Looking Back at the 2005 World Series Champion Chicago Whitesox

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By Ron Signore

One of the greatest summers of my life was 2005. There was a high that had not been achieved by the City of Chicago in nearly a century. The Chicago White Sox were World Series Champions. The drought for the prestigious crown for the city was over.

Getting to that point, however, was far more dramatic than the time gone by since Chicago won baseball’s greatest prize. I wish it were a simple as some bad luck, curses or fluke plays that kept the anticipation like that of the north side foes. While some of those instances played into it, nothing was more of a hill to climb over than the MLB Strike of 1994.

In 1994, the White Sox were a clear contender for the post season and had strengths and talents up and down the batting order and a complete pitching staff that would have given anyone a run for the money. The work stoppage came in August that summer, halting that dream for us childhood and adult fanatics the same.

It goes deeper than a trophy, a banner, or a parade for a city. This strike had an impact on Major League Baseball that arguably can still be felt in some areas. Some ball clubs still have not come back from that strike. These labor disputes that were extremely public ruined the game for many fans. Furthermore, the fans were not silent about their disdain for ownership or the players.

One franchise, the Montreal Expos, would never rebound and was forced to sell off its best assets and follow the decline to sale and relocation to Washington, DC (currently known as the Nationals). Unfortunately, at the time of the stoppage, they were arguably the best team in the league, and the best record at the time of the stoppage for the National League.

Some clubs had brief flashes of glory between then and present day, but much of the league saw declines in popularity. Attendance averages across the league dropped immensely. There was less of a dip in cities like Boston and New York as a standard, but also anyone they may be considered a contender. Though the immediate contenders hit their cycle of negative impact eventually, the league took some time to trend back to its previous popularity.

That trend was short lived when the next damning blow came to the attention of the nation in the form of cheating by using performance enhancing drugs. This era was loosely starting prior to the strike of 1994, but we started to see some very interesting trends that would ultimately be a reality check for baseball towards the late 90’s, highlighted by the intense home run chase for Roger Maris’ single season home run record between Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire in 1998. It would continue through the first decade of this century, seeing a freakish Barry Bonds shatter offensive records at its highest point at a very late stage of his career. Fans were still seeing an aging Roger Clemons throw smoke.
Major League Baseball arguably saw a significant issue that could extend beyond the game. However, as more and more became known to the world through allegations and the proceeding investigations, arguably the biggest problem seemed to be the conflict of interest with money. Revert to the 1994 strike for a second. The labor disputes in their simplest form were about money. Profits for the owners and compensation for the players as with most other labor union disputes.

The league had just started to trend back to what could be considered a new normal and the seats were getting filled with the attractions of high-flying bombs off the bats of its star players. Pitchers were throwing harder and faster and dominating in a way we really had not seen. Both were happening at an alarming rate and stars who would otherwise normally be in the decline or twilight of their career, were performing at a high level well beyond that. It is simple, ticket sales drive concessions and ballpark attraction profits. Merchandise sells at a high profit margin. Simply put, owners were not losing money.

Between the release of Jose Canseco’s book, Juiced, and others coming forward, questions and allegations began coming at a larger level. While some ball clubs found it easier to turn the other cheek for as long as they possibly could, the league introduced new drug testing policies to attempt to clean the game up. The damage had been done in several instances. Roger Maris’ record of 61 regular season home runs had been broken when McGwire hit 70 in 1998. It was broken again by Barry Bonds in 2001 with 73. A game that holds its stats and records so tightly finds itself in a dilemma on how to acknowledge, or not acknowledge the performances by the accused or positive tested players.

While punishments for positive tests got stricter, essentially implementing a 3-strike policy, the damage was done. The game was tainted. The disappointment was felt throughout the fandom of the league. Kids, who look up to ball players, had lost trust. For many other fans, there was just too much of a let-down in too short of a time frame. The bad taste of 94 was still in their mouths, now this. Of course, there was the hypocritical response in some respects; those who did not care as long as these cheaters were on their team and they were winning.

Fast forward to 2020. The year that just keeps on delivering the repeated kick to the groin. People are quarantined and social distancing due to a pandemic starting in March. Currently in June, we saw the NHL and NBA postpone their current season while we try sorting out this actions to take with the COVID-19 virus, but ultimately put some plans in place to conclude the current season.

However, March is really the beginning of the MLB season with players reporting to Spring Training at the end of February. Baseball never really got started. Soon as the pandemic grew due to the incompetence of our government’s leadership having a lack of plan on how to fight and beat the virus, the announcements of postponements and delays began to hit the headlines. Opening day delayed with no concrete point to have it.
Nothing is ever that simple. Collective bargaining agreements involving the MLBPA and ownership have once again become a focal point of Major League Baseball. There is such uncertainty about even having the season due to how salaries would be paid and logistical scheduling for games amongst other factors. Considerations to re-align divisions or extend the end of the season time frame have been brought to light. Playing with limited or no fans in attendance or consolidating games to one geographic area were ideas considered. However, you revert to what can be acceptable with the players union.

The fan base of baseball has seen this movie before. While baseball is not on an official strike, there are clear obstacles preventing the league from starting its 2020 season that fall between the interests of owners and its players. It is funny to try and figure out who is suffering the most. The league’s players not earning their salaries because their pay is tied to game checks and potential performance bonuses. Umpires lose their salary. Many teams in the minor leagues, who were already financially struggling, have dissolved due to operation costs. Owner’s, who are part of the “1%” of the wealth in the country are not making money due to loss of attendance the voncessions or merchandise. In addition, all the sponsorship and broadcast media (television and radio) agreements are halted. Baseball fans have a loss of entertainment. Kids feel the loss because pending the age, they know not know that baseball becomes a business at some point, not just the kids game where they can mimic the swings or highlight reel plays of their favorite players.

If the 2020 season is officially cancelled, or there becomes an official holdout, it will become strike 3 for many fans. Baseball will incur damage that they will struggle to get repaired. They will lose the faith of many long-time fans who have given the MLB second chances after the 94 strike and “Steroid Era.” And frankly with the timing of the ongoing pandemic situation, millions out of work, shaky economy at best and racially based protests that take precedence in everyday life, the average American citizen probably could not care less that the men playing a kids game or owners are not making their millions, and the longer that fight goes on, the more the greed turns the fans off.

2020, you are the worst…

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