28 August 2023
Well, it finally happened.
After a devastating April losing streak, a fraught trade deadline revealing the team’s toxic culture, a literal punch to the face in Cleveland, lots more losing and a Crain’s Chicago Business report, White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf shocked the world. He fired top lieutenants Ken Williams and Rick Hahn.
With a paltry three World Series wins over 117 years, it’s safe to say the arc of the White Sox universe is long, but it bends toward mediocrity. This season, the arc bends toward unwatchable. Williams and Hahn deserve credit for the magical World Series run. But they have always been symptoms of a larger problem. The root of the Sox rot is Reinsdorf, who has always prioritized profit margins and personal relationships over building a sustainable winner. Hiring Tony La Russa (the second time) showed his truest colors.
Reinsdorf still has time to be the hero of this sad story. He has one option: Sell the team. Looking for a buyer, he should consider former Chicago resident Barack Obama.
Too many owners, Reinsdorf among them, buy teams for the wrong reasons. Obama would be different. He loves sports, plays to win and has an interest in sports ownership. As president, he famously watched late-night NBA games on his iPad. He rocked a White Sox jacket to throw out the first pitch at the 2009 MLB All-Star game. He played basketball on the campaign trail, tossed the pigskin on Soldier Field and even recorded a good luck message for the White Sox 2021 divisional series playoff game. Some in the crowd booed him, but the rest of us were ecstatic.
What person with a competitive streak wouldn’t enjoy an ownership stake? Taking on a 162-game season with co-investors must be more fun than bailing out the auto industry or pulling out of Iraq.
Obama and company would keep the team on the South Side. Crain’s recently broke the news that the team is considering moving from 35th and Shields — a clear leverage play by Reinsdorf. Under Obama and his fellow owners, the Sox would not only stay on the correct side of the city but also within the city. The South Side helped make the former president. In this dream scenario, maybe the Sox move from the Bridgeport community, but they will stay south of Roosevelt Road and north of the suburbs, let alone, sniff, Nashville, Tennessee.
Finally, the former president loves a turnaround project. His greatest hit? The American economy. Fixing the White Sox would be a close second. Obama would not only find data-oriented leaders who could make smart decisions on the field, but he also would add to baseball’s cachet and culture off the field for fans of all ages and backgrounds. He could be a vital leader to usher in baseball’s next era. Nothing is more American than reviving America’s game.
Obama wouldn’t have to do this alone or even fork over the biggest bag. He has friends for that. But he could represent an idea beyond baseball. Owning a team brings partners together over a shared goal. If done right, a team is a vehicle of public service, not private greed. For more than a century, the White Sox have provided fans with a sanctuary of feelings to escape our daily concerns. While bad teams arguably forge stronger bonds for fans, I feel confident in speaking for my fellow South Siders: We’re ready to try out something new.
Jerry, be a hero, sell the team. Call up 44. Give us change we can believe in.
Charlie Stanton is a speechwriter based in Oakland, California, and a proud Chicago native.
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