Posted on 10/28/2005 2:16:32 PM PDT by Charles Henrickson
CHICAGO (AP) -- The party was in full swing.
Two days after the White Sox swept Houston for their first World Series title since 1917, the team hit Chicago's streets Friday for a ticker-tape parade and rally.
Double-decker buses filled with players, coaches and their families left U.S. Cellular Field as hundreds of fans cheered. And they kept cheering all the way to the Loop for a celebration and a parade. There, one after another, the players and team officials took turns thanking the fans.
``Chicago, second city no more,'' said Paul Konerko, the first baseman who brought team owner Jerry Reinsdorf to tears when he presented him the ball he caught for the last out of the World Series.
``Getting this ball from Paul Konerko is the most emotional moment of my life,'' Reinsdorf said.
One of the first to speak was Frank Thomas, for years the team's best player, but who missed much of the season and all of the playoffs with an injury.
``Chicago should really appreciate this and understand what this is all about,'' said Thomas, who was handed the World Series trophy by general manager Kenny Williams. ``This is the pinnacle.''
Mayor Richard Daley, a lifelong White Sox fan, clearly agreed.
``I am pleased to say 2005 world champs, the Chicago White Sox,'' he shouted to the crowd.
The fans, many of whom had waited for hours and were streaming into downtown even as the players were appearing on the ``Oprah Winfrey Show,'' roared with every player introduction. Tens of thousands of fans, sporting black, white and silver White Sox hats, jerseys and jackets, packed the downtown area.
Many waved team flags, black and white balloons, white socks, their faces painted black and white. Others clamored onto light poles and utility boxes for a better view of the ceremony, while dozens stood perched on the oversized windowsills of City Hall along the parade route.
Children with faces painted black and white stood shoulder to shoulder with officer workers in suits and ties, straining for a glimpse of the players.
``We all woke up at 6 a.m. and we painted our faces and we came down here,'' said Jimmy Aguayo, 16, of Steamwood, who skipped school with four friends to attend the rally. ``We got a spot against the rail, we saw our favorite players, we took pictures and it was just fantastic.''
Across the Chicago River, hundreds of fans lined the top level of a parking garage for a view. Above the crowd, office workers looked on from high rises, some pressing White Sox signs to their windows. And above them, F-16s flew over as part of the tribute to the team.
Andy Wilson, like many of the tens of thousands who turned downtown into a giant block party, was playing hooky from work to take part in a celebration of a championship that he still doesn't quite believe really happened.
Exhausted from staying up late into the night to watch the games on television -- something that didn't even exist the last time the White Sox won the World Series -- Wilson said it may not be until this winter when the White Sox victory sinks in.
``When I'm at a bar enjoying a beer, saying 'our world champion Chicago White Sox,' that's when it's really going to hit me.''
It hadn't quite sunk in for Williams, either.
``It's really kind of overwhelming,'' he said before the team left U.S. Cellular Field for the Loop.
Steve Perry, who co-wrote the song the White Sox took as their theme, ``Don't Stop Believin,'' was also on hand and led the team in a rendition of the song.
``They've always believed,'' Perry said.
Konerko talked about how many didn't believe the team could do what it did. He thought about how the players might be able to win over doubters.
``The only thing I could come up with is maybe we'll have to do this one more time next year,'' he said.
I don't know if they will, but they should. Nice, too, to see a family man holding the kiddo as he takes his deserved glory ride. Shows whats important to him at least.
Thank you for posting these awesome pictures. It's so good to the city celebrating the Sox & its Southside fans.
"Question for you... What do you call 9 guys watching us kick the Astros butts on TV from Boston?"
(Rubbing his head in wonder)----"Uhh, I don't know, what?"
"The Red Sox!!"
Were any of you at the celebration today? I am living in a far south suburb of Chicago (St. Louis), so I wasn't able to be there. But the last few days when I'm out and about here, I've been able sometimes to pick up the sports talk station WSCR (formerly WMAQ, 670 on your AM dial), to catch the mood of what's going on in my home town. Go ahead and jump in here on this thread, to give those of us in the diaspora a feel for things.
It depends on what happens to Ramirez but yes I see the sox making a move for Konerko
Thanks Charles for those great pics...makes me wish I was back in my old hometown of Chicago...as we talked about before, I was a Northside gal, and the Cubbies were my favorite...but I also loved the White Sox and am thrilled that they won...
I watched the 1959 White Sox lose the world series while I was a teenager....now having watched the 2005 White Sox win the world series, I am nearly a senior citizen...from my teen years to my golden years was a long dry spell...but finally the White Sox, and all of Chicago, have a World Series winner...no one can be more thrilled than I am...
thanks for the ping....I was there and it was awesome!!!
It is just the best!
Go Sox!
You know, there's another right-handed hitting guy from New England who has been a slugging first baseman--but the accent is on "has been": Mr. Bagwell, originally in the BoSox organization. He could use a move to the AL, where broken-down guys who can't play the field anymore go. But can Big Papi play first?
As much as I love my team, and there is NO other than the Red Sox, I hate each baseball season as much as I love it. Last year was gut wrenching until the magic happened and we knew it was destiny. However, prior to that they did what I fear they will start doing now....make moves for people and let people go in a fashion that makes no sense whatsoever. Theo Epstine and Francoina have been great for the Red Sox. Question is...will they be tehre and have the power they did in the 03-04 season? We'll see. Papi CAN play first base, but not nearly as good as some others. I do not see him doing the job in less a fashion that Giambi did for the Yanks. Neither are athletic enough for me...but their bat can not be matched in most cases. And as for Damon and Manny...nuff said...they better fight like hell to keep them.
Hey, Chi-townChief, how about pinging the Chicagoland Ping List for one of the greatest days in the history of Chicago?
I just got back a little bit ago. We were right in front of City Hall on LaSalle Street about 4 people back from the double decker buses. It was great, I took a ton of pictures, I'll try to post them later.
I've never seen that many people in one place in my life. It was a tremendous atmosphere. The crowd was well behaved, no incidents of any sort. There had to be well over one million people massed from Waker down to the Merc. It was absolute insanity.
Today it finally all sunk in.
I want the guys job who is seen throwing the paper out the window. He must have loved the idea that he did not have to drag it to the recycle spot in the building or to the trash!! LOL!
"Any incidents of random gunfire into the air?"
Really, really stupid.
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