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White Sox deliver message to Pope Leo XIV amid Cubs confusion

Originally posted on MLB on ClutchPoints | By Josh Davis | Last updated May 8, 2025 11:03 PM ET

The Chicago White Sox took center stage in a holy moment of hometown pride after the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope– and according to his family, a proud South Side baseball fan. One question echoed across the city almost as soon as white smoke rose above the Vatican– was the new pope a Chicago Cubs fan or a White Sox fan? Despite initial speculation tying him to the Cubs on X, formerly Twitter, the truth surfaced thanks to a trusted voice close to the pontiff.

John Prevost, brother of the newly elected pope, quickly addressed the confusion in an interview with WGN News– shared later by the White Sox on their official X (formerly Twitter) page along with a video board tribute at Guaranteed Rate Field confirming his true fandom.

“Yeah, he was never ever a Cubs fan. So I don’t know where that came from. He was always a Sox fan.”

Well, would you look at that… Congratulations to Chicago's own Pope Leo XIV pic.twitter.com/U5DJ7TOyDr

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) May 8, 2025

For many on the South Side, the confirmation felt deeply personal– a quiet validation of neighborhood pride and lifelong loyalty.

Families who had passed down White Sox fandom through generations shared stories of childhood games, old jerseys, and summer nights at the ballpark. It wasn’t just about baseball. It was about roots, identity, and the sense that someone who understood that legacy had just stepped onto the world stage with a little piece of Chicago still in his heart.

Adding to the celebration, the team sent Pope Leo XIV a personalized White Sox jersey and cap to the Vatican, playfully welcoming him to the ballpark any time he chooses to make the pilgrimage back to Chicago.

Though the Cubs were quick to offer public congratulations to Pope Leo XIV, the Sox struck a more personal note, tapping into hometown loyalty and family confirmation. Born Robert Francis Prevost, the pope served as an altar boy in the city and graduated from Villanova in 1977– but his baseball loyalty never waived from the White Sox.

This article first appeared on MLB on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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