Just One More Win, For All of Them

One more victory will set aside all the years of stress and agony. One more successful night will make all of the loyal fans of the ‘South Side’ bunch forget about how long it’s been and how many opportunities they’ve squandered. Just one more win…and the Chicago White Sox will be World Series Champions for the first time since 1917.

I’m rooting for the ChiSox – and there are so many reasons I want them to be the 2005 World Series Champions…

I want them to win it for Kid Gleason, who was cheated out of managing a World Champion in 1919. And for Ray Schalk, the catcher and team leader of that 1919 team. And for Dicky Kerr who pitched his heart out while some of his teammates threw that series.

I want them to win the series for the ‘Black Sox’. Eddie Cicotte, Chick Gandil, Fred McMullin, Swede Risberg, Lefty Williams, Happy Felsch, Buck Weaver and Shoeless Joe Jackson. These eight men took a terrible decision that they made to their graves – I want the 2005 Sox to win it for all of them.

I want the ChiSox to win it for Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, the Commissioner of Major League Baseball who banned the ‘Black Sox’ for life for their involvement in the 1919 World Series scandal. He came away looking like a jerk – but it was the only thing he could do.

I want them to win it for their former shrewd owner Charles Comiskey. And for past and present owners Bill Veeck and Jerry Reinsdorf.

I want them to win it for Hall of Famers, Luke Appling, Al Lopez, Red Faber, Ted Lyons, Nellie Fox, Luis Aparicio, Early Wynn and Carlton ‘Pudge’ Fisk…who played their guts out for Chicago, but none of whom had their chance to celebrate a World Championship with the White Sox.

I want them to win this one for former players like Minnie Minoso, the Cuban born All-Star who had two at bats in 1980 at the age of 57. And for Sherm Lollar, the All-Star backstop for the ’59 Sox. And one of my personal favorites - Harold Baines, who started, came back and then finished his career on the ‘South Side’. And also for the late Ivan Calderon. I want them to win this one for guys like ‘Black Jack’ McDowell and Robin Ventura. And for former Manager Jerry Manuel who won 500 games as their manager.

I want them to win this for the great Frank Thomas. The guy who for so long was The Chicago White Sox. The ’93 & ’94 American League MVP is watching his teammates win this thing because of a broken bone in his foot. I want Frank to feel the joy of this World Series Championship.

As a huge baseball fan, this World Series is just as touching as last years was. There are so many people, alive and dead, who gave all they could to bring home a championship for the fans of the White Sox…and this title will hopefully be for all of them too.