CHICAGO — Seventy occasions a 12 months, 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 Discipline, so 11 years in the past, he moved to W. thirty fifth Avenue and S. Parnell Avenue the place, in a standard 12 months, he can hear celebratory postgame fireworks from his residence.
That is, after all, no regular 12 months, and the skies over the ballpark are quiet almost each evening. The White Sox haven’t gained a house sport in additional than a month, and stand on the doorstep of undesirable historical past as they limp towards the 1962 New York Mets’ report of 120 losses.
And but, Antoniazzi’s religion within the franchise hasn’t wavered, despite the fact that his home of worship has change 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 sport 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 staff’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 Discipline for the prospect at seeing one thing new — he’s by no means witnessed a no-hitter in particular person, as an example — and to help a staff he insists can solely go up from right here.
“We’re not going to be this unhealthy eternally,” he mentioned. “We’re going to get higher. So after we do get good, I can say, ‘I caught with them by way of thick and skinny.’ That’s what retains me coming again.”
Antoniazzi shouldn’t be alone in his loyalty; a few of the few thousand followers in attendance every evening are true diehards, keen to stay with their staff even because it careens in direction of the worst season in baseball historical past. However what conjures up others to cross by way of the turnstiles? Why do they select to dedicate a number of hours to watching a predictable ending unfold on the diamond as a substitute 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 purchasing on Michigan Avenue, and even simply lounging on the lounge couch?
The White Sox bought 11,429 tickets for Monday’s sport, although the true attendance rely 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 few 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 practice 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 notably matter. Many attendees have been on the town for enterprise, and had an evening to spare and a pair beers to guzzle. Brent Poole, from close to Winnipeg, mentioned he consumed the most effective scorching canine of his life at Tuesday’s sport. As they weaved by way of the concourse in middle subject, 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.
“Despite the fact that individuals aren’t right here,” Palm mentioned, “it’s nonetheless enjoyable to come back see this. Each park is completely different.”
The Campfire Milkshake has been one of many few brilliant spots within the 2024 White Sox season. (Matt Dirksen / Getty Photographs)
Dan Murby traveled to Chicago from Boston this week for work, and since he’s already attended a Bulls sport and a Blackhawks sport — and for the reason that Cubs have been on the highway — 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 mentioned, “There’s nothing close to us.” Jones visits Chicago each different 12 months, and he tries to attend a White Sox sport on every journey, regardless of the staff’s standing.
“I’m not even a baseball fan,” Jones mentioned. “I similar to some leisure.”
One couple, with their marriage ceremony scheduled for Sept. 26, opted to deal with Monday’s contest — their first baseball sport — as a “first of firsts to start out off our life collectively.”
If their union can survive the 2024 White Sox, it might persevere by way of something.
The small crowds make the scene virtually eerie at occasions. 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 might 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 middle subject, a middle-aged man stood behind a thigh-high railing, watching loss No. 112 as a result of a pal gifted him 4 tickets, and so he took his son and his son’s two pals. 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 least on this evening, on this place, he had firm in that.
“We’re at all-time low proper now,” mentioned Nate Lutzow, who spent his twenty fourth birthday on the ballpark on Tuesday. “I want the staff 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 youngsters to their first sport with out having to navigate a chaotic scene with a toddler. Some took the chance to verify the ballpark off their listing 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 Discipline and caught round an additional day to catch the opposite staff on the town. One Clevelander donned a white Steven Kwan jersey and a black White Sox hat at Monday’s sport, 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 change into the norm because the season has progressed.
Chris Ramos walks along with his brother, Pat, and their pal, Jacob Swartley, to Assured Fee Discipline for each sport. They have 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 mentioned. “Take a look at the telephone. Pete Alonso dwelling run.”
The 1899 Cleveland Spiders misplaced 134 video games, however most nonetheless think about the 1962 Mets and their 120 losses to be the report the White Sox are chasing. (Quinn Harris / Getty Photographs)
The diehards have actually been examined this season. Randy Johnson attended video games at Comiskey Park along 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 pal, who has a Cubs tattoo on his proper forearm, put on a White Sox jersey to Tuesday’s sport.
“You get to see the Sox play,” Johnson mentioned. “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 sport 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 have been really there,” Swartley mentioned, “have been a lot sadder than this 12 months.”
Nonetheless, there have been video games this 12 months by which the staff’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 mentioned, “after which to see these guys? Even us, who attempt to come to so many video games, we’re like, ‘Ehh, not tonight.’ I might 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 pals debated the worst-case situation for the White Sox over the ultimate few weeks of this wretched common season. The membership figures to soar previous that report mark of 120 losses.
“At this level, why not?” Pat mentioned. “We got here this far.”
“I feel it might be extra brutal to lose 119,” his brother countered.
“They’d must get on a heater for that to occur,” Pat mentioned, “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 mentioned.
“As a lot as we take pleasure in coming to the ballpark,” Chris mentioned, “I feel the three of us are just about prepared for this 12 months 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 Discipline.
“I do know we’re horrible this 12 months,” Antoniazzi mentioned, “nevertheless it doesn’t change the truth that I really like baseball. I really like the White Sox.”
(Illustration: Meech Robinson / The Athletic. Images: Quinn Harris/Getty Photographs; Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire)
