Chicago Rare Occurance Observed
 

At a little after 3PM today, the Chicago White Sox broke one of the longest lastest records in MLB. It goes back to the very first year that the league was formed.

With the win today at 21-7 they now have the longest streak of recorded continous games with a leading score always in evidence sometimes during the game. It is 28 with today's game.

With all the interleague play games now in effect, everyone will have another reason to co-miserate with the Cubs.

Last night Ozzie got on TV and says we are all together from the "go get"- he meant "get go". Yes we are always good for a laugh besides.

Traveling to Toronto next! What other rare occurances will we see North of the border.

I'm sorry, JJ5, I don't understand this record? what do you mean the leading score always in evidence? this makes no sense to me.

That's exactly how they word it.

It means that the Sox never had a game in which they didn't have the lead in the game at some point and at least for one full inning. This has happened in all 28 games this year. They have never been behind or even for the entire 9 inning game.

The former record was 27 and it was eons old, as well.

Gotta love statistics as a baseball fan! This is a good one. Amazing who keeps track of these things, huh?!?

Hoping to book flights to Chicago for August in the next couple of days!! Fenway last year, Wrigley this year. Does it get any better than that?!

Maybe I'll bring them some luck and they can win the World Series this year?!? Umm... wishful thinking, I guess, but I do claim a little credit for the BoSox winning last year coinciding with my visit. I spent the summer in Atlanta the year the Braves won it. :-d

Interesting statistic!

Enjoy your weekend up here in Toronto at the "Rogers Centre" (formerly known and still called Skydome by the locals). I hope you don't gag on all the Rogers commercials one must endure these days to watch a game here!

thanks for the clarification. I do love those obscure records, its part of what makes baseball fun.

neworleanslady, any chance you can come back to Fenway this year? we really want a repeat :-)

Calling baseball "fun" is really stretching it...boring yes, but "fun"?

As a native Chicagoan now living in NJ ("you can take the girl outta Chicago, but..."), I look forward to the even rarer occurrence of a Cubs or White Sox World Series championship!

Evidently Curt doesn't know much about baseball. :-)

You are or you aren't a baseball person.

My best friend won't go as she is from Minnesota and thinks it is like watching grass grow.

My sons and I love it, as did my father. There is an entire culture that exists in the ball parks. This month two of my sons are taking all my grandkids to the Cell for the "be on the field with the team" day thingee.

They get to go into the dugouts, run the bases, etc. for an hour with about 4 of the players for $10. We have an overnight camp event etc. there as well and the White Sox Charities and Players Wives' Organization have done immense good on the South Side of Chicago. Many of these events are for the White Sox Charities.

Just know we do have tons of fun. And you would be surprised who you meet at the ball parks- all kinds of interesting people from everywhere.

JJ5 - Skydome is a nice if a little sterile place to watch a game. The Toronto fans are very polite if somewhat disinterested. Unlike Red Sox fans who are impolite, deeply interested and usually highly knowledgible - I image White Sox fans are the same. Took us a bit to get used to having foul balls announced, and the signage imploring the fans to clap at the Skydome. No such stuff has to happen at Fenway.

There is an interesting scuplture that I believe overlooks the main entrance of the park - it depicts fans cheering on their team in a humorous fashion.

Yes, that's true, but oftentimes it's a lack of knowledge. I've watched baseball since I was a kid and have been to Fenway countless times. I consider myself pretty savvy when it comes to the game. I soon find out that I don't know as much as I thought, because baseball is filled with so many nuances and different situations that it's really hard to grasp all that much. Glad to see Georges's trllion dollar babies in the cellar-go Sox!!

bennie, bounty: Yes, each ball park is somewhat different- even mores/ etiquette is varied. I especially loved the Boston fans to talk to. They KNOW like the White Sox fans do,many of the sublties/ languages of the game. They were not impolite to us at all, just spirited. Nor were they at Yankee Stadium. Although I could not believe how the Yankee crew could berate their own team. WHEEEW!

St. Louis and KC fans have been best to us so far. But can't say they can talk baseball like the NYC and Boston crowd can. Now at the Cubs game, you will find one in two who actually know what inning then are in. Actually we have been to maybe 5 parks now, that are quite like that. Just don't want to be flamed. Many of them are in the National League. It's more of a party and a "scene to be seen" thing at those-and really not so much about baseball.

So you need to be told when to applaud!

Some of my best memories with my sons have been in the days at Old Comiskey when there were 5000 of us there on a cold day during a rain delay or two. I can remember the boys running up and down the stairs (like on the Contender) and gathering some other kids (talk about diversity)and then they would all go and hit the backs of the old green seats playing games etc. and laughing.
And Nancy Faust playing the organ with a different theme intro for each player who entered the batter's box.

And the game is very complex.

There are several books out on going to all the parks. Maybe when we are done, I'll try to put one together, if only for our kids.

