The White Sox will commemorate Pope Leo XIV attending one of the 2005 World Series games with a graphic installation in the section where he sat.<\/p>\n
The Sox will put a “graphic installation” near Section 140, where the now-pope sat with close family friend, the late Ed Schmidt, during Game 1 of the 2005 World Series. <\/p>\n
The artwork commemorates the first U.S.-born pope’s<\/a> Chicago roots and the “unifying power of baseball,” the team said. It features a smiling mural of the pope, and a frame grab from the TV broadcast in which he appeared in the stands.<\/p>\n A 5-year-old boy is also seated next to the future pope in the TV frame grab. That boy \u2014 Ed Schmidt’s grandson, Eddie Schmidt \u2014 is now a man.<\/p>\n “A lot of you guys might know me as the kid that sat next to him at the World Series in Game 1. That’s one game that I will never forget that I was sitting next to him,” said Eddie Schmidt. “I don’t want anyone to think he’s a Cubs fan, because he’s not a Cubs fan. The pope is a White Sox fan, and we have proof.”<\/p>\n The White Sox say the pope is welcome back at Rate Field anytime.<\/p>\n “The pope absolutely has an open invite to come back, to come sit in Section 140, to throw out a first pitch,” said Chicago White Sox senior vice president and chief revenue and marketing officer Brooks Boyer. “Maybe we’ll let him get an at-bat.”<\/p>\n Chicago sports fans immediately began arguing over whether the new pope was a Cubs or Sox fan after he was elected at the conclave two weeks ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n His brother John Prevost was the first to settle the debate<\/a>, confirming his brother had been a proud White Sox fan since they were altar boys growing up in Dolton<\/a>, Illinois.\u00a0<\/p>\n The late Ed Schmidt was a season ticket holder who knew the pope through their work together at St. Rita of Cascia High School. His son Nick now holds the season tickets for the same seats.<\/p>\n There will also soon be a special marking for the seat where the pope sat for that World Series Game \u2014 Row 19, Seat 2. <\/p>\n The Chicago Archdiocese will also host a celebration of Pope Leo XIV on June 14 at Rate Field.<\/p>\n \n More from CBS News\n <\/p>\n