Gary Nelson "Gary's World" Published Oct. 28, 2005

Yes, the world is still in one piece

When I woke up this morning, I could hardly believe I was still alive. The world was still here. We were all still in existence and the Chicago White Sox had won the World Series.

Wow!

Last year the Boston Red Sox won it after going 86 years without a World Series victory, and this year the White Sox won it after not winning it since 1917 - 88 years.

Let me put it another way - not since World War I have the White Sox won a World Series. Good grief, that's a long time. I mean after all the natural disasters we've had over the past few years, the Red Sox winning the series last year and the White Sox winning it last night. Heck, I went to bed last night thinking it was probably my last day on the earth.

Okay, as a die-hard Chicago Cubs fan, this is going to sound strange coming from my mouth, or keyboard, actually, but it was great to see the Chicago White Sox win the World Series.

Anyone who is from the Chicago area knows that when it comes to baseball in the Windy City, life is simple - either you're a Cub fan or Sox fan. There's no middle ground. No fine line in this case. Die hard Cub fans can't stand the Sox and the Sox fans hold resentment and pure disdain for the Cubs.

The cross-town rivalry has been in existence ever since the Sox came to town. There is always a "Sox are better than Cubs" or "Sox stink" rivalry going on between the fans of the two teams. That's why my statement of pleasure over the Sox winning almost even surprised myself.

I've read several articles over the past couple of weeks with the big build up to the series and the fans were still up to their feuding and harsh comments towards each other's teams.

I'm not exaggerating when I say expressing one's loyalty to either the Sox or the Cubs has on many occasions divided a family right down the middle. In fact, if my father reads this column, it makes me wonder whether he'll hang up on me or not the next time I call him.

This is the way I look at the situation.

Normally I'm not really a big sports fan at all. I grew up in the Chicago area playing baseball in little league and everything. But I really don't watch a lot of sports on TV. I may watch the Super Bowl, play-off games or the World Series, but that's about it.

I am a third generation die-hard Cub fan, though. It's a family tradition. Growing up, the rule in our family was that you always root for the National League team when it comes to the All Star game or the World Series. In this instance I had to sacrifice the old family rule and root for the Sox.

It's more of a Chicago loyalty thing to me more than anything else. In my life I have never seen a Chicago team go to the World Series; that's why I had to question the reality of the existence of the world this morning. That's why I had to be happy for the team, the fans and the city.

The Red Sox last year, the White Sox this year, there's only one other team that has a loosing record longer than either of those - the Chicago Cubs. It leaves many Cub fans, eternal optimists, thinking one thing - maybe next year it will be the Cubbies.

I think my good friend in the newsroom, Heather, summed it up nicely yesterday.

"If the Cubs get to the World Series next year, you better get to church."

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Gary Nelson is a Chronicle staffwriter. His column appears periodically in the Crossville Chronicle. He can be reached by e-mail at gnelson@crossville-chronicle.com.