Guaranteed Rate Field is a
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
stadium
A stadium ( : stadiums or stadia) is a place or venue for (mostly) outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a tiered structure designed to allow spectators to stand o ...
located on the
South Side of
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
, United States. It serves as the home stadium of the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
, one of the city's two
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) teams, and is owned by the state of Illinois through the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority. Completed at a cost of US$137 million, the park opened as Comiskey Park on April 18,
1991
File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phil ...
, taking its name from the
former ballpark at which the White Sox had played since
1910
Events
January
* January 13 – The first public radio broadcast takes place; live performances of the operas '' Cavalleria rusticana'' and ''Pagliacci'' are sent out over the airwaves, from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York C ...
.
Guaranteed Rate Field is situated just to the west of the
Dan Ryan Expressway
The Dan Ryan Expressway is an expressway in Chicago that runs from the Circle Interchange with Interstate 290 (I-290) near Downtown Chicago through the South Side of the city. It is designated as both I-90 and I-94 south to 66th Street, a d ...
in Chicago's
Armour Square
Armour Square is a Chicago neighborhood on the city's South Side, as well as a larger, officially defined community area, which also includes Chinatown and the CHA Wentworth Gardens housing project. Armour Square is bordered by Bridgeport to t ...
neighborhood, adjacent to the more famous neighborhood of
Bridgeport
Bridgeport is the most populous city and a major port in the U.S. state of Connecticut. With a population of 148,654 in 2020, it is also the fifth-most populous in New England. Located in eastern Fairfield County at the mouth of the Pequonnoc ...
. The stadium was built directly across 35th Street from the original Comiskey Park, which was demolished to make room for a parking lot for the new venue. The location of Old Comiskey's home plate is represented by a marble plaque on the sidewalk next to Guaranteed Rate Field, with the foul lines painted in the parking lot. The spectator ramp across 35th Street is designed in such a way (partly curved, partly straight but angling east-northeast) that it echoes the contour of the old first-base grandstand.
History
![New Comiskey Park 1990](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/New_Comiskey_Park_1990.jpg)
The stadium was the first new major sporting facility built in Chicago since
Chicago Stadium
Chicago Stadium was an indoor arena in Chicago, Illinois, that opened in 1929, closed in 1994 and was demolished in 1995. It was the home of the National Hockey League's Chicago Blackhawks and the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls.
...
in 1929. It was also the last one built before the wave of new "
retro-classic" ballparks in the 1990s and 2000s.
A few design features from the old Comiskey Park were retained. The front facade of the park features arched windows. The "exploding scoreboard" pays homage to the original, installed by
Bill Veeck
William Louis Veeck Jr. ( ; February 9, 1914 – January 2, 1986), also known as "Sport Shirt Bill", was an American Major League Baseball franchise owner and promoter. Veeck was at various times the owner of the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Br ...
at the old park in 1960. The original field dimensions and seating configuration were very similar to those of Royals Stadium (now
Kauffman Stadium
Kauffman Stadium (), often called "The K", is a baseball stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri. It is home to the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). It is part of the Truman Sports Complex together with the adjacent Arrowhe ...
) in
Kansas City
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more ...
, which had been the last baseball-only park built in the majors, in 1973.
As originally built, the park was criticized by many fans because of the height of the upper deck. The original architect, HOK Sport (now
Populous), wanted to eliminate the overhang problems present in many stadiums built since the 1970s. With this in mind, the upper deck was set back over the lower deck, and the stands rose fairly gradually. While it gave nearly every seat in the upper level an unobstructed view of the field, it also created one of the highest upper decks in baseball. The first row of seats in the upper deck of the new stadium is as far from the field as the highest row of seats in the upper deck at the old stadium. Due to the field being practically at street level, the original upper deck made the park look like a
cookie-cutter stadium
A multi-purpose stadium is a type of stadium designed to be easily used by multiple types of events. While any stadium could potentially host more than one type of sport or event, this concept usually refers to a specific design philosophy tha ...
from the outside. Fans sitting in this area did not get much chance for relief, as it was one of the few parks in Major League Baseball that did not allow fans sitting in the upper deck to venture anywhere else in the park, such as the lower deck concourse.