And margot55- the intensity at the dual crosstown series each year is so strong that people who don't particularly like baseball- feel it.

I really would not want that type of World Series to happen. Cubs are a national favorite because of long years of WGN coverage nation wide. When they win three games in a row here it is heralded in headlines. It would be like a Civil War with the Sox being the South only much worse. Even though "Good guys wear Black".

Anyway, it will never happen as the owners of the Cubs fill the stadium without having to buy players in their peak /developing years and for other reasons that are best left unsaid.

I'm a sports fan, but not a baseball fan. I'm also originally from Chicago, still a die hard Bears fan.

At the same time, can anybody explain to me how you can get excited about a game during the first week of May when there are still about 130 games to go? Especially with Chicago teams known to fold during the second half of the season? so many times?

I never understood that. Sorry!

AAFrequentFlyer, the way to get excited is not to look at the standings. You're right, there's a ton of baseball to be played and an individual game doesn't mean much. So you enjoy the game for what it is today. You enjoy watching somebody take a no hitter into the 7th inning, you enjoy watching some sweet swinging slugger hit one out of the park, you enjoy the strategy...a hit&run that works perfectly, a bunt at exactly the right time. You enjoy a beautiful throw from your shortstop. Its the same way you enjoy the game when your team is 10 games back. It's just one day at a time.

Or you look at the standings, and enjoy seeing the Yankees at the bottom, and wonder how long this particular joy can last!

I don't ask anyone to understand. It just is. Much like the Budha.

And china cat, you know exactly what land we enter when we walk into the world of baseball. And do not worry. The Yankees will not be at the top of the heap this year.

Now George is too busy with his Kentucky Derby pony to even care. He has lost interest, you know.

No need to talk about the remaining 134-as only time will tell. But watching the pitching and base stealing this year has been extremely enjoyable, even my 86 year old father who is a Cubs fan is glued.

As my name implies, I am a female. I do not know the gender of each of you posting here, but from what I have gathered - it seems more females than males - funny, huh??

Great post china_cat. Reminds me of Bull Durham... a ground ball with eyes, etc.

My BF is not so much of a baseball fan. He's one who just doesn't "get it". He likes to tell people I am a fanatic, but I quickly remind him (even in front of his friends & co-workers) that I WAS until I met him. :-P Now I barely know who is on what team, what the standings are, etc. Thankfully, last year a friend & I went to Boston, LA & Atlanta so I am back into it now.

I just wish my sister could come to these ballparks with me. She's married w/ 2 babies so leaving home for baseball games isn't an option (her husband also doesn't "get it"). We always figured we'd be just like the little old ladies we used to meet at the parks who are traveling around to all the ballparks. Just like JJ5 said - you never know the interesting people you will meet.

Funny - my BF & I went to an LSU game a few weeks ago. There were some slightly obnoxious (but funny) guys in front of us. My BF leaned over & asked me what the "K"s behind the plate were for. The guys in front of us got a BIG kick out of that. I told them to leave him alone - at least he was trying. :))

I drove to NC to visit my mom a few years ago. I found out a few days before that they would be tearing down Atlanta Fulton County the morning I was to arrive for a night-time stopover with my Aunt in Atlanta. I convinced my boss to let me leave work early the day before to get to Atlanta, sleep VERY few hours, get up at 4am to get downtown in time for the explosions. I met a woman getting out of her car next to me. We teamed up for the day - taking pictures of each other and exchanging addresses. We both cried when it came down. :'(

I LOVE this game!

neworleanslady, it seems like I see more and more women at baseball games lately (yes, I'm femaale). I went to a Red Sox game a couple weeks ago, and sat in the bleachers. I was amazed at all the college girls sitting out there. But I figured it out. Every time Johnny Damon came out between innings, he would smile, and wave at the crowd, and the girls would stand up and shriek. it seems watching his backside was the main attraction. everybody has their own reasons for going to a game.

I do attend games with a girlfriend. My husband comes sometimes, he gets it, but not quite so much as me. But he's very tolerant, and will come along if I want to spend part of our vacation visiting a ballpark.

To keep this loosely travel related, I watched a game at Safeco last year. It's a beautiful park, but again the fans seemed a little distracted. But it was late in the season, the Mariners weren't playing well, and Curt Schilling was pretty much shutting them down that day, so there wasn't much to get excited about. It sure is a comfortable place to see a game though. FAR more comfy than Fenway (which isn't saying much).

JJ5, I must say I also found the Yankee fans to be relatively polite. And I was there for Sox-Yankees on a day when Pedro and Mussina were facing off. I was even wearing Sox clothing. So there was ribbing, and yelling, but it was very good natured. I'd expected it to be much worse. Maybe it was just a nice day, maybe its because the Yanks won that day, but it was really a good time. It was a 2-1 pitchers duel (won in the 9th on a Todd Walker error), and afterwards a Yankee fan said to me "geez, its almost a shame someone had to lose that game, it was so good!"

