[新聞] White Sox are Homecoming kings
Homecoming kings
After knocking off champs, White Sox get heroes' welcome
By Kelly Thesier / MLB.com
CHICAGO -- With gloves covering her tiny hands, little 4-year-old Bodie
Wheaton stood along the front line of Sox fans that gathered at Midway
International Airport on Saturday morning to welcome home the American League
Division champion White Sox from Boston.
Wheaton and her parents, Angel and Gary, were amongst a crowd of more than
200 people that waited out the cold and dreary morning to get just passing
glimpses of their local team as they drove out of the airport.
Though it was only waves and honks that the fans saw of the Sox players as
they drove by in their cars, Angel Wheaton said that the family wanted to
come out and show the team their appreciation for the excitement and
atmosphere that they have brought to the city of Chicago.
"I felt almost bad that they won it in Boston because they didn't get to see
what happened last night in the city," Angel Wheaton, 34, said. "But for all
of these fans to be here, the players get to see that all of this was
happening in Chicago while they were in Boston."
Fans began arriving at the airport as early as 10 a.m. CT just to try to lend
their hand of support. It was an energetic and excited crowd that gathered to
greet the White Sox team that brought back its first playoff series victory
since 1917 after sweeping the Red Sox in three games in the ALDS.
Jim Gajewski, 43, drove all the way from Elgin, Ill., to take part in the
welcoming party. Gajewski attends 25-30 games a year at U.S. Cellular Field,
but the lifelong White Sox fan hasn't been able to get tickets to the
playoffs. So coming out to Midway early on a Saturday morning was his way of
participating in the memorable 2005 season.
"It's like Christmas morning," Gajewski said of the team finally winning in
the postseason. "It's the anticipation that we still have to open the
presents and still have a way to go, but you know that Christmas is never
bad, it's great."
Fans like Gajewski lined both sides of 63rd Street with signs that announced,
"In Ozzie we trust," as well as, "Good Luck in the ALCS." Traffic continued
down the busy road as the crowd waited the team's return, and many cars that
passed honked their horns in approval while yelling the occasional "Go Sox!"
The players all seemed appreciative of the excitement that surrounded their
homecoming. Mark Buehrle beamed as he laid on his horn of his SUV while
passing the throng of cheering Sox fans.
Some vehicles halted for a second to say "Thank you," like the ones driven by
Chris Widger and Willie Harris, but mostly the thanks came in the form of
waves from the players.
White Sox general manager Kenny Williams stopped his car near the exit for a
moment to express his gratitude to all the fans that had waited to give the
team such a warm welcoming.
"I'm very touched," Williams said. "I can't believe the turnout of these
fans."
Those words from the man that helped put together this Sox team are exactly
why Jeanne Prendergast and Anne Schoenke spent their Saturday morning
standing outside of the airport entrance.
The two women grew up on the South Side of Chicago and became friends at the
age of 13 when mutual friends took them to a White Sox game. The two bonded
over their love for the South Siders and have passionately followed the team
ever since.
"It's great to see all the fans here, but I wish there were even more to
welcome them," Prendergast, 42, said. "This team deserves a lot of support
and they haven't gotten a lot of respect this year. Now is our time to truly
show them how thankful we are."
Kelly Thesier is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the
approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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星
愛 在
歸 在 天
還 人
土
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