Because the fans of White Sox have still presented themselves on the opening day: “It is an illusion that it feeds me”

CHICAGO – Looking at the official opening roster on Thursday morning, the White Sox fan throughout his life Jeannemarie Mandley could not recognize the names that fixed it.

“I was like, ‘Who are these people?'”

But he has still come out to evaluate the field on the southern side of Chicago, with his father, wearing a satisfying jacket of the old school. They arrived as soon as the doors opened. His father took a panoramic photo of the then stadium.

Mandley tried to convince himself to believe in a season of 75 wins, a record that would have passed even the most generous of the prognostics. He was encouraged, he said, looking at the spring training games. The optimistic discourse, however, ended abruptly, when reality suddenly hit.

“It’s an illusion that nourishes me,” Mandley said. “I don’t care … I know we up. I’m not stupid.”

For many fans of White Sox who have challenged the crunchy temperatures and the light of light, the tradition of opening has passed all the reasons why this franchise gave its fans so as not to present itself: a season of 121 losses in 2024. An offseason spent doing little to improve on this. The almost universal expectation of another season of three -digit losses.

Participation in the first game at the home of the year was only 31,403, well below the capacity of 40,615 places. In the first field, there were bands of empty seats in the lower level and entire almost empty sections in the upper bridge.

“Apatia. Crossing the movements,” said Harry Ward of his emotions on the first day. He is a White Sox fan for a lifetime that he always attends the games of the opening day with his brother. “It will be a lousy year. But it’s the opening day. You have baseball again.”

In the so many, being at the baseball field on this day is closer to a ritual than to a choice. It’s only them Want To support their historically bad team. Is that they have to do it.

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“I don’t miss the opening day,” said the SOX Fan Joe Estrada. “Well, I lost myself last year because I was in the hospital. But it was 28, maybe 29 years old that I reached the opening day.”

“Nothing says welcome in the spring in this way,” said Jim SIM, who wore a sotted white shirt and ate a bag of chips. “I am a whisk fan for life. We have won a World Series in my life, I am 70 years old. I come for baseball, the food. Look at the game. I have no expectations.”

Participation in the White Sox Games made a dramatic dive last season in the midst of unprecedented failure. They made an average of only 17,046 people per game, ranking 13th out of 15 teams from the American League.

Despite the sad perspective of the White Sox for the 2025 season, fans have still found reason to smile while attending the opening day. (Michael Reaves / Getty Images)

There were almost 4,000 less per game than 2023 and almost 20,000 less than in 2006, the last time this team was at the top of the baseball universe.

“You must be a tough one after what happened last season,” said Alex Masterton, owner of season tickets. “It was difficult. It was difficult to try to be supported. Towards the end, I have to be honest, most of us came to see if they would have had break the record. Unfortunately it happened on the road.

“What makes me go back is the hope of the organization.”

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And it’s not alone. Because desolate things as they can try for the Side Ballclub in Chicago, there is still an intrinsic optimism when everyone’s record is 0-0. Jacania is officially clean by the infamy last year.

Ward said he sent a message to his uncle on Thursday morning with a heartless security message: “Hey, we are still unbeaten”.

While the game started, the presentations of the White Sox Player brought a soft boundaries of applause and some light roars. The first game tradition of each player who ridden his individual Ford trucks felt incongruent with the moment. Southpaw, the team’s green neon mascot, tried to let the crowd enter with little success.

It seemed that the greatest joy of the day came for a player who is not on the White Sox, he has never been and will never be.

“I’m only here because Derrick Rose is here,” said Michael Gagliano of the former Chicago Bulls star, who launched the first shot. Gagliano was in the game with his father and younger sister, and later recognized that he is also a White Sox Slugger fans Luis Robert Jr.

Too big, too fast, too strong, too beautiful

A first MVP shot from D-Rose 🌹 https://t.co/zvzepijr2p pic.twitter.com/qamxf2bjhv

– Chicago White Sox (@whitex) March 27, 2025

The White Sox did something that didn’t do much last year and may not do a lot this year. They won. And for at least another day, White Sox fans could believe.

Thursday afternoon, they could abandon cynicism and forget the anger and resentment that currently define this base of fans. The hunger of a new owner may wait until the next game.

“I have come to the opening day for 20 years,” said Chris Lowy. “We are realistic, but it is still fun to come to the baseball field. The traditions we have – get breakfast not too far from here, then tailging. … As for the team, we know what they will be.”

Lowy, 40, was there with her mother, Jackie. Just over an hour before the first shot, they were dancing with the music that he jumped into the park while the stands slowly began to fill. The anticipation was in the air.

Fans know reality, but still have some hope and conviction. Because also for the worst team ever, this is all day of opening.

“The team is what he is,” said Jackie, who was a fan for his whole life and saw only a championship. “Maybe before going,” he added, “they will win again.”

(Photo: Michael Reaves /Getty Images)