Welcome to the crowd, neworleanslady!

One of my life memories is the last night at Old Comiskey. There is no way I could give you a sense. The fireworks went on for almost a full 45 minutes and then no one moved for about 15 more minutes (almost 40,000 people with little sound).

And the first time I walked over the mark in the parking lot (now) where the Old Comiskey home plate used to be! Well now I can actually walk ON it, but then. NOT!

It's a special breed of craziness. But I have converted my guy after a lifetime of pure football and nothing else.

And by the way- we also tailgate at the Bears in 20 degree weather. So it just translates. But I will tell you that the fans ARE different.

Baseball people are GOOD people very, very often.

I've been enjoying watching the success of the White Sox. My brother is a big fan, always has been, a go-to-spring-training kind of fan. He took me to games all the time in the old ball park. However, I now hold Angels season tickets. And as an Angels fan, I say to my brother and all White Sox fans: Talk to me in August!

A quote from JJ5
" don't ask anyone to understand. It just is." Yes I agree, it is just boring. And before you jump me bounty, I probably know as much about the game as you do, and sorry but it is BORING, slow, and BORING. Perhaps the only sport more boring than baseball is American Football. Now that is REALLY BORING AND ALSO A BIT ON THE DUMB SIDE.

curt, I won't argue with you as that would be pointless. but are there any sports that you do like? do tell us, so we can have the opportunity to make fun of you too. soccer? cricket? curling? c'mon, there must be some sport you like so we can ridicule you?

Well since this is a travel site I do not feel that any sport chat belongs here. Having said that, I guess my favorite sport is, well gee I don't have one. Guess I just like to travel.

Curt, I'm planning a trip this summer that will include a Cardinals game, a Royals game, a trip to the Field of Dreams movie site and a Kernels game in Iowa (an Angels farm team). So, sometimes sports and travel DO go together.

well, then let me politely suggest you find another thread where you are more interested and having something to contribute. You can rant about Fridays, or talk about digital cameras, weddings, wine, recipes and lots of other topics only peripherally related to travel. we've got a nice thread going here about ballparks and the fans. some of us may, like sfamylou, be thinking about a trip to a ballpark in the near future.

its not like we were discussing Manny Ramirez average with runners in scoring position, or Kevin Brown's ERA or the number of hits Ichiro has so far, or how Vlad manages to hit any pitch thrown in his general vicinity, or anything like that.

First, let me say that I have no idea who Manny Ramirez,Kevin Brown or Ichiro are, let alone what team they are on, so even if you were talking about that it would mean nothing to me.Vlad? Wasn't he a vampire in Transylvania? Now that is a travel subject for sure!

Now, I can say that maybe by the time amylou gets to KC the Royals may win a game!

I'm with sfamylou. The summers when we're fortunate enough to take a road trip we almost always include at least one baseball game. This is, unfortunately, not one of those summers. But we are going to take an over-nighter to Milwaukee to see a Brewers game. And my husband and son will be going to a Cardinals game while we're visiting my in-laws. So for us, travel and baseball very definitely go together.

I see that china_cat just made my other point much more eloquently than I would have. I was just going to ask Curt why on earth he's reading this thread, much less responding, if he's so down on sports? I'll never understand why some people seem to feel that they have to read every single thread. Or, even more to the point, why they feel that anything not of interest to them shouldn't be available to those who are interested.

Sorry I apologize. Guess I was just in a pissy mood. Will never, ever, ever post again whenever I see the word baseball ....

Just ignore the negative and founts of negativity and enjoy the boys of summers everyone.

And if you do travel by air and look down, one of the most outstanding things you notice about the USA regardless of the landscape, is that baseball diamonds /fields are in evidence throughout.

I too am going to a Joliet Jackhammers game at the end of August with a lot of college students from my school. Some of those parks are great family outings, and at this one you can blanket spread/picnic beyond the outfield lines- as they did in the early days of baseball.

Actually I have gotten immense help in my early days of traveling to games in other cities from my Fodors group here.

And I thank again the Anaheim people who have helped with the Angels May trip. The logistics look great and I'm sure we will have a good time.

Hey girls, not only is Garland the A.L. pitcher of the month this year but he is also single. And very good looking. Buehrle got engaged.

I love Podsednik, just love the way he plays. And our ex Carlos Lee has trumped the Cubs two or three times this week. Life is good!

Actually, what I think is very interesting JJ% is your reference to "taking a Ferris Bueller day off" on the FFR&R.

Here you are, a White Sox fan. Yet, you can't get away from a veiled reference to the Cubs.

The White Sox, the best team no one will see.

Yes, that is so true, Ryan.