![Openingday1991](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Openingday1991.jpg)
In response to fan complaints, the stadium has undergone numerous renovations since the
2001 season in order to retrofit the facility to current architectural trends. These changes have included building a multi-tiered concourse beyond center field, adjusting the fences to make the outfield less symmetrical, and most significantly, the removal of 6,600 seats at the top of the upper deck.
The uppermost tier of the park now has a white and black screen behind the top row of seats, and is topped by a flat canopy roof supported by black steel truss supports that obstruct the view of a few seats. The original blue seats were also replaced by forest green seats. The new green and black color scheme, upper level screen set back from the outer wall and canopy roof are reminiscent of the old Comiskey Park, as well as other classic baseball stadiums. Murals to the interior concourses were also added, a prominent feature of the old stadium.
The stadium houses 103
luxury suites
The luxury box (or skybox) and club seating constitute the most exclusive class of seating in arenas and stadiums, and generate much higher revenues than regular seating. Club ticketholders often receive exclusive access to an indoor part of t ...
located on two levels, as well as 1,822 "
club seats" on 300-level mezzanine between the lower deck and upper deck. The club seats receive in-seat wait-staff, and benefit from an enclosed concourse with multiple television viewing areas and bar-style concessions. The stadium has 400 wheelchair-accessible seats, 38 public
restrooms
A public toilet, restroom, public bathroom or washroom is a room or small building with toilets (or urinals) and sinks for use by the general public. The facilities are available to customers, travelers, employees of a business, school pupils ...
, 12
escalators
An escalator is a moving staircase which carries people between floors of a building or structure. It consists of a motor-driven chain of individually linked steps on a track which cycle on a pair of tracks which keep the step tread horizo ...
, and 15
elevator
An elevator or lift is a wire rope, cable-assisted, hydraulic cylinder-assisted, or roller-track assisted machine that vertically transports people or freight between floors, levels, or deck (building), decks of a building, watercraft, ...
s. The new suites were one example of why the old Comiskey Park was demolished, as suites generate more revenue.
Naming rights
Originally called Comiskey Park, the stadium was renamed U.S. Cellular Field in
2003
File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an epidemic in China, and was a precursor to SARS-CoV-2; A des ...
, after Chicago-based telecommunications company
U.S. Cellular
United States Cellular Corporation (doing business as UScellular) is an American mobile network operator. It is a subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems Inc. (which owns an 84% stake). The company was formed in 1983 and is headquartered in ...
purchased the
naming rights
Naming rights are a financial transaction and form of advertising or memorialization whereby a corporation, person, or other entity purchases the right to name a facility, object, location, program, or event, typically for a defined period of t ...
at US$68 million for 20 years. The stadium's current name was announced on October 31, 2016, after the Chicago-based private residential mortgage company
Guaranteed Rate
Guaranteed Rate Companies is a U.S. residential mortgage company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 2000 by Victor Ciardelli, the company had $73 billion in funded volume in 2020. As of 2021, the company has more than 10,000 employees ...
purchased the naming rights in a 13-year deal.
Attractions and features
*Flickering LED Lights: The White Sox use the flickering LED Lights feature for whenever the team takes the field before the first pitch, hits a Home Run, or wins a game. They also used the feature for whenever their closer,
Liam Hendriks
Liam Johnson Hendriks (born 10 February 1989), nicknamed "Slydah", is an Australian professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Minnesota Twins, Kansas City Royals, Toront ...
, comes out of the bullpen.
*Fan Deck: A panoramic view of the playing field on the two-tiered Fan Deck atop the center field concession stands. Fan Deck includes catered food and beverage service consisting of chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, potato chips, popcorn, beer, soda, and water. Fan deck can accommodate around 150 people.
*Miller Lite Landing: A 326-seat section in right field that features running water fixtures on all four sides, individual seating, spaces for group parties and a standing room area where fans can interact near the outfield concourse. The first few rows of the section includes cushioned seats, device charging ports, television screens and more.
