(Not the New York Times, June 29, 2023, Chicago, Il)
In an unprecedented move, Jerry Reinsdorf, majority owner of the Chicago White Sox Baseball Club, has announced the hiring of a new manager for his consistently beleaguered team. The Ghost of Al Lopez will replace outgoing manager Pedro Grifol as the 43rd manager, beginning after the All-Star Break.
The White Sox are currently mired deep in the American League Central Division and have suffered with a losing record continuously since the 7th game of the season. This has been Mr. Grifol’s first season as a major league manager and he has watched as his team has been plagued by inconsistent play and a plethora of injuries. This poor performance has been matched by decreased attendance as White Sox fans continue to avoid Guaranteed Rate Field during losing seasons.
In making his announcement, Mr. Reinsdorf said “I know our fans deserve better than what they have seen in the past decade. I thought bringing back an old-timer like Tony LaRussa would be the answer, but Tony was never given a fair chance by the media in this town. We took a shot with Pedro, but I don’t like what I am seeing, and neither do the paying customers.
“When I realized that the Ghost of Al Lopez was available, I knew this was a move I had to make. I loved Al’s Go-Go White Sox. Some of you old-timers will recall they won an American League Championship.”
Mr. Lopez, known affectionately as El Señor died in 2005 at the age of 97. The pennant Mr. Reinsdorf refers to was in 1959, with a team that featured players such as Hall of Famers Nellie Fox, Luis Aparicio, and Early Wynn. Mr. Lopez also won an American League pennant in 1954 with the Cleveland Indians. The White Sox have won one pennant and accompanying World Series in the intervening 64 years. Mr. Reinsdorf has been the owner for 42 of those years.
General Manager Rick Hahn commented that although he had not been consulted by Mr. Reinsdorf, he fully supported the decision to release Grifol, whom he had personally chosen to lead the White Sox. “When a Hall of Fame Manager like the Ghost of Al Lopez becomes available, you have to go for him, even if that didn’t work out so well with LaRussa.” (Lopez was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1977, LaRussa in 2014)
No contract terms were announced. Efforts to reach the Ghost of Al Lopez or any agent representing him failed. When asked about the move most players on the White Sox responded through a translator “Who?”
Gambling sites removed the White Sox from all sports lines. Paul Parsons, public media representative for the YouBet online gaming app called this “the most appalling hiring in the history of professional sports.”
Tickets for all remaining White Sox home games are available via Ticketmaster. No secondary market exists for these games.
It’s easy to subscribe to my Blog. Just enter your email below. No spam, and an endless variety of stories about Chicago, the Suburbs, Health, Music, Sports. and more. Contact me at chidoc@post.com
Getting More From Les 