The historic election of the first American pope by the Catholic Church led to speculation about his sports preferences. Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who hails from Chicago, sparked discussion about his sports fandom upon his ascension to the papacy. Born in Mercy Hospital and raised in Dolton, Leo is the first pope from the U.S. Naturally, being a Chicago native, one would assume he supports the local teams. However, confusion arose regarding his allegiance to the city’s two MLB clubs.
Initially, it was believed that Pope Leo, who served as an altar boy on the South Side, was a White Sox fan. However, ABC News reported him as a rare South Side Cubs supporter, sparking a playful response from the Cubs. Subsequently, Leo’s brother contradicted this claim, stating that the new pope was always a White Sox fan due to family ties. The revelation of a photo of him at the 2005 World Series further supported his White Sox fandom.
In response, both the Cubs and White Sox congratulated Pope Leo on his papacy, each claiming him as a fan. This mix-up between the rival teams added a humorous twist to the situation. Despite the confusion, former White Sox player A.J. Pierzynski showed his support for Pope Leo. In the end, the mix-up highlighted the joy and lightheartedness surrounding the new pope’s sports affiliations amidst the historic occasion.
