Pope Leo XIV, a White Sox fan since his days growing up in Chicago, has received a special gift from former Chicago White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski. The pontiff was given the baseball from the final out of Game 1 of the 2005 World Series, which the White Sox won 5-3 against the Houston Astros.
A Gift from a Fan
Pierzynski posted pictures on social media showing the moment at the Vatican when he presented the baseball to Pope Leo XIV. The pope, who was known as Robert Prevost or Father Bob at the time, attended the World Series opener 21 years ago and sat in a section at Rate Field that is now marked with a graphic installation.
The White Sox went on to sweep the series in four games, winning the championship. This is not the first sports-related gift Pope Leo XIV has received since his election last May. He was also given a pinstriped No. 14 White Sox jersey with “Konerko” and “Pope Leo” written on the back, signed by former White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko.
The White Sox plan to pay tribute to Pope Leo XIV at their August 11 game against Cincinnati, handing out pope-themed hats to fans. The hats are shaped like the pope’s miter, with the team’s sock logo in the middle.
Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.
