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In a city where baseball fandom borders on religion, it turns out Chicago’s newest spiritual icon has long been aligned with the South Side faithful.
Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, has officially been claimed by the Chicago White Sox — and this time, there’s video evidence to seal the deal. Sox on 35th blogger Joe Binder unearthed footage this week showing a young Leo XIV in attendance at Game 1 of the 2005 World Series, standing among the crowd as Bobby Jenks shut the door on a 5-3 win over the Houston Astros. The White Sox would go on to sweep the series and secure their first championship in 88 years.
They found Pope Leo XIV on the White Sox World Series broadcast in 2005
(h/t @SoxOn35th)pic.twitter.com/67egr9xE9I
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) May 9, 2025
As soon as Leo XIV was elected, debate erupted across Chicago over which team he backed. Cubs fans, leaning on an early ABC News report, quickly claimed him as their own, even flashing “Hey Chicago, he’s a Cubs fan” across the Wrigley Field marquee. But in a divine twist, the pope’s brother, John Prevost, set the record straight on WGN: “He was never, ever a Cubs fan.”
Pope Leo XIV is a White Sox fan, and the team needs his prayers
With that confirmation — plus a decades-old photograph placing Leo at the 2005 Fall Classic — the White Sox wasted no time celebrating. Their scoreboard flashed “Hey Chicago, he’s a Sox fan,” mimicking the Cubs’ earlier claim. And at Friday’s game against the Marlins, they gave Pope Leo a video tribute, calling him “the South Side’s very own.”
“It’s the kind of energy boost this team and fan base needed,” said White Sox senior VP of community relations Christine O’Reilly-Riordan. “We’re still in the ‘wow’ stage — just incredibly proud that one of ours is now the most recognizable figure in the world.”
With a 10–28 record and coming off a franchise-worst 121-loss season in 2024, the White Sox are searching for anything to inspire hope. The timing of Leo’s rise couldn’t have been better. Some fans are already jokingly referring to it as divine intervention, and manager Will Venable is happy to ride the wave: “We’ll take it. Great to have him on our side, for sure.”
It’s not the first time the Sox have leaned on high-powered support. Former President Barack Obama, another die-hard fan, held the “First Fan” title for years. Now, it appears he has been leapfrogged by the Holy Father himself.
As the city preps for the upcoming Cubs-Sox City Series, tensions could rise over the papal allegiance. But for now, South Siders are soaking up the spotlight — and looking to the heavens for a little help from above.
“We know the Sox could use a few miracles,” said longtime fan Tom Silverstrim. “Good thing we’ve got a guy upstairs now.”
If the Summer of Leo delivers even a glimmer of hope, Chicago might just believe again.
