Pope Leo XIV’s Baseball Legacy: From White Sox Fan to Vatican Honoree
Pope Leo XIV, a lifelong Chicago White Sox fan, has received numerous sports‑related gifts since his election, and the team plans to honor him at an August game.
Jun 25, 2026
Person
A.J. Pierzynski
Latest Slidescroller coverage mentioning A.J. Pierzynski across Baseball.
Pope Leo XIV’s Chicago Sports Roots Celebrated in New Tribute
A recent gift of a baseball from the final out of Game 1 of the 2005 World Series has highlighted Pope Leo XIV’s deep connection to Chicago’s sports heritage, a bond that has produced a series of unique memorabilia since his election.
Jun 25, 2026
When a Future Pope Cheered for the White Sox: The 2005 World Series Tale
In 2005, a young Robert Francis Prevost watched the Chicago White Sox clinch their first World Series in 88 years. Decades later, as Pope Leo XIV, he holds a memento from that night — a baseball gifted by former catcher A.J. Pierzynski.
Jun 25, 2026