A confluence of big events Saturday in Chicago fueled conversations all over town about our favorite topics: sports, politics, religion and weather.
The Chicago Cubs were home at Wrigley Field to take on the Pittsburgh Pirates, a “No Kings” protest rally drew thousands to our downtown streets and a special Mass was held at Sox Park to celebrate the Chicago Pope, Leo XIV, affectionately known on the block as “Da Pope.”
There was even a doubleheader soccer game at Soldier Field featuring the Chicago Fire and Chicago Stars, along with various neighborhood gatherings such as the Andersonville Midsommarfest and the Wells Street Art Festival in Old Town.
If you couldn’t find something to do, you just weren’t trying.
It’s always a great day to be in Chicago in the summer, but some days are better than others. This was one of those days. Ten of thousands of Chicagoans gathered together in various locations to do what we arguably do best — party, protest and pray.
The weather cooperated, even with our sputtering start to summer, and the proceedings went without a hitch from most reports.
Choosing which event to attend was difficult.
The Cubs had been treading water of late and needed a win over the Pirates after losing Friday and dropping consecutive series. It was a relatively big game, and the ballpark was also within walking distance.
The ceremony at Rate Field was enticing since it would include Pope Leo’s first public remarks to Chicagoans since he was declared a certified-fresh Sox fan. I admire and respect the Chicago Pope, but unfortunately I haven’t been on speaking terms with the Catholic Church since departing St. Joseph’s School several decades ago over a disagreement on what rules needed to be followed.
The “No Kings” rally against our stable-genius president — one of more than 1,500 protests around the country — was a chance to show my support for habeas corpus, democracy, inclusion and other matters of vital importance. But there was no obvious sports angle to cover, and as most readers know, I’m a stickler for sticking to sports.
So it was off to Wrigley Field, where the only king Cubs fans truly recognized was right fielder Kyle Tucker.
I arrived at the park in good time, passing by Cubs fans filing into Murphy’s Bleachers and the ballhawks setting up shop on Waveland Avenue near souvenir stands selling T-shirts of the Chicago Pope — the old Sox stickman logo wearing a pope’s hat.
After getting inside, I sat behind the dugout and watched Justin Turner, Matt Shaw and Pete Crow-Armstrong take pregame grounders at third. Turner was wearing neon green shoes, a blue Cubs T-shirt and blue shorts with no accessories hanging out, which meant he had upgraded his wardrobe from Thursday.
Manager Craig Counsell soon came out to the dugout for a morning news conference that included information on Porter Hodge’s status and Shota Imanaga’s rehab start Saturday in Arizona.
“Shota has not pitched yet, so let’s let him pitch,” Counsell said, preemptively cutting off questions about when Imanaga might rejoin the Cubs.
The Cubs don’t want to say when Imanaga will be ready to return, which makes sense since it depends on how he feels afterward. But speculation is the comeback will begin on the next trip, likely in St. Louis, about two months after he suffered a strained left hamstring.
In the meantime, Cubs fans continued praying that President Jed Hoyer can acquire a frontline starter. Hoyer said during his media tour this week that adding pitching was already in his thought process, a sure sign that Chairman Tom Ricketts is convinced this team can do more than win its division.
After the briefing ended, Counsell told reporters to “enjoy the sun,” a sarcastic reference to the gloomy day, which followed Friday’s gloom.
“Sun’s coming,” I told him, “2 p.m.”
Counsell scoffed in a way only Counsell can.
The Cubs wound up beating the Pirates 2-1, as Matthew Boyd pitched well, Tucker finished with two hits and Dansby Swanson won it with a sixth-inning home run. The sun, ahem, came out around 1:30 p.m.
Photos: Mass for Pope Leo XIV at Chicago White Sox’s Rate Field
That was about the same time people were filing into Sox Park for the Pope Leo XIV Mass, which was emceed by Chicago Bulls broadcaster Chuck Swirsky. The Pope’s recorded message was delivered on the video board around 3:15 and ended with an invitation to be a “light of hope.”
“Hope does not disappoint, St. Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans,” he said. “When I see each and every one of you, when I see how people gather together to celebrate their faith, I discover myself how much hope there is in the world.”
It was an inspiring message that was perfect for the times we live in.
After the video ended, the Leo High School choir performed for the gathering on the South Side, while 8.1 miles north, Cubs closer Daniel Palencia registered a save and beat his chest as the Wrigley faithful began singing their old-timey hymn, “Go, Cubs, Go.” Songs of hope, for sure.
As much as I admired the pope’s words, I was really hoping he would end it with “… and let’s go, Sox,” just to give some closure to the saga that began when the Cubs prematurely claimed him as one of their flock, only to be corrected by his brother, who said the new pope was always a Sox fan. Next came the smoking-gun video — Father Robert Prevost standing and watching the end of Game 1 of the 2005 World Series. It was a done deal.
I thought that would end the argument, until I read a recent article in the National Catholic Reporter. “The 69-year old pope also did root for the Chicago Cubs, the Sox’s crosstown rivals, but that was while he was away on mission in the deeply impoverished mountains of Peru, according to his superior at that time, retired Bishop Daniel Turley of the Chulucanas Diocese in northern Peru,” the report said. “A fellow Augustinian and Southsider, Turley said being far removed from home, living in South America, the missionaries supported all Chicago teams, including the Cubs.”
So should the Cubs ask the Sox for a retraction?
In truth, Pope Leo XIV’s message of faith, hope and unity was universal, addressed to both Cubs and Sox fans and all those fighting to make the world a better place.
And it was fitting the pope chose to deliver it to his hometown, on a memorable day when the sun came out and Chicagoans made their voices heard.
