White Sox – Cubs rivalry

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Chicago White Sox – Chicago Cubs
History
1st Meeting	October 9, 1906 at West Side Park
Last Meeting	September 3, 2009 at Wrigley Field
Next Meeting	June 11, 2010 at Wrigley Field
Number of Meetings	78
All-Time Sreries	CWS, 41-37
Regular Season Series	CWS, 37-35
Largest victory	6/24/2005 CWS 12-2
Current Streak	CWS, 3
Longest CHC Win Streak	6 games (6/20/2007 - 6/22/2008)
Longest CWS Win Streak	4 games (6/11/1999 - 7/9/1999) & (6/27/2008 - 6/17/2009)
Post Season History
Post Season Meetings
1906 World Series, White Sox won 4 games to 2

Cubs pitcher Jack Pfeister throws a pitch in the 1906 World Series

The Cubs-White Sox Rivalry (also known as the Crosstown Classic, The Windy City Showdown^[1], Red Line Rivalry,^{[citation needed]} City Series, Expressway Series,^{[citation needed]} Crosstown Series^[2] , or Crosstown Showdown^[2]) refers to the rivalry between two Major League Baseball teams that play their home games in Chicago, Illinois. The Chicago Cubs of the National League play their home games at Wrigley Field located on the city's North side, while the Chicago White Sox of the American League play their home games at U.S. Cellular Field (previously known as Comiskey Park) on the city's South Side. The terms "North Siders" and "South Siders" are synonymous with the respective teams and their fans. As of September 3, 2009, the White Sox lead the regular season series 37-35. There have been six series sweeps since interleague play began: four by the Cubs in 1998, 2004, 2007, and 2008, and two by the White Sox in 1999 and 2008. The Chicago Transit Authority's Red Line runs north-south through Chicago's neighborhoods, stopping at Wrigley Field and US Cellular Field.

[edit] History

The rivalry between the two teams and their fans dates back to the founding of the American League. In 1900, Charles Comiskey moved his Saint Paul Saints minor league franchise to Chicago. It is believed that the Cubs owner at the time was not happy, and filed a suit against Comiskey. After talks, it was decided that Comiskey could move his team to Chicago, pending that Chicago was not used in the title of the team name, and that the team play south of 35th Street. In response, the team was renamed the "White Stockings," which had been the original name of the Cubs from 1876 to 1889. The establishment of a new team in the city was a direct challenge to the National League franchise, which had been the idea behind the formation of the American League. As the AL gained in popularity (with cheaper prices on admission and alcohol), the NL recognized the equality of the AL. This recognition did little to stem the rivalry between owners, players, and fans.

While teams in New York City (such as the Yankees, Giants, and Brooklyn Dodgers) routinely played against each other in World Series matchups throughout the 1940s and 1950s, the two Chicago teams only met once in the 1906 World Series, a celebrated event that seemingly put the city on hold for a full week. The heavily favored but young Cubs (who had won 116 games in the regular season) lost in six games to the veteran and pitching-strong White Sox, "The Hitless Wonders."

Between 1903 and the beginning of interleague play in 1997, the Cubs and White Sox occasionally met in a "City Series" and later in single charity exhibition games, often on Memorial Day each year called the "Crosstown Classic" or the "Red Line Series." For many years beginning in the 1980s, WGN aired a Cubs/White Sox exhibition called the "Windy City Classic." While fans generally loved these games, as evidenced by high fan attendance, the games did not count toward the teams' rankings in their respective league standings, which took away some of the excitement. At best, they provided bragging rights to the winner.

Since interleague play began in 1997, the White Sox and Cubs have routinely played each other six times each year (one three-game series at each stadium). Based on the availability of tickets and the prices offered through ticket brokers, these games are among the most anticipated of the season. These games have featured a variety of heroics, perceived slights, and errors on both sides that have added fuel to the rivalry.

