It has been 13 years since Chicago baseball fans got their first World Series victory of the 21st Century. In fact, Oct. 26, 2005 was literally the date that the White Sox got the third and fourth victories of that series, which ensured them a spot in history books as 2005 champions.
Remember Geoff Blum, the late-season acquisition from the Houston Astros who literally got only one at-bat the entire series -- and he used it to hit that 14th inning home run that put the White Sox in the lead of Game 3. Which at 5-hours, 41-minutes remains the longest World Series game ever played, and also means the game on Oct. 25 spilled over into the early hours of the following day.
WHICH IS WHY the two teams were back in action that very same night for Game 4, which was a "nail-biter" that ended 1-0, but also could have been another extra-inning affair if not for the sharp defensive play by shortstop Juan Uribe (who also later played in the World Series for the San Francisco Giants and the New York Mets) to end the game and stop a tying run from scoring for the Houston Astros.
Blum, of course, left the White Sox after that season and eventually found himself playing again for the Astros -- for whom he now works as a radio broadcaster. Hence, when I stumbled across this video snippet, I couldn't help but include it. A 2009 game-winning hit by Blum against the Cubs.
Which in this age of chaos and calamity always makes the world seem right. At least to those of us spiritually from the Sout' Side of Chicago. There also are those of us who will remember the celebratory parade that came 13 years ago this Sunday.
Enjoy these memories, as we watch the current World Series and see if Alex Cora, the Red Sox manager who is the younger brother of one-time White Sox bench coach Joey Cora, can pull off a similar four-game sweep for Boston with wins over the Los Angeles Dodgers Friday and Saturday.
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