The Chicago White Sox have a jersey that has been selling better than anyone could have imagined. While it is a historic jersey, it is not for a player in White Sox history.
Pope Leo XIV, the first American Pope, is a White Sox fan and was even at the ballpark during the 2005 World Series when Chicago beat the Houston Astros in four games. As John Greenberg of The Athletic reported on Wednesday, one store has picked up on this connection.
Grandstand Sports, a Chicago team gear store, has begun selling Pope Leo jerseys with the No. 14. The owners — Josh and Stephanie Ganal — estimate that they have sold several hundred of those jerseys since the new Pope was named, outselling any White Sox player over the past two seasons despite being custom jerseys.
One can understand why these jerseys sell better than any White Sox player. Chicago has been putrid recently, winning just 116 games since the start of the 2023 season. 2024 was a particularly dreadful year as the White Sox lost a major league record 121 games.
There is also the question of how long the jersey would be relevant. Players like outfielder Luis Robert and first baseman Andrew Vaughn will likely end up on the trade block. Third baseman Miguel Vargas and pitchers Shane Smith and Jonathan Cannon may be building blocks, but fans might not want to invest in a jersey for an unproven player.
There are no such worries about Pope Leo XIV. Chances are, he will not be going anywhere for a long time. His fandom and ascension as the first American Pope have made him the most unlikely best-selling jersey.
