Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope who was elected such in early May, was quickly discovered to be a White Sox fan. It was confirmed that, when he was still known as Robert Prevost, that he had even attended Game 1 of the 2005 World Series. A game the White Sox won, as they did every matchup of the Fall Classic in a sweep of the Houston Astros.
He hasn’t forgotten his allegiance to the South Side’s team in the last 20 years, either: while hosting his weekly general papal audience on Wednesday in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, Pope Leo was wearing a White Sox hat.
It’s fitting, really, since the papal audience is meant to be an opportunity for visitors to see and hear the pope in person and receive his blessing. What better way to seem like a man of the people than to wear a hat from your favorite team? And of the White Sox, of all teams? It’s been a long time since Frank Thomas was in their lineup, no one is wearing a White Sox hat unless they really mean it these days.
The White Sox are 13-17 since May 8, when Robert Prevost become Pope Leo XIV. That doesn’t sound great, but consider this: they were 10-28 before their boy became the head of the Catholic church. A 13-17 stretch, coming off of that awful start and having set the modern single-season losses record the year before? That’s the stuff of miracles.
The White Sox, for their part, have made sure the relationship isn’t one-sided. Last month, they preserved that Game 1 appearance in the form of a graphic installation at Rate Field, right where Pope Leo sat during Game 1.
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