CHICAGO — Seventy instances a yr, Barry Antoniazzi tosses on his black No. 27 jersey with “Bagodonuts” stitched onto the again, dons a firefighter helmet lined in Chicago White Sox pins and walks a block and a half to his baseball sanctuary.
Antoniazzi grew bored with paying for parking at Assured Fee Subject, so 11 years in the past, he moved to W. thirty fifth Avenue and S. Parnell Avenue the place, in a traditional yr, he can hear celebratory postgame fireworks from his residence.
That is, after all, no regular yr, and the skies over the ballpark are quiet almost each evening. The White Sox haven’t received a house recreation in additional than a month, and stand on the doorstep of undesirable historical past as they limp towards the 1962 New York Mets’ file of 120 losses.
And but, Antoniazzi’s religion within the franchise hasn’t wavered, despite the fact that his home of worship has develop into a home of horrors that has hosted one defeat after one other. On Tuesday, Antoniazzi, a paramedic for the Chicago Fireplace Division, watched his beloved, beleaguered membership drop its twenty sixth recreation in 27 makes an attempt at dwelling. Simply as no two snowflakes are precisely alike, the White Sox have repeatedly discovered new and more and more painful methods to lose in a season that has felt like one lengthy, extraordinary blizzard on the South Facet.
On Monday, Cleveland Guardians rookie spot starter Joey Cantillo retired the primary 20 hitters he confronted. On Tuesday, a line drive to the thigh knocked out Guardians starter Ben Full of life after two innings, however the workforce’s bullpen lined the final seven frames to seal a shutout. On Wednesday, Lane Thomas delivered a pair of two-run infield singles to gasoline a Cleveland sweep.
Antoniazzi traveled to San Francisco final month to finish his mission of watching the White Sox in all 30 ballparks. He’s drawn to Assured Fee Subject for the possibility at seeing one thing new — he’s by no means witnessed a no-hitter in individual, as an illustration — and to assist a workforce he insists can solely go up from right here.
“We’re not going to be this unhealthy without end,” he stated. “We’re going to get higher. So after we do get good, I can say, ‘I caught with them via thick and skinny.’ That’s what retains me coming again.”
Antoniazzi shouldn’t be alone in his loyalty; a number of the few thousand followers in attendance every evening are true diehards, prepared to stay with their workforce even because it careens in direction of the worst season in baseball historical past. However what conjures up others to go via the turnstiles? Why do they select to commit a number of hours to watching a predictable ending unfold on the diamond as an alternative of, say, cruising alongside the Chicago River on an architectural boat tour, or using the Centennial Wheel at Navy Pier, or watching pennant races play out on the TVs at Timothy O’Toole’s Pub, or procuring on Michigan Avenue, and even simply lounging on the lounge couch?
The White Sox bought 11,429 tickets for Monday’s recreation, although the true attendance depend seemed to be lower than half of that. There was a slight uptick Tuesday, perhaps due to a $5 beer promotion or as a result of followers needed to grab up a number of the final Campfire Milkshakes of the season. Or there’s one more reason, one which has grown in significance as this impressively unhealthy season has worn on: witnessing the prepare wreck, one loss at a time.
“We’re right here to see them make historical past,” as one fan put it.
For others, the wins and losses don’t significantly matter. Many attendees had been on the town for enterprise, and had an evening to spare and a pair beers to guzzle. Brent Poole, from close to Winnipeg, stated he consumed the perfect sizzling canine of his life at Tuesday’s recreation. As they weaved via the concourse in heart discipline, Poole and Russ Palm studied the statues of Charles A. Comiskey, Luis Aparicio and Nellie Fox. Poole hadn’t visited the stadium in 25 years; it was Palm’s first go to.
“Although individuals aren’t right here,” Palm stated, “it’s nonetheless enjoyable to return see this. Each park is totally different.”
Dan Murby traveled to Chicago from Boston this week for work, and since he’s already attended a Bulls recreation and a Blackhawks recreation — and for the reason that Cubs had been on the street — he spent Tuesday evening leaning in opposition to a right-field drink rail because the White Sox sputtered towards their 113th loss. Dylan Jones and Gavin Orr, on the town for the Worldwide Manufacturing Know-how Present, hail from upstate New York, the place, Jones stated, “There’s nothing close to us.” Jones visits Chicago each different yr, and he tries to attend a White Sox recreation on every journey, irrespective of the workforce’s standing.
“I’m not even a baseball fan,” Jones stated. “I identical to some leisure.”
One couple, with their wedding ceremony scheduled for Sept. 26, opted to deal with Monday’s contest — their first baseball recreation — as a “first of firsts to start out off our life collectively.”