[edit] Barrett vs. Pierzynski

On Saturday, May 20, 2006, a brawl broke out during a White Sox-Cubs game. In the bottom of the second inning, Brian Anderson of the White Sox hit a sacrifice fly, attempting to score catcher A.J. Pierzynski. Pierzynski collided with Cub catcher Michael Barrett as Barrett attempted to tag Pierzynski out, knocking Barrett over and jarring the ball loose. After slapping home plate in celebration, Pierzynski began to walk away, but Barrett blocked his path and punched him in the jaw. Both benches cleared and a brawl broke out. Barrett was suspended for 10 games and Anderson was suspended for five games. Umpires debated for 15 minutes over who would be ejected. When play finally resumed, outfielder Scott Podsednik promptly got on base, loading the bases up, and second baseman Tadahito Iguchi cleared them with a grand-slam. The White Sox won the game, 7–0.

In 2008, the teams played each other as leaders of their respective divisions for the first time ever: the White Sox in the American League Central and the Cubs in the National League Central. Also for the first time in the rivalry's history, both Sunday games to end each series were televised nationally on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball. The Chicago Cubs swept the White Sox in the first weekend series at Wrigley Field, and the White Sox subsequently swept the Cubs at US Cellular Field during the second weekend series, thus splitting the series 3–3 and resulting in an all-time interleague series tie of 33–33 through 2008.

[edit] Stadiums

The White Sox have always been located on the south side. At the time the White Sox came to town, the Cubs' home field was West Side Park, in an older section of the city which is now the realm of the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks. (Coincidentally, for a few seasons in the early 1890s the Cubs home park was within a block of the sites of the future Sox ballparks). In 1916 the Cubs moved from the west to the north side, taking over Weeghman Park, the abandoned Federal League facility (later renamed Wrigley Field), thus setting up the current separation.

When the new Comiskey Park (now called U.S. Cellular Field) was built, many in the media and baseball (including both Cubs and White Sox fans) called the park "sterile", and lacking the beauty and personality of the old park, even though many seats at the old park were cramped, behind posts, or in the outfield. Others contend that in contrast Wrigley Field is dirty, uncomfortable, and generally unpleasant to be in. Regardless, this again set up a point of rivalry as Cubs fans had their classic park, while White Sox fans had their modern park. Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said of Wrigley, "But one thing about Wrigley Field, I puke every time I go there", further polarizing this point of contention. While several renovations to U.S. Cellular Field have silenced many criticisms, such as the improved upper deck and bleachers, the difference between the fields remains a point of rivalry between fans of the teams.

When the Tribune Company bought the Cubs, they immediately started pressing for night baseball, threatening to abandon Wrigley Field otherwise. Night baseball was finally added in 1988, and after some further negotiations with the city, in the winter of 2005-2006 they expanded Wrigley's bleachers for the first time since 1938.

Even the neighborhoods around the stadiums show the difference between the fans. Wrigleyville, a part of the Lakeview neighborhood, surrounds the Cubs' stadium, and comprises middle- and upper-middle-class housing, as well as many restaurants, bars and music venues for fans to visit before and after games. Bridgeport neighborhood directly west of the White Sox home field has a more "blue-collar" reputation. There are bars and restaurants in Bridgeport, too; however, White Sox fans must walk or drive a few blocks from U.S. Cellular Field to get to them.

Until 2004, WGN and FSN Chicago would "switch off" during interleague games: for the Cubs home games, the Cubs commentary team would call the game, while the Sox commentary team would have the call for their home games. Starting in 2005, both WGN and newly created Comcast SportsNet Chicago show the games on each network with both commentary crews at the same time, allowing the viewer to watch the game without an opposing team bias. The stations will switch off each day (For example, in a series at Wrigley Field, WGN would treat the game on Friday as a Cubs home game with CSN treating it as a White Sox away game. On Sunday, WGN will broadcast a White Sox away game and CSN will show a Cubs home game) in order to give WGN America viewers a broadcast from both sides. The Saturday game is traditionally broadcast nationally as a Game of the Week by Fox Sports, providing a neutral perspective. As well, in 2008, ESPN picked up coverage of the Sunday night game in each series, providing another neutral perspective. In addition, CSN will air a neutral two-hour pre-show featuring batting practice and interviews from both teams.

[edit] Performance

While New York of the 1940s and 1950s often had two or three teams vying for championships, the two Chicago teams had comparatively little to celebrate for a long time (except for pennants in 1945 (Cubs) and 1959 (Sox)), until the White Sox won the 2005 World Series. Historically, each team's fans felt bad for their own team's relatively poor performance, but could take solace that the other team was doing just as badly. Thus, the rivalry often was one in which fans of one team are just as happy for the poor play of the other team as they are for the good play of their own (schadenfreude). This above all is what made the Chicago rivalry unique in Major League Baseball. An examination of other great rivalries (Yankees-Red Sox, Yankees-Mets, Giants-Athletics, Giants-Dodgers, Dodgers-Angels, Cubs-Cardinals) shows that (with the Cardinals-Cubs exception) both teams have made World Series appearances on a fairly regular basis.

The animosity among fans (that fortunately only rarely escalates to violence) is summed up in the lines from the song "The Ballad of the South Side Irish," echoing sentiments often expressed by at least one side of any number of sports rivalries in America: "When it comes to baseball I've got two favorite clubs, the 'go-go White Sox'...and whoever plays the Cubs." Ardent fans such as the late columnist Mike Royko, a Cubs fan, and the late writer Nelson Algren, a Sox fan, would take their shots at the other team. Royko once wrote that the reason Sox fans have a "bad attitude" is that when they would go to games at Comiskey Park, the stench of the Union Stock Yards would fill their nostrils and remind them of the status of their team. The stockyards closed in 1971.

Several Cubs and White Sox fans have made a cottage industry selling shirts, hats, and other souvenirs that include slogans intended to take swipes at the opposing teams, rather than support their own. Time reported that 36% of Cubs fans were rooting against the White Sox during the 2005 World Series.^[3] White Sox Fans wave the Blue Cubs Loss flag after their team defeats the Cubs in mockery of the Cubs Win Flag tradition.

Team owners naturally encourage such rivalries (two-time Sox owner Bill Veeck was a master at it) in the hope that they will translate to increased gate receipts, and the Cubs-Sox interleague games have borne out that theory.

[edit] "Cursed" teams

While not meant in the most literal sense to most fans, there is an overall feeling that both teams' misfortunes began with unfortunate events which some claim have cursed both teams into their poor play. This adds to the overall downtrodden feelings that fans feel for their own teams, making it much easier to revel in the poor play of the other.

The Chicago Cubs won ten National League championships between 1901 and 1945, and also had among the best winning percentages in the NL up to that time (3796-3022 for a 0.557 winning percentage). The Cubs had a 2 games to 1 lead over the Detroit Tigers in the 1945 World Series, when on October 6, 1945, Cubs fan and local tavern owner Billy Sianis was prevented from reaching his seat because he was accompanied by his pet billy goat. Local legend says that he responded by placing a curse on the Cubs to never again win the World Series, which they have not. While few take the idea of a curse with great seriousness, the Cubs, on more than one occasion, have featured a tongue-in-cheek promotion where billy goats are brought into the stadium to be offered as an apology.

