news-engine

The Chicago White Sox have been one of the best stories in baseball this year. Just two years after going 41-121 and breaking the MLB’s single-season loss record, Chicago has been in first place in the AL Central since early July. Pitcher Mike Vasil is out for the season due to Tommy John surgery, but he’s helped his squad defy expectations from the dugout with his magic-wand skills. Vasil’s magic may just be the result of divine intervention, as Pope Leo XIV, who ascended to the papacy on May 8, 2025, is a Chicago-area native and diehard White Sox fan. “We got a pope, and we got a wizard. We have a lot of good luck on our side,” star shortstop Colson Montgomery said on Sunday. “Anything to get the fans excited for all that stuff is fun.” The Sox delivered that excitement for fans on Tuesday, honoring His Holiness with a “Pope Hat Night” giveaway for the Sox’ game against the Cincinnati Reds. Initially intended for just the first 2,500 fans, all 38,113 attendees of the Rate Field sellout crowd were gifted a complimentary Sox-themed pope hat. Chicago went all out for the night’s festivities, and the CHSN broadcast did its best to keep up, starting with Sister Mary Jo Sobieck of the Dominican Sisters of Springfield “doing her thing,” as play-by-play voice John Schriffen noted, and throwing out the first pitch. Sister Mary Jo showing off some moves before the first pitch 始球式を前に華麗な動きを披露するシスター・メアリー・ジョー#WhiteSox pic.twitter.com/hF3TKZlsC7 — White Sox Video (@WhiteSoxVideo) August 11, 2026 The players got in on the fun as well, with recently acquired outfielder Brenton Doyle, catcher Edgar Quero, and third baseman Miguel Vargars each sporting one of the ceremonial hats in the dugout after launching a home run. ホームランセレブレーション用の小道具として、あの教皇帽がダグアウトに登場しました。#WhiteSox https://t.co/4HYop3EB4L pic.twitter.com/ipF63BKsuj — White Sox Video (@WhiteSoxVideo) August 11, 2026 https://t.co/oGfWupK2wF pic.twitter.com/Isf9KZDUSl — White Sox Video (@WhiteSoxVideo) August 12, 2026 バルガスさん!!! ミゲル・バルガスさんが4イニングでホワイトソックス3本目のホームランを放ち、ソックスが3-0とリード！そしてダグアウトではチームメイトたちに吠えまくっています。 #WhiteSox pic.twitter.com/mJeUi6sGuq — White Sox Video (@WhiteSoxVideo) August 12, 2026 Chicago’s mascot, Southpaw, joined the festivities, leaving Schriffen and color commentator Steve Stone stunned by his full papal costume. サウスポーちゃんがファンに手を振っています🤣🤣 #WhiteSox pic.twitter.com/X84pR4TKe8 — White Sox Video (@WhiteSoxVideo) August 12, 2026 White Sox executive vice president Brooks Boyer isn’t sure if the “Pope Hat Night” will be an annual tradition, but is appreciative that the franchise was able to connect Leo XIV to his childhood team. “We’ll see,” Boyer said, per the Chicago Sun-Times. “We wanna be super respectful to the pope, to the Vatican. Hopefully this represents a tie to his childhood team, doing it the exact right way.” If Vasil’s magic, divine or not, helps carry the surging Sox deep into October, papal hats and magic wands might just find their way onto national broadcasts.