Deep down I bleed Cubbie Blue. But back in 1993 I was rooting for the White Sox as they were marching their way to the playoffs.
At the time I was working for Raytheon Service Company, and was in my office one morning when I heard a contest on the radio, I believe it was WGN? or WBBM? OR WMAQ? Anyhow, the contest was: Write a jingle for the Chicago White Sox and win a trip to see the Sox play the Blue Jays in Toronto for Game 4 of the American League Championship Series.
Well, I try to be a creative person so I decided to write a jingle and enter the contest. So I wrote 2 of them. You had to call and sing your jingle on an answering machine and then they would select the best one on the air. I called and left both of them and forgot all about it.
A couple of weeks later I got a message on my voice mail to call the station. They told me that my two entries had won first and third place in the contest and that I was going to Toronto. Of course, they had done the whole thing on the air and I had missed it, so I’ve never heard how it actually went.
I decided to take my boy Brian who had just turned six a few weeks before. I remember getting dropped off at the airport and boarding a plane filled with other White Sox fans. It was Saturday, October 9th. Brian had a blast on the plane and everyone was in a great mood. We arrived in Toronto and went through customs which took like two hours and really sucked. Remember, this was 1993, I have no idea what it is like now. Finally a chartered bus took us to the Skydome and we were there.
I don’t remember a lot about Toronto. It was my only trip out of the country (ever). I remember it being like a big city, only somewhat cleaner, and wondering of they would take American money at the McDonalds outside the park. Luckily, they did (Thanks Canada!) and we got a bite before going in.
We finally went into the ball park, and sat in our seats. We were in the front row of the right field bleachers and it was great. Everyone in our section was a White Sox fan, which really helped. Before the game started the White Sox were out doing batting practice, and one of the guys in the field picked up a ball and jogged over near us. Everyone jumped up and started saying “Me…Me!” for the ball because it was obvious the guy was going to toss it to us. (I just wish I could remember who it was) Brian had brought his B-Ball glove and reached his hands out over the right field wall. I reached my hands out around him and under his to help just in case.
Well, the guy pointed to Brian and tossed the ball, I helped him catch it and he screamed and waved the ball like the happiest kid on the planet. It was a very cool dad moment.
We spent the game watching and screaming and Brian was so excited that everyone around us joined in and we had a great time. Of course, it helped that the Sox won 7-4 that game.
After the game the bus took us right back to the airport and we got on a plane home that same day. We were really bushed, especially Brian, and he slept on the plane the whole way back. It was truly a magical day.
The Sox went on to lose the playoffs, and the Blue Jays won the World Series that year.
What was the winning jingle you ask?
It is sung to the tune of “The Flintstones” theme song.
“White Sox, meet the White Sox”
“They’re the team whose first name ends with E”
“From the Windy City, they’re about to go make history”
“Let’s ride with the family to the park”
“Hope I don’t get mugged when it gets dark”
“When you see the White Sox”
“Have a screaming in your ear time”
“Four dollar beer time”
“We’ll have a gay old time!”
