moochpuppy
04-06-2005, 12:01 PM
Ignorance, but no bliss
Joe Christensen Star Tribune Published April 6, 2005
CHICAGO -- Sitting here without a World Series title since 1917, if the Chicago White Sox have a curse, it's the curse of being ignored.
When the Boston Red Sox last October won their first title since 1918, ending the infamous Curse of the Bambino, Hollywood was there to capture the moment.
Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon came rushing onto the field in St. Louis to film the climatic scene to "Fever Pitch" only moments after Doug Mientkiewicz started putting his death grip onto the last baseball of the 2004 season.
The movie opens Friday, and White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen had his fill of the previews during Sunday night's season opener between the Red Sox and the Yankees.
"I mean, now they're making a movie about it," said Guillen, who brings his team to the Metrodome on Friday for a three-game series against the Twins. "Come on, turn the page and play baseball."
When it comes to dry spells, the White Sox play second fiddle even in the Second City.
Up on the North Side, the Chicago Cubs -- the nation's lovable losers -- haven't won a title since 1908. The reason? Some say it's the Curse of the Billy Goat.
During the 1945 World Series, the owner of the Billy Goat Tavern was turned away after trying to bring a goat into Wrigley Field. The owner, Bill Sianis, was so upset, he vowed to put a curse on the Cubs so they would never win another title. Apparently, it worked.
White Sox fans have no such legend. Here they sit, with the longest title drought in the American League, yet virtually ignored.
New York let the Red Sox forget about 1918. But for the White Sox, references to 1917 are rare.
"It never crosses my mind," said Don Stefaniak, 23, a native of Chicago's South Side and lifelong White Sox fan who took in Monday's season opener at U.S. Cellular Field. "We never get mentioned because we've never had anything bad happen."
Well, that's not all true. The White Sox have been to the World Series twice since they last won it.
In 1919, they had the Black Sox scandal, and eight of their players were later banned from baseball for throwing that Series against the Cincinnati Reds.
Forty years later, a team nicknamed the Go-Go Sox won the first game of the 1959 Series, but lost in six to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
But that's about it for heartbreak.
If Boston's stretch of 86 years without a title burdened generations of Red Sox players, the White Sox barely feel the weight of their 88-year title drought.
"I've been asked these questions a couple times this spring," first baseman Paul Konerko said, "and they never would have been asked if the Red Sox hadn't won."
Konerko said the Red Sox curse grew legendary because after they sold Babe Ruth to New York in 1920, the Yankees went on to win 26 world titles.
"If the Indians, Twins or Tigers had done that, that would bring it to the forefront a lot more," Konerko said. "But at the same time, it doesn't make it any easier for our fans."
And for those who say Boston fans are simply more passionate, they should meet Stefaniak, who came to Monday's game with a White Sox hat, circa 1983, and a North Carolina t-shirt.
Yes, the home state University of Illinois was playing North Carolina for the NCAA men's basketball championship that night. But Stefaniak grew up hating the Illini and refused to jump on the bandwagon. And don't even get him started about the Cubs.
"I hate the Cubs," he said. "The North Side is rich and stuck up. They've had everything handed to them their whole life. You hate the Cubs, but mostly you hate the people."
The White Sox simply haven't done enough to tap into that passion. After losing the 1959 Series, they made three playoff appearances -- 1983, 1993 and 2000 -- and three quick, first-round exits.
Finishing second in the AL Central to the Twins the past three years hasn't helped.
"You saw what happened to the Cubs a couple years ago," Konerko said. "No one really talked about [1908] until they got to the postseason. So our job is to get to the playoffs. I hope [1917] becomes an issue later on."
Joe Christensen is at jchristensen@<hidden> ( jchristensen@<hidden>).
© Copyright 2005 (http://www.startribune.com/copyright) Star Tribune. All rights reserved. http://nmminneapolis.112.2o7.net/b/ss/nmminneapolis/1/G.5-Pd-S/s78093061076197?[AQB]&ndh=1&t=6/3/2005%2012%3A0%3A35%203%20300&pageName=Printer%20version%3A%20Joe%20Christensen%3A%20Ignorance%2C%20but%20no%20bliss&ch=Joe%20Christensen&server=www&c1=http%3A//www.startribune.com/dynamic/story.php%3Ftemplate%3Dprint_a%26story%3D5332230&c3=story&c7=story.php&pid=Joe%20Christensen%3A%20Ignorance%2C%20but%20no%20bliss&pidt=1&oid=http%3A//www.startribune.com/dynamic/story.php%3Ftemplate%3Dprint_a%26story%3D5332230&ot=A&oi=199&g=http%3A//www.startribune.com/dynamic/story.php%3Ftemplate%3Dprint_a%26story%3D5332230&r=http%3A//www.startribune.com/stories/509/5332230.html&s=800x600&c=32&j=1.3&v=Y&k=Y&bw=800&bh=459&ct=lan&hp=N&[AQE]
Joe Christensen Star Tribune Published April 6, 2005
CHICAGO -- Sitting here without a World Series title since 1917, if the Chicago White Sox have a curse, it's the curse of being ignored.