Only my true Ferris Bueller's day off is going to be to "Wicked" next week.

And you would be surprised at all the people I do meet at the Cell. People do go, but they are the kind of people who work in the daytime and you will never read their names in print until it makes the obits. (Although this year the average is already high attendance, and we had a nasty cold spell for the entire last home stand.) It's also extremely family friendly.

Maybe you will all want my extra or unused tickets come August or Sept.- so you better be nice to me know/

For all of you traveling this summer to Chicago. The Red Line does go South. And the Cell is EASY from downtown. Monday night homestands are 1/2 price. Tuesday is buy 1/ get 1 with Pepsi UPC. And Thursday is dollar hot dog night.

And of course there is fireworks on Saturday after the game. Fridays only sometimes.

And ladies, there are endless stalls in the bathrooms. NO WAITING. Unlike another park I could name that has next to no facilities for females.

JJ5-
you inspired me to see the White Sox, but they aren't in town either weekend we are looking at coming to town. Damn!

Unless we take an extra day and see a Monday night game... for 1/2 price you say? (I'll check my vacation schedule!)

It IS a shame that the White Sox attract so relatively few fans to their park. Here they are, off to a great start, and on Wednesday night I would be amazed if there were even 10,000 people here. Yes, I know the weather wasn't cooperating, but they still pack them in at Wrigley, and you haven't even beeen seeing good baseball there lately! Plus, they even have hot water in the restrooms at the Cell!

Speaking for myself - and I'm sure many others - it's all about the park in Chicago. Other than MADDUX, my former Braves boyfriend :-d, it doesn't matter to me that I'm seeing the Cubs. It's ALL ABOUT WRIGLEY!

Think I might have my crew convinced to change dates and add in a Monday White Sox game!

Reading the thread title only, I thought JJ was going to say that a flight left O'Hare on time!! Since I have terrible luck at O'Hare, to me that is a rare Chicago occurrence indeed.

Wednesday night they had 15,982- the least all year. We have had over 30,000 at almost all the weekend games. And the upper deck is much worse other places, Milwaukee to name one.

And we have great food. You can find good in the neighborhood, but if you have no time- eating at the ball park is not just junk. We even have a patio area. You can have your own private parties etc.

The reason fewer go is that their huge fan base no longer lives by the Cell.
That does not mean that people who live by the Cell do not support the Sox, they do. But still the great majority of Sox fans watch/listen on tv/radio. And the recent business end of baseball has made that happen- both in the strike year when we "won" the division, and also when Sox "on TV" got butchered by WGN and the Cubs mandate. Don't forget that Harry Carrey himself was a SOX announcer first- but would not go to "pay" tv.

Lots of fans in Indiana never go- think they will fall into a black hole- but listen all the time.

The neighborhood has gotten better, and I think is still troubled but with less and less highrise projects surviving and gentrification approaching from several directions, it is only going to get better.

Most ironic thing of all. The immense fan base has no access by el or train to the Cell. They would have to go downtown first to get there except from the very far east side of the South side proper. Most of their fans are west, far west, south, far sw. Daley has tried several times to at least have a platform change. No dice.

Parking is plentiful in lots but like every Chicago expressway, IMHO, not easy to access and follow the maze leading to the various lots etc. This also puts people off.

Another baseball lady here-
dual Giants and Cards fan-what can
I say, yet it's a happy marriage.
:-X
Off for a week in September to STL,
DH's hometown,
to pay our repects at Busch.
Until then, I surely enjoy the
ferry boat rides to SBC!
:))
R5

I can not WAIT to see the White Sox play the Angels here last week of June. And I can not WAIT to pay my respects to Busch stadium, either. We were going to miss a game there, but it hit me how much I want my son to see it. So, we're leaving town a day earlier than planned and bombing through with maybe one stop. Our whole trip is baseball; we need to get home in time to see the Angels-Red Sox match up.

Yes, do I know how you try to get that "one more day" thing in there.
My kids are worse than I am.

ie. One wedding date was changed after they realized it was Cubs/Sox home stand.

Business trip was extended one day in Texas because he had to get a further audit. (Ha-ha)

Many more.

The only one I was distressed over was one in which I got last minute tickets from a teacher's day fundraiser thingee free. I went with my guy. Guess who we run into right away and he's about 4 rows behind our dugout! Eldest, with wife and all three kids (and the baby was FIVE days old.)

I still think he shouldn't have taken that 5 day old baby into any place crowded like that.

It's a sickness.

my husband asked me where I wanted to go for my birthday last year. Go out? I said? not a chance...It was Oct 27th, 2004....Game 4, I wasn't going anywhere unless he could come up with a ticket in St Louis! It IS a sickness.

After reading this thread, I have an itch to go to Chicago...see a game in EACH stadium. Oh well, maybe next year. See, it IS travel related. Now I'm thinking about travelling!