Pope Leo XIV has been invited to throw the first pitch at the Chicago White Sox’s proposed new ballpark following a meeting with the MLB franchise’s new co-owner
The White Sox have invited Pope Leo to throw the first pitch at their proposed new stadium(Image: Getty)
The Chicago White Sox have invited their most famous fan, Pope Leo XIV, to throw the first pitch at their new proposed multi-billion-dollar stadium, which could open in 2030 — a year after their lease at Guaranteed Rate Field expires following the 2029 season.
The White Sox may soon leave their long-time South Side home. The club played at the original Comiskey Park from 1910 until 1991, when its replacement — now known as Guaranteed Rate Field — opened just across the street. But as the team endured a season with more than 90 losses and one of the worst records in MLB, ownership is exploring a fresh start.
Despite rounds of upgrades to their current ballpark, the organization is now evaluating potential sites closer to downtown, while still keeping the franchise rooted on the South Side, and hopes Pope Leo can bless the new stadium and help change the MLB franchise’s fortunes. Pope Leo stole headlines after it was revealed that the Chicago native was a White Sox fan, not the Cubs, as initially speculated.
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A new stadium project is being pushed forward by a developer at a site known as “The 78,” according to the Chicago Sun-Times, which reports that discussions have moved into a “serious” phase this year. The proposed ballpark would sit near the intersection of Roosevelt Road and Clark Street — a stretch that runs all the way up to Wrigley Field — placing the White Sox roughly 2.5 miles north of their current home.
However, potential stumbling blocks include whether $1 billion worth of public money will be used to build the new ballpark, as well as competition from the MLS franchise, the Chicago Fire, which is eyeing a $650 million project entirely funded privately. Still, the White Sox remain undeterred.
New White Sox co-owner, Justin Ishbia, met the Pope alongside his wife, Kristen, through a mutual connection — Holy See Ambassador Brian Burch, who hails from Chicago’s Western suburbs. Ishbia asked the Pope whether he would like to throw the first pitch if and when a new stadium is erected.
Guaranteed Rate Field has been the home of the White Sox since 1991(Image: Getty)
Pope Leo obliged, schedule depending. “It was a really wonderful experience and one that I won’t forget. I shared the desire and the vision of a new stadium one day, and hopefully he’ll be there,” said Ishbia to the Chicago Sun Times.
“I’m 48, right? And so whether a new stadium occurs in four years or 34 years, I don’t know, but I’m going to be involved in a stadium at some point with the White Sox.
“And I said to him, ‘I would love for you to be there and throw that first pitch.’ And he looked at me, and he smiled and he said, ‘Thank you,’ and then he said, ‘I’d love to — schedule permitting.'”
Pope Leo XIV is the first elected Pope from the US
“I just asked him to bless the new stadium,” Ishbia added. “I don’t know when it’s going to occur, I can’t say an exact date, but it will at some point.
“I asked him to bless the stadium and bless the individuals and people who’ll be working on that stadium and the fans who will come to that stadium. I asked him to bless and wish for many years of good fortune.
“And I said we’re hopeful that with your blessings, it will be a place that creates joy and happiness — and many championships to come. I slid that part in there, so hopefully the man upstairs is going to acquiesce. We’ll see.”