A celebration of baseball, faith and Chicago’s own Pope Leo XIV brought thousands of fans together Tuesday night as the Chicago White Sox held a special “Pope Night” in honor of the pontiff and his longtime connection to the team.
Fans at Guaranteed Rate Field received White Sox-themed novelty miters as part of the celebration, which was designed to recognize Pope Leo’s roots and his allegiance to the South Side team while treating the Catholic faith with respect.
Mike Downey, senior director of marketing and promotions for the White Sox, said the organization worked with Chicago priest Father Tom Hurley while developing the event.
“We didnʼt want to do anything sacrilegious or offend people,” Downey told EWTN News Nightly, according to EWTN News. “We wanted to do something fun and tasteful that celebrates the fact that Pope Leo is a White Sox fan.”
One of the evening’s most distinctly Catholic moments came not on the field but throughout the stands. Thousands of fans participated in an informal “sign of peace,” greeting those around them with handshakes, high-fives and blessings.
Hurley, who attended the game among the fans, connected the gesture to the sign of peace Catholics exchange during Mass.
“The pope is a guy who promotes peace,” Hurley said, according to EWTN News. “In the Catholic tradition, we offer a sign of peace during Mass because we want to bring peace to the world. I think the pope would love seeing everyone stand, find a new friend, and offer that same peace — whether theyʼre Catholic or not.”
Hurley also offered a lighthearted thought about what the pope might have wanted from the evening: “A few more home runs.”
The White Sox tribute followed Pope Leo XIV’s election on May 8, 2025. Born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, the future pope developed a connection to the White Sox long before his election to the Chair of St. Peter. According to EWTN News, he attended Game 1 of the 2005 World Series and has been seen wearing a White Sox cap at the Vatican.
Interest in “Pope Night” proved greater than the team initially anticipated. The promotion was originally intended for a designated section of 10,000 fans, according to EWTN News, but demand following the announcement led the organization to expand the novelty-miter giveaway to all 40,000 attendees.
For the White Sox organization and its fans, the evening offered an unusual intersection of Chicago baseball and the historic election of a native son as pope. It also gave the crowd an opportunity to turn a sports promotion into a simple public gesture of fraternity.
Downey suggested some fans are even looking toward Rome as the team pursues success on the field.
“Fans like to comment that we’ve got the pope on our side,” Downey said, according to EWTN News. “My message for him is just to keep an eye out for the South Siders and say a prayer for us in October.”
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