Some historians argue that the genesis of the curse goes back much farther; that the allegededly underhanded way they won the 1908 pennant (leading to their last World Series win) angered the "baseball gods". For lack of a standard term, this could be called the curse of Johnny Evers, since he was at the center of the controversy. Every post-season they have participated in since then seems to have featured a disaster of some kind, from Hack Wilson losing a fly ball in the sun, to Babe Ruth's "called shot," to the "Steve Bartman incident." When they won the division in 1984, their first title since 1945, manager Jim Frey shouted in the champagne-soaked clubhouse, "The monkey's off our back!" Some fans took that as the kiss of death... which it proved to be, as the Padres late-inning rally in the final game in San Diego featured a ground ball slipping under the glove of first baseman Leon Durham... an eerie precursor to a similar and much-more-memorilazed incident with the Red Sox and former Cubs first baseman Bill Buckner that would occur two years later. That requires a quick mention of the "Ex-Cubs Factor", an offshoot of the main Cubs "curse": that any team reaching the post-season since the 1945 Series, and having 3 or more ex-Cubs, was almost certainly doomed to lose in either the playoffs or the Series due to "a critical mass of Cubness". The 1960 Pirates had been the lone exception until 2001, when the Diamondbacks effectively ended talk of that curse by winning the Series in a dramatic finish that featured 2 of the 3 ex-Cubs, one of them (Luis Gonzalez) making the game-winning RBI.

The White Sox had the best winning percentage of any American League team from 1901–1920 (1638–1325 for a 0.553 winning percentage), but quickly slipped to among the worst teams after that. Many point to the Black Sox scandal surrounding the 1919 World Series as the point in history that changed the White Sox fortunes. Eight White Sox players conspired to intentionally lose the World Series, and in 1920 were banned from baseball for life. While the White Sox won 4 AL titles in the first 20 years of their existence, they would win only one more league championship in the twentieth century. The term "curse" has seldom been used as such, since the scandal was perceived to be something the players did to themselves rather than being wrought by the front office conducting ill-advised transactions or committing public relations gaffes. In fact, many White Sox fans take offense to the term "curse." Still, a pall seemed to settle on the franchise (along with a slim budget), and it would be the last years of the Eisenhower administration before they would win the league championship again. When the White Sox clinched the pennant in '59, broadcaster Jack Brickhouse capped his play-by-play with, "A forty year wait has now ended!" The 2005 pennant ended a forty-six-year wait for the next one, while the 2005 World Championship ended an 88-year wait for a World Series victory. This adds a decidedly interesting twist on the rivalry as there were, until 2005, very few fans for either team who were alive to see one side actually claim a title while the other waited.

The 21st century seems to be a time for legendary curses to finally surpass their statutes of limitations, one by one. The Curse of the Bambino was broken by the Red Sox's stunning victory in 2004. And the recent success of the White Sox has pretty well put their distant shady past behind them, leaving the Cubs as the last fully remaining "cursed" team in the major leagues, except for the Cleveland Indians who have not won a World Series since 1948 and claim that they have a curse.

[edit] Series results

[edit] Regular season

[edit] World Series

[edit] Game Scores

[edit] Notable people associated with both organizations

• Paul Assenmacher
• Frank Baumann
• George Bell
• Jason Bere
• Hiram Bithorn
• Bobby Bonds
• Jack Brickhouse
• Warren Brusstar
• Smoky Burgess
• John Buzhardt
• Johnny Callison
• Harry Caray
• Phil Cavarretta
• Neal Cotts
• Tommy Davis
• Mike Diaz
• Phil Douglas
• Moe Drabowsky
• Lee Elia
• Johnny Evers
• Jon Garland
• Goose Gossage
• Clark Griffith
• Ken Henderson
• Frank Isbell
• Darrin Jackson
• Lance Johnson
• Don Kessinger
• Tony La Russa
• Don Larsen
• Vance Law
• Darren Lewis
• Kenny Lofton
• Lynn McGlothen
• Cal McLish
• Sam Mertes
• Bob Miller
• Jaime Navarro
• Juan Pierre
• Juan Pizarro
• Howie Pollet
• Bob Rush
• Scott Sanderson
• Ron Santo
• Sammy Sosa
• Steve Stone
• Dick Tidrow
• Earl Webb
• Hoyt Wilhelm
• Dutch Zwilling

[edit] Footnotes