out the champagne... in the front
yard we are spraying and dumping the celebratory bottles all over
each other.
With all the fun over it's time to take David back to mom.On the
way we drive down the main street in Blue Island and there are
people standing out along the sidewalks with flags and
celebrating... our horn beeping and David hanging out the window
cheering, yelling really enjoying the moment. I couldn't have been
happier for him.
So... amazingly enough... I did not drink at all... no need to.
The high of winning and sharing it with my son and Amy was more
than enough.
The only thing that would have made it better was if my Dad was
around to enjoy it. It is because of him that I developed the
passion I have for baseball and the White Sox. He passed away in
1977.
White Sox Fans... please share your story in your log. I
would love to read them.
Oh BTW... you are looking for a 1 quart container with a log and
White Sox poker chips for you to take.
