Is Hillary the ’05 White Sox? Does that make Trump equal of “Chief Wahoo”

In a way, it’s a shame that Hillary Clinton never had the sense to be a fan of the Chicago White Sox.

Will Hillary prevail this time?

The lady from suburban Park Ridge who as a child rooted for the Chicago Cubs and in recent years has claimed New York Yankees fandom is running a presidential bid this year that truly bears resemblance to that run for a World Series title that the White Sox made some 11 seasons ago.

AND NOT JUST because the Cubs’ current ownership is a family that has publicly declared its political loyalties in support of Republican challenger Donald Trump.

Daughter Laura Ricketts may have publicly stated her willingness to back Hillary, but the rest of the family has kicked in $1 million to a political action committee supporting Trump. Definitely proof of the old adage, “Money talks!”

Semi-seriously, I feel like Hillary is the political equivalent of the White Sox as she tries to hold on to a lead that various polls indicate is shrinking as Election Day gets closer and closer.

It’s almost like Election Day can’t come soon enough for her, and that the more time we have to contemplate, the more that some people become less bothered by the idea of a “President Donald J. Trump” occupying the Oval Office.

Clinton looks good in 'black and silver' of 'the Good Guys'

SERIOUSLY, REMEMBER THE days following the Democratic National Convention when Clinton had a big lead in so many polls and Trump had managed to make himself appear to be so boorish during his own nominating convention that it seemed the election, to quote White Sox broadcaster Ken 'the Hawk' Harrelson, “is ovah!”

Just like the White Sox of ’05 who, after four months of the season, had developed a sizable lead in the American League central division. It was at that point that baseball people started saying that the White Sox were so far ahead, they could play .500 baseball the rest of the way and it would take a near-miracle for the Cleveland Indians to catch up.

It's obvious Trump never pitched

Literally, the Indians would have to play ball those final two months of the season at a .780 clip in order to tie the Sox.

So naturally, what happened? The final two months saw the White Sox win 30 games and lose 31, just under a .500 percentage. While the Indians did the near-unthinkable – playing winning baseball at a .760 rate.

THEY STARTED WINNING big-time. It’s like they couldn’t lose. That 14 1/2 -game lead the White Sox had at the end of July at one point literally dwindled to a game-and-a-half. There were many pundits eager to predict that the ’05 White Sox were going to be remembered solely as an athletic choke.

Just like the political pundits now who are convinced that Trump will catch Hillary, despite all those people to whom the concept of a Trump political victory is anathema.

It took a strong burst at the end 8 wins out of 10 ballgames for the White Sox to guarantee they would make it to the playoffs, winning their division by 3 games. Is that what the upcoming debates are going to be the political equivalent of?

Is Donald Trump equally insensitive?

And yes, I don’t have any problem thinking of Trump as the equivalent of the Indians – the team that persists in using the tacky “Chief Wahoo” as its symbol. I suspect the same people who defend Wahoo are also Trump backers.

IS HILLARY CLINTON destined to hold her lead in the polls the same way the White Sox managed to hold their lead in the standings all the way through the regular season – setting the stage for that playoff run in which they whomped the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels, then swept their way past the Houston Astros to win the World Series?

Which was a “historic” moment of sorts for the Chicago sports scene, what with it being the first World Series title for a Chicago ball club in 88 years. For all I know, some people may think that’s more historic than the “first woman president” we would achieve if Clinton can prevail.

Now I don’t literally think there’s some cosmic connection between Hillary Clinton and the Chicago White Sox of old.

But the similarity of wishing Election Day would come sooner, rather than later, reminded me of what I felt back in ’05 as that lead over the Indians kept declining daily just like all the various poll numbers.

Will Hillary be able to claim the same?

WHICH MAKES ME wonder if Hillary could use the same act that White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen gave us when it became apparent that the Indians were NOT going to overcome the Sout’ Siders in their drive for a division title.

Because seeing a Donald Trump defeat after all the trash-talk and other tacky behavior (inviting Gennifer Flowers? Really!!! Thank goodness she showed more class than Trump and declined the invitation) he has engaged in would feel like The Donald, in the end, choked big-time!

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