When the Boston Red Sox last October won their first title since 1918, ending the infamous Curse of the Bambino, Hollywood was there to capture the moment.
Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon came rushing onto the field in St. Louis to film the climatic scene to "Fever Pitch" only moments after Doug Mientkiewicz started putting his death grip onto the last baseball of the 2004 season.
The movie opens Friday, and White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen had his fill of the previews during Sunday night's season opener between the Red Sox and the Yankees.
"I mean, now they're making a movie about it," said Guillen, who brings his team to the Metrodome on Friday for a three-game series against the Twins. "Come on, turn the page and play baseball."
When it comes to dry spells, the White Sox play second fiddle even in the Second City.
Up on the North Side, the Chicago Cubs -- the nation's lovable losers -- haven't won a title since 1908. The reason? Some say it's the Curse of the Billy Goat.
During the 1945 World Series, the owner of the Billy Goat Tavern was turned away after trying to bring a goat into Wrigley Field. The owner, Bill Sianis, was so upset, he vowed to put a curse on the Cubs so they would never win another title. Apparently, it worked.
White Sox fans have no such legend. Here they sit, with the longest title drought in the American League, yet virtually ignored.
New York let the Red Sox forget about 1918. But for the White Sox, references to 1917 are rare.
"It never crosses my mind," said Don Stefaniak, 23, a native of Chicago's South Side and lifelong White Sox fan who took in Monday's season opener at U.S. Cellular Field. "We never get mentioned because we've never had anything bad happen."
Well, that's not all true. The White Sox have been to the World Series twice since they last won it.
In 1919, they had the Black Sox scandal, and eight of their players were later banned from baseball for throwing that Series against the Cincinnati Reds.
Forty years later, a team nicknamed the Go-Go Sox won the first game of the 1959 Series, but lost in six to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
But that's about it for heartbreak.
If Boston's stretch of 86 years without a title burdened generations of Red Sox players, the White Sox barely feel the weight of their 88-year title drought.
"I've been asked these questions a couple times this spring," first baseman Paul Konerko said, "and they never would have been asked if the Red Sox hadn't won."
Konerko said the Red Sox curse grew legendary because after they sold Babe Ruth to New York in 1920, the Yankees went on to win 26 world titles.
"If the Indians, Twins or Tigers had done that, that would bring it to the forefront a lot more," Konerko said. "But at the same time, it doesn't make it any easier for our fans."
And for those who say Boston fans are simply more passionate, they should meet Stefaniak, who came to Monday's game with a White Sox hat, circa 1983, and a North Carolina t-shirt.
Yes, the home state University of Illinois was playing North Carolina for the NCAA men's basketball championship that night. But Stefaniak grew up hating the Illini and refused to jump on the bandwagon. And don't even get him started about the Cubs.
"I hate the Cubs," he said. "The North Side is rich and stuck up. They've had everything handed to them their whole life. You hate the Cubs, but mostly you hate the people."
The White Sox simply haven't done enough to tap into that passion. After losing the 1959 Series, they made three playoff appearances -- 1983, 1993 and 2000 -- and three quick, first-round exits.
Finishing second in the AL Central to the Twins the past three years hasn't helped.
"You saw what happened to the Cubs a couple years ago," Konerko said. "No one really talked about [1908] until they got to the postseason. So our job is to get to the playoffs. I hope [1917] becomes an issue later on."
Joe Christensen is at jchristensen@<hidden> ( jchristensen@<hidden>).
© Copyright 2005 (http://www.startribune.com/copyright) Star Tribune. All rights reserved. http://nmminneapolis.112.2o7.net/b/ss/nmminneapolis/1/G.5-Pd-S/s78093061076197?[AQB]&ndh=1&t=6/3/2005%2012%3A0%3A35%203%20300&pageName=Printer%20version%3A%20Joe%20Christensen%3A%20Ignorance%2C%20but%20no%20bliss&ch=Joe%20Christensen&server=www&c1=http%3A//www.startribune.com/dynamic/story.php%3Ftemplate%3Dprint_a%26story%3D5332230&c3=story&c7=story.php&pid=Joe%20Christensen%3A%20Ignorance%2C%20but%20no%20bliss&pidt=1&oid=http%3A//www.startribune.com/dynamic/story.php%3Ftemplate%3Dprint_a%26story%3D5332230&ot=A&oi=199&g=http%3A//www.startribune.com/dynamic/story.php%3Ftemplate%3Dprint_a%26story%3D5332230&r=http%3A//www.startribune.com/stories/509/5332230.html&s=800x600&c=32&j=1.3&v=Y&k=Y&bw=800&bh=459&ct=lan&hp=N&[AQE]