If their union can survive the 2024 White Sox, it may possibly persevere via something.
The small crowds make the scene nearly eerie at instances. As a concessionaire pushed an ice cream cart across the concourse on Monday, he sounded a bell that echoed all through the venue. After a innocent Guardians groundout or a first-pitch strike by a Chicago pitcher, one may establish a fan’s particular person claps from a number of sections away.
On Monday, one fan, staring out at a sea of empty forest-green seats, texted a buddy that he’s seen “livelier wakes on a Monday evening.” That morbid feeling can take its toll. Out in heart discipline, a middle-aged man stood behind a thigh-high railing, watching loss No. 112 as a result of a good friend gifted him 4 tickets, and so he took his son and his son’s two associates. When requested how lengthy he has been a White Sox fan, the ache in his voice was palpable as he lamented, “My complete life.”
At the very least on this evening, on this place, he had firm in that.
“We’re at all-time low proper now,” stated Nate Lutzow, who spent his twenty fourth birthday on the ballpark on Tuesday. “I want the workforce was higher. That’d push me to be right here extra.”
Nonetheless, there are silver linings. Some dad and mom capitalized on the small crowds to take their kids to their first recreation with out having to navigate a chaotic scene with a toddler. Some took the chance to test the ballpark off their record of their bid to expertise all 30 venues. A Philadelphian used his daughter’s relocation to Chicago as an excuse to see his twenty seventh ballpark. A trio of New Yorkers spent final weekend taking within the Yankees-Cubs collection at Wrigley Subject and caught round an additional day to catch the opposite workforce on the town. One Clevelander donned a white Steven Kwan jersey and a black White Sox hat at Monday’s recreation, since he purchases a cap at each ballpark he visits.
Loads of Guardians followers both made the 55-minute flight or the five-hour drive west previous windmills and RV firm billboards or occur to reside within the Windy Metropolis. Visiting fan takeovers have develop into the norm because the season has progressed.
Chris Ramos walks together with his brother, Pat, and their good friend, Jacob Swartley, to Assured Fee Subject for each recreation. They had been working late for an Aug. 31 affair in opposition to the Mets, and as they approached the doorway, they heard an eruption of cheers from the gang.
“We’re like, ‘Oh, what occurred?’” Ramos stated. “Have a look at the cellphone. Pete Alonso dwelling run.”
The diehards have actually been examined this season. Randy Johnson attended video games at Comiskey Park together with his grandparents. He has bricks and seats from the previous constructing, baseballs autographed by Frank Thomas and battle scars from a long time as a White Sox fan. He made his good friend, who has a Cubs tattoo on his proper forearm, put on a White Sox jersey to Tuesday’s recreation.
“You get to see the Sox play,” Johnson stated. “We’re South Siders. Win or lose, it’s the place to be.”
Swartley and the Ramos brothers have occupied seats within the right-field nook at almost each recreation for greater than a decade. They launched a weblog, “From The 108,” in 2016 and a podcast two years later. They’re as invested within the membership as anybody.
“Different years, when the expectations had been truly there,” Swartley stated, “had been a lot sadder than this yr.”
Nonetheless, there have been video games this yr by which the workforce’s pitifulness has threatened their motivation. Pat lives three blocks from the ballpark, however he couldn’t persuade himself to ditch his sofa Monday evening.
“It’s robust to get out of the home on a Monday evening,” Chris stated, “after which to see these guys? Even us, who attempt to come to so many video games, we’re like, ‘Ehh, not tonight.’ I may completely perceive why somebody who has to make even a 15-minute drive right here would go, ‘Nah, not till they present me one thing.’”
The three associates debated the worst-case state of affairs for the White Sox over the ultimate few weeks of this wretched common season. The membership figures to soar previous that file mark of 120 losses.
“At this level, why not?” Pat stated. “We got here this far.”
“I believe it might be extra brutal to lose 119,” his brother countered.
“They’d have to get on a heater for that to occur,” Pat stated, “so it’d be enjoyable for a bit of bit.”
“They’d have to tear off 10 wins in a row,” Chris added.
Pat identified that their season-long profitable streak is 4 video games.
“However they’ve had many 10-game dropping streaks,” Pat stated.
“As a lot as we take pleasure in coming to the ballpark,” Chris stated, “I believe the three of us are just about prepared for this yr to be over.”
It has been a season like few fanbases have ever endured, difficult the extent of dedication of anybody who frequents Assured Fee Subject.
“I do know we’re horrible this yr,” Antoniazzi stated, “nevertheless it doesn’t change the truth that I like baseball. I like the White Sox.”
(Illustration: Meech Robinson / The Athletic. Images: Quinn Harris/Getty Photos; Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire)