You can’t change the name of a memory
February 6, 2003
Sixty-eight million dollars bought a piece of my childhood – and I want it back.
Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, known to most Chicagoans as Weasel, sold Comiskey Park’s name to U.S. Cellular for $68 million. It must be easy selling the name of a dead man. for a variety of reasons – No. 1 being this summer’s All-Star game, held in Chicago, at PHONE FIELD 2003.
-Comiskey Park was home to the first All-Star game in 1933. Babe Ruth hit the game-winning home run, clinching the game for the American League. Comiskey Park was home to many other fine events, too. For instance, Comiskey Park was one of the first ballparks to host a night game in 1933, selling out to 30,000 fans. Comiskey Park was also the first stadium to feature showers, exploding scoreboards and haircuts. Alas, this is a different decade. Owners like Bill Veeck who cared more about their fans than their portfolios are gone.
Some of my first memories formed in Comiskey Park. I went to Old Comiskey’s last game. That night was fun. Sammy Sosa made a spectacular catch, and some fellows behind us got busted, screwdrivers in hand, for attempting to steal the seats they were sitting on.
Late in the ’93 season, I went to my most memorable White Sox game.
Tied in the bottom of the ninth, shortstop Ozzie Guillen was unintentionally walked to first. The next batter flied out, advancing Guillen to second. Gene Lamont put in a pinch hitter. The pinch hitter took two strikes and hit the ball hard into right field, advancing Guillen one base, possibly two.
Guillen is running hard. Before too long, he is rounding third, racing the arm of the right fielder. Here comes the throw. It’s late. Guillen’s safe! White Sox win! White Sox win! The noise in and surrounding Comiskey Park is deafening.
Suddenly it all stops, and I’m back in 2003, angrier than hell over the PHONE FIELD name change. Some words are worth more than $68 million – some words are worth a memory. Some memories, whether good or bad, can connect several generations by a word.
And with that $68 million, the crowd goes silent.