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The Chicago White Sox ended one of the most painful World Series droughts in baseball history in 2005, extinguishing 88 years of anguish with a dominant four game sweep of the National League’s Houston Astros. The White Sox, one of the oldest teams in baseball, won only two American League pennants after their World Series victory of 1917, one in 1919, and one in 1959. The 1919 Sox, led by the humble superstar Joe Jackson, fell victim to the “Black Sox Scandal” that ended with the permanent banishment of eight of their members from baseball forever.
40 years later, the Minnie Minoso and the “Go-Go Sox” faced Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1959 World Series. Although they boasted the American League MVP and Cy Young Award winners, the White Sox were stymied by the arms of the Los Angeles aces, falling to their National League foes in a six game series.
The South Siders finally won their next pennant in 2005, behind strong pitching, consistent hitting, and smart managing from their skipper, Ozzie Guillen. This was the final season in Chicago for legendary slugger Frank Thomas, who sadly was not included on the postseason roster due to a lingering injury. First baseman Paul Konerko and right fielder Jermaine Dye picked up the slack in Thomas and recently departed slugger Magglio Ordonez’s absences, combining for 71 long balls and 186 RBI. The starting rotation, anchored by long-time Sox Mark Buehrle and Jon Garland, was a major factor in the White Sox run to the Fall Classic. 2004 midseason acquisitions Freddy Garcia and Jose Contreras held down the back half of the rotation, combining for 29 victories.
The White Sox easily clinched the American League Central Division in 2005, finishing six games above the Cleveland Indians with a record of 99-63. In the opening round of the playoffs, the White Sox defeated the defending World Series champions, the Boston Red Sox, in a quick three game series, outscoring the Red Sox 24-9.
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim presented more competition to the White Sox in the ALCS, managing to win one of the five games in the series. Jose Contreras, the owner of a 15-7 record during the regular season, tossed a complete game gem in the clinching game to send the White Sox to their first Fall Classic since the Eisenhower administration. Paul Konerko, the ALCS MVP, and Joe Crede both hit two home runs with seven RBI to power the White Sox offense in the League Championship Series.
The Houston Astros, looking to win the first World Series in franchise history, faced the White Sox in the World Series. The White Sox sweep belied the difficulty of the series, as the White Sox won two games by one run and two games by two runs. Game 4 was an absolute classic. With the score knotted up at zero in the eighth inning, World Series MVP Jermaine Dye scored Willie Harris on an RBI single, with a cadre of White Sox relievers pitching a scoreless final two frames to give the White Sox their first title in almost 90 years. This banner, which measures a massive 46 x 14 feet, was hung from a floodlight stanchion in US Cellular Field. The black banner features a gigantic image of the Commissioner’s Trophy, with text reading “2005 World Series Champions” and an image of the White Sox logo. This is a one-of-a-kind memento from the White Sox magical 2005 season.