*Craft Kave: A two-tiered, open-air section located in right field next to the visitor's bullpen with food and drinks.
*Rain Rooms: A place where fans can cool off during hot game days. Near section 107 & 537.
*Kids Zone: Located in left field. This area is devoted to young White Sox fans, providing them with the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of baseball. It features a youth-sized whiffle ball diamond for coaching clinics, batting and pitching cages, batting "swing" boxes for proper batting techniques and areas for base running and skills instruction.
*Speed Pitch Machines: Near section 155 and 522
*Shower: A carry-over from old Comiskey Park where fans can cool off during hot gamedays. Near Section 160.
*Scout Seats: Located directly behind home plate and contains 314 leather seats.
*The Patio: Located just behind the right center field fence at field level. The patio serves for group outings such as the Craft Kave and can accommodate from 50 to 100 people.
*Home Plate Club: Located behind home plate. Features include a restaurant buffet, open bar, open air seating in padded, extra-wide 22" seats, private restrooms, flat-screen televisions throughout the club and seating area, private elevator entrance behind home plate at Gate 4, early admittance into the ballpark for select games to watch White Sox batting practice from the outfield.
![U](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/U.S._Cellular_Field16.jpg)
*#SoxSocial Tap Room: The Tap Room is open to all guests with a game ticket until the last out of each game. The Tap Room is accessible by the stairs located outside Section 157.
*Pizza Pub: Fans can enjoy delicious pizza straight out of the oven along with full bar options and a new seating area. Located near Section 163.
*Xfinity Zone: Located outside Section 109. Fans can order food and beverages, watch sports on the big screen.
*47 Shop: Souvenirs, hats and apparel from years past to today. Near Section 101.
*Home Plate Shop: The Home Plate Shop, offering a wide variety of White Sox merchandise, is open on game days only. Located behind home plate on the 100 Level.
*New Era Cap Corner: Baseball caps of all colors, styles and sizes in a wide variety of team logos. Located on the lower level near Section 157.
*
Minnie Miñoso
Orestes "Minnie" Miñoso (, ; born Saturnino Orestes Armas Miñoso Arrieta; November 29, 1923 – March 1, 2015), nicknamed "The Cuban Comet" and "Mr. White Sox", was a Cuban professional baseball player. He began his baseball career in the Neg ...
Sculpture: Located behind Section 164.
*
Carlton Fisk
Carlton Ernest Fisk (born December 26, 1947), nicknamed "Pudge" and "The Commander", is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1969 to 1993 for the Boston Red Sox (1969, 1971–1980) a ...
Sculpture: Located behind Section 164.
*
Charles Comiskey
Charles Albert Comiskey (August 15, 1859 – October 26, 1931), nicknamed "Commy" or "The Old Roman", was an American Major League Baseball player, manager and team owner. He was a key person in the formation of the American League, and was also ...
Sculpture: Located behind Section 100.
*
Luis Aparicio
Luis Ernesto Aparicio Montiel (born April 29, 1934), nicknamed "Little Louie", is a Venezuelan former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a shortstop from 1956 to 1973 for three American League (AL) teams, m ...
Sculpture: Located behind Section 100.
*
Nellie Fox
Jacob Nelson “Nellie” Fox (December 25, 1927 – December 1, 1975) was an American professional baseball player. Fox was one of the best second basemen of all time, and the third-most difficult hitter to strike out in Major League Baseball (M ...
Sculpture: Located behind Section 100.
*
Billy Pierce
Walter William Pierce (April 2, 1927 – July 31, 2015) was an American starting pitcher in Major League Baseball between 1945 and 1964 who played most of his career for the Chicago White Sox. He was the team's star pitcher in the decade from 19 ...
Sculpture: Located behind Section 164.
*
Harold Baines
Harold Douglas Baines (born March 15, 1959) is an American former right fielder and designated hitter (DH) in Major League Baseball who played for five American League (AL) teams from 1980 to 2001, and is best known for his three stints with th ...
Sculpture: Located behind Section 105.
*
Frank Thomas Sculpture: Located behind Section 160.
*
Paul Konerko
Paul Henry Konerko (; born March 5, 1976) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman from 1997 to 2014, most prominently as a member of the Chicago White Sox, where he was a si ...
Sculpture: Located behind Section 160.
*
Jim Thome
James Howard Thome (; born August 27, 1970) is an American former professional baseball corner infielder and designated hitter, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 22 seasons (1991–2012). He played for six different teams during th ...
Plaque: Located on the center field fan deck. The description of the plaque reads "On June 4, 2008, Chicago White Sox slugger Jim Thome became the first player ever to hit a baseball onto the Fan Deck of U.S. Cellular Field as the Sox beat the Kansas City Royals. He duplicated the tape-measure feat on September 30, 2008 as the White Sox beat the Minnesota Twins, 1–0, in a one-game playoff to win the American League Central Division championship."
*The Two Blue Seats: The seats where Paul Konerko's Grand Slam (left field in section 159) and Scott Podsednik's game-winning home run (right center first row in section 101) that landed in game two of the 2005 World Series are the same original blue seats in use at that game.
*White Sox Champions Brick Plaza: Located at the main entrance to the park, (Gate 4). The plaza is dedicated to the 2005 World Series Champion White Sox and their fans. Each legacy brick is inscribed with a personalized message that has become part of a new baseball diamond-shaped plaza outside the main entrance to the ballpark. A life-sized white bronze and granite sculpture celebrating the 2005 White Sox World Series Championship that stands at the center of the plaza, with a historical timeline of the franchise along the diamond's base paths. The statue weighs over 25 tons.
*Old
Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park was a baseball park in Chicago, Illinois, located in the
Armour Square neighborhood on the near-southwest side of the city. The stadium served as the home of the Chicago White Sox of the American League from 1910 through 1990. Buil ...
's home plate: Located just north of the park by Gate 5 in Lot B.
*"ChiSox Bar and Grill": A multi-level restaurant and bar located inside of Gate 5. The establishment features both indoor and outdoor seating and a wide variety of food, drinks, and entertainment.
*Chicago Sports Depot: A Chicago White Sox, Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, and Fire merchandise store located next to ChiSox Bar and Grill at Gate 5.
Renovations and additions
1996–99
* 1996 – A bullpen bar was added in right field.
* 1998 – The batter's eye was painted from blue to black.
* 1999 – A new
Bill Veeck
William Louis Veeck Jr. ( ; February 9, 1914 – January 2, 1986), also known as "Sport Shirt Bill", was an American Major League Baseball franchise owner and promoter. Veeck was at various times the owner of the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Br ...
-esque showerhead in left field and a "Rain Room" in right field for fans to cool off during hot summertime games.
2001–07
In 2001, extensive renovations were started by
HKS Sports & Entertainment Group to make the park more fan-friendly:
Phase I (2001 season)
* Three rows of nearly 2,000 seats were added along the field between the dugouts and the foul poles.
* Bullpens were relocated to allow fans to see pitchers warming up; former bullpens filled with new seats.
* Two-tiered terrace seating area added outside the Bullpen Sports Bar.
* Distances to the outfield wall were changed, most noticeably down the foul lines, where the bullpens and the Bullpen Sports Bar are now located.
* Outfield seating area extended to the fence.
* A full-service restaurant dubbed the Stadium Club was introduced with windows overlooking the right field corner.
* Capacity was increased from 44,321 to 45,936.
Phase II (2002 season)
![SoxPark](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/SoxPark.jpg)
* Old backstop with netted roof was replaced with a new "roofless" backstop which allows foul balls to drop into seats directly behind home plate.
* Multi-tiered
Batter's eye
The batter's eye or batter's eye screen is a solid-colored, usually dark area beyond the center field wall of a baseball stadium, that is the visual backdrop directly in the line of sight of a baseball batter, while facing the pitcher and await ...
built in center field.
* Main concourse upgraded with brick facade, stainless steel counter tops and decorative lighting.
* Club-level concourse enclosed and carpeted with heating, air conditioning and comfortable seating areas throughout.
* Party deck was added in center field, just below the scoreboard and above the batter's eye.
Phase III (2003 season)
![UScell02](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/UScell02.jpg)
* Scoreboard and video boards were upgraded.
* Full-color, high resolution 28 × video screen added to center field scoreboard.
* Two -long, -high video LED "ribbon" boards added along the upper deck facade.
* Design upgrades consistent with the lower deck finished on outfield and upper deck concourses.
* Fan Deck, featuring food and beverage service in an elevated patio-like atmosphere, built on center field concourse.
* Outfield steel framework and underside of canopy roof painted dark gray; concrete in seating areas and on pedestrian ramps stained gray.
* A life size bronze statue of
Charles Comiskey
Charles Albert Comiskey (August 15, 1859 – October 26, 1931), nicknamed "Commy" or "The Old Roman", was an American Major League Baseball player, manager and team owner. He was a key person in the formation of the American League, and was also ...
was placed on the center field concourse behind section 100.
* Capacity is increased from 45,936 to 47,098.
* Phase III renovations cost approximately $20 million.
Phase IV (2004 season)
![U](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/U.S._Cellular_Field10.jpg)
* Upper Deck Seating Area – Eight rows and 6,600 seats were removed from the top of the ballpark's upper deck.
* A flat roof, elevated above the seating area, has replaced the old sloped canopy-style roof, covering 13 of the 21 rows of seating.
* Upper Deck Concourse was partially enclosed from the weather by a translucent wall.
* Fan Deck in center field upgraded to feature tiered seating and standing room.
* Lower Terrace balcony added to provide an additional party area and outdoor seating.
* The outfield wall was redone with pictures of White Sox players who've had their number retired.
* A life sized bronze statue of
Minnie Miñoso
Orestes "Minnie" Miñoso (, ; born Saturnino Orestes Armas Miñoso Arrieta; November 29, 1923 – March 1, 2015), nicknamed "The Cuban Comet" and "Mr. White Sox", was a Cuban professional baseball player. He began his baseball career in the Neg ...
placed on the center field concourse behind section 164.
* Capacity is decreased from 47,098 to 40,615.
* Phase IV renovations cost approximately $28 million.
Phase V (2005 season)
![US Cellular Field](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/US_Cellular_Field.jpg)
* 314-seat "Scout" seating area directly behind home plate added.
* FUNdamentals Deck, an area for kids to work on various baseball skills, was added above the left field concourse.
* Green seats, modeled after those in the original
Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park was a baseball park in Chicago, Illinois, located in the
Armour Square neighborhood on the near-southwest side of the city. The stadium served as the home of the Chicago White Sox of the American League from 1910 through 1990. Buil ...
, replaced the old blue seats in the Club level and some scattered areas around home plate. The bleachers in left-center field were painted green.
* A bronze statue of
Carlton Fisk
Carlton Ernest Fisk (born December 26, 1947), nicknamed "Pudge" and "The Commander", is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1969 to 1993 for the Boston Red Sox (1969, 1971–1980) a ...
was placed on the center field concourse behind section 164 on August 7.
Phase VI (2006 season)
* Green seats reminiscent of those in the original Comiskey Park replaced the old blue seats in the entire Upper Deck and the Lower Deck between the dugouts.
* Enclosed, ground level restaurant was completed, providing a lounge and dining area for the Scout Seats.
* New banners were hung down on the outfield light towers. One for the
2005 World Series
The 2005 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2005 season. The 101st edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (AL) champion Chicago White Sox and the National ...
, one for the
1906
Events
January–February
* January 12 – Persian Constitutional Revolution: A nationalistic coalition of merchants, religious leaders and intellectuals in Persia forces the shah Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar to grant a constitution, ...
and
1917 World Series
The 1917 World Series was the championship series in Major League Baseball for the 1917 season. The 14th edition of the World Series, it matched the American League champion Chicago White Sox against the National League champion New York Giants ...
, one for all White Sox
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
pennants, and one for all the division championships.
* The flags for these titles, now on the banners, were replaced with flags of all the Sox logos in club history.
* Bronze statues of
Nellie Fox
Jacob Nelson “Nellie” Fox (December 25, 1927 – December 1, 1975) was an American professional baseball player. Fox was one of the best second basemen of all time, and the third-most difficult hitter to strike out in Major League Baseball (M ...
and
Luis Aparicio
Luis Ernesto Aparicio Montiel (born April 29, 1934), nicknamed "Little Louie", is a Venezuelan former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a shortstop from 1956 to 1973 for three American League (AL) teams, m ...
were placed on the center field concourse behind section 100.
Phase VII (2007 season)
![US Cellular](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/US_Cellular.jpg)
* Green seats replaced the old blue seats in the Lower Deck from the dugouts and the entire outfield seating area (including the left-center field bleachers which were previously renovated). The green seats between the dugout and the foul poles have been slightly turned, re-directing them toward the center of the field. (Visually Re-Directed Seats)
* The seats where
Paul Konerko
Paul Henry Konerko (; born March 5, 1976) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman from 1997 to 2014, most prominently as a member of the Chicago White Sox, where he was a si ...
's Grand Slam (left field) and
Scott Podsednik
Scott Eric Podsednik (; born March 18, 1976) is an American former professional baseball outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Best known for his baserunning, Podsednik led the major leagues in stolen bases in with 70, in times caught steal ...
's walk off home run (right center first row) landed in game two of the
2005 World Series
The 2005 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2005 season. The 101st edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (AL) champion Chicago White Sox and the National ...
are the same original blue seats in use at that game and stand out from the all-green seats.
* The Scoreboard in right field was painted green.
* A new premium seating/restaurant named the
Jim Beam
Jim Beam is an American brand of bourbon whiskey produced in Clermont, Kentucky, by Beam Suntory. It is one of the best-selling brands of bourbon in the world. Since 1795 (interrupted by Prohibition), seven generations of the Beam family have be ...
Club (known as the Home Plate Club as of 2014) was added in the former press box behind home plate on the stadium's Diamond Suites 200 Level.
* A new press box was added on the first base side on the Diamond Suites 400 Level. The facility features 32 flat-screen televisions, wireless internet access and seating for 100 working members of the media.
* A new custom
T-shirt
A T-shirt (also spelled tee shirt), or tee, is a style of fabric shirt named after the T shape of its body and sleeves. Traditionally, it has short sleeves and a round neckline, known as a ''crew neck'', which lacks a collar. T-shirts are general ...
shop was added.
* A bronze statue of
Billy Pierce
Walter William Pierce (April 2, 1927 – July 31, 2015) was an American starting pitcher in Major League Baseball between 1945 and 1964 who played most of his career for the Chicago White Sox. He was the team's star pitcher in the decade from 19 ...
was placed on the center field concourse behind section 164 on July 23.
* A ''Thome Ticker'' counting down to
Jim Thome
James Howard Thome (; born August 27, 1970) is an American former professional baseball corner infielder and designated hitter, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 22 seasons (1991–2012). He played for six different teams during th ...
's 500th career home run (hit on September 16 against the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
). The ticker was located in right field on the right advertising board, and was taken down after the 2007 season.
* The beginning of the White Sox Champions brick plaza in front of the stadium (Gate 4) and Phase I of brick sales.
Extensive renovations (2008–present)
Renovations were added that were not part of the original plan:
2008 season
* The Illinois Sports Facilities Authority unveiled the first environmentally friendly
permeable paving
Permeable paving surfaces are made of either a porous material that enables stormwater to flow through it or nonporous blocks spaced so that water can flow between the gaps. Permeable paving can also include a variety of surfacing techniques ...
parking lot to be used by a Major League sports facility on April 8. The new lot (Lot L) saves taxpayer money by substantially reducing the amount of water entering Chicago's stormwater system, improving overall water quality and help reduce the
Urban heat island
An urban heat island (UHI) is an urban or metropolitan area that is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas due to human activities. The temperature difference is usually larger at night than during the day, and is most apparen ...
effect.
* The White Sox Legacy Brick Program unveiled its brick plaza outside Gate 4 on April 11. Each Legacy Brick is inscribed with a personalized message and has become part of a new baseball diamond-shaped plaza outside the main entrance to the ballpark. A white, bronze and granite sculpture weighing over 25 tons that celebrates the 2005 White Sox World Series championship stands at the center of the plaza, with a historical timeline of the franchise along the diamond's base paths. Players on the sculpture from the 2005 team are
Paul Konerko
Paul Henry Konerko (; born March 5, 1976) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman from 1997 to 2014, most prominently as a member of the Chicago White Sox, where he was a si ...
,
Joe Crede
Joseph Taylor Crede (pronounced CREE-dee, born April 26, 1978) is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball for the Chicago White Sox (2000–2008) and the Minnesota Twins (2009). Crede was drafted ...
,
Orlando Hernández
Orlando Hernández Pedroso (born October 11, 1965), nicknamed "El Duque" (Spanish for "The Duke"), is a Cuban-born right-handed former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched for the Industriales of the Cuban National Series, the New York Yan ...
,
Geoff Blum
Geoffrey Edward Blum (born April 26, 1973) is an American former professional baseball infielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Montreal Expos, Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, San Diego Padres, Chicago White Sox and Arizona Dia ...
, and
Juan Uribe
Juan Cespedes Uribe Tena (born March 22, 1979) is a Dominican former professional baseball infielder. He played shortstop, third base and second base during his career in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies, Chicago White S ...
.
* Plasma flatscreen television sets were added throughout the outfield concourse and at the top of its beer concession stands.
* A bronze statue of
Harold Baines
Harold Douglas Baines (born March 15, 1959) is an American former right fielder and designated hitter (DH) in Major League Baseball who played for five American League (AL) teams from 1980 to 2001, and is best known for his three stints with th ...
was placed on the right field concourse behind Section 105 on July 20.
2009 season
* About $15 million in renovations were made to Gate 5 (north of 35th Street) to improve access to the park. The demolition (beginning of November 2008) of the easternmost portion of the pedestrian ramp and removal of the top two levels of the easternmost foot bridge across 35th Street, reducing it to one level with continuing access to the park on the main concourse level. The second foot bridge at Gate 5, about west of the east bridge, continues to offer access to the park on three levels. The project also included installation of escalators in a new, weather-protected enclosure and installation of elevators which provide additional access for fans with disabilities. The project was completed by opening day on April 7, when the White Sox defeated the
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
4–2.
* Inside the park, a new scoreboard (23 ft x 68 ft) with 913,000 LED lights (similar to
Tropicana Field
Tropicana Field (commonly known as the Trop) is a Multi-purpose stadium, multi-purpose domed stadium located in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. The stadium has been the home of the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB) since the ...
) replaced the older out-of-town scoreboard in right field. In addition to displaying both lineups (that of the Sox and their opponents) the board showed season stats for the current batter and pitcher. It also served as an upgrade to the old "around-the-league" scoreboard that it replaced. While the old scoreboard showed only the current innings, scores, and pitchers' jersey numbers, the new board was capable of showing balls, strikes, outs, locations of any baserunners, and the current batter and pitcher by last name instead of by number. A slight disadvantage is that the new board only showed four games at a time in this manner, whereas the old board showed every game in progress simultaneously.
* A small plaque honoring
Jim Thome
James Howard Thome (; born August 27, 1970) is an American former professional baseball corner infielder and designated hitter, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 22 seasons (1991–2012). He played for six different teams during th ...
located on the center field fan deck for his home run shot that landed there, becoming the first player ever to do so on June 4, 2008. The White Sox defeated the
Royals in that game. Thome duplicated this feat again on September 30, 2008, in a one-game playoff against AL Central rival
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...
. His home run proved to be the game winner in a 1–0 shutout to win the AL Central.
* For White Sox players, a new hydrotherapy room with three combinational hot-and-cold whirlpool tubs. An underwater treadmill that can curb problems relating to the abdominals, back and knee and strengthens the muscles and hip, is installed in one of the tubs.
* "The Catch" was written on the left-center field wall above
Billy Pierce
Walter William Pierce (April 2, 1927 – July 31, 2015) was an American starting pitcher in Major League Baseball between 1945 and 1964 who played most of his career for the Chicago White Sox. He was the team's star pitcher in the decade from 19 ...
's image (now above a blank wall), at the location where
DeWayne Wise
Larry DeWayne Wise (born February 24, 1978) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He graduated from Chapin High School in 1997 and was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the fifth round (158th overall) of the 1997 Major League Ba ...
made a catch to rob
Gabe Kapler
Gabriel Stefan Kapler (born July 31, 1975), nicknamed "Kap", is an American former professional baseball outfielder, and current manager of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Kapler was a 57th-round draft pick (1,487th ove ...
of a 9th-inning home run and ensure
Mark Buehrle
Mark Alan Buehrle (; born March 23, 1979) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played the majority of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Chicago White Sox, playing twelve seasons for the team and winning the World S ...
's perfect game on July 23, 2009.
2010–present
2010 season
* A new outdoor Beer Garden named "TBD's" was installed by July 26 (when the White Sox hosted the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
) at Gate 5. The area served beer, wine, soda, and water, and also had 12 flat-screen TVs. TBD's was taken down and replaced by "ChiSox Bar and Grill" in 2011. The restaurant was open at 11 AM on gamedays. Although it is technically outside the park and accessible with or without a game ticket, fans must be 21 or older to enter. Home Plate Club opens behind home plate
* Frank Thomas' number and picture were added to the outfield wall as his number was retired.
2011 season
* A new Metra station (
Jones/Bronzeville) on the
Rock Island line (designed by Infrastructure Engineering, Inc.) worth $7.9 million was planned to be opened in 2009, but due to a year-long delay of construction, the station opened in 2011 after groundbreaking on June 29, 2009. The new station is located East of the ballpark just beyond the I-90/I-94 Dan Ryan Expressway.
* A multi-level restaurant and bar inside Gate 5 called "ChiSox Bar and Grill" (formerly known as
Bacardi
Bacardi Limited (; ) is one of the largest privately held, family-owned spirits companies in the world. Originally known for its Bacardi brand of white rum, it now has a portfolio of more than 200 brands and labels. Founded in Cuba in 1862 an ...
at the Park). The establishment features both indoor and outdoor seating and a wide variety of food, drinks, and entertainment for Guaranteed Rate Field guests that started in April 2011. "ChiSox Bar and Grill" is open during the baseball season, but plans made the restaurant and bar a year-round establishment.
![The Cell 2016](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/The_Cell_2016_.png)
* A bronze statue of
Frank Thomas was unveiled on July 31, against the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
. It is the eighth statue to be placed on the outfield concourse.
2012 season
* Chicago Sports Depot, a new merchandise store, opened on November 19, 2011, right next to Gate 5 and ChiSox Bar and Grill.
2014 season
* A bronze statue of
Paul Konerko
Paul Henry Konerko (; born March 5, 1976) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman from 1997 to 2014, most prominently as a member of the Chicago White Sox, where he was a si ...
was unveiled on September 27, against the
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
. It is the ninth statue to be placed on the outfield concourse.
2016 season
* Three new HD video boards were installed before the start of the 2016 season at a cost of $7.3 million.
The auxiliary boards in left and right field, and the main video board in center, were all replaced with new HD screens. The project was funded via the Sox' capital repairs budget.
2018 season
* The visitor's clubhouse was renovated to meet up to date technology.
* A virtual reality home run derby batting cage was installed in the Chicago Sports Depot.
* A high safety netting has been extended to the outfield end of both dugouts, or from section 122 to 142.
* A new LED ribbon board was extended to run the entire length of the grandstand, meaning the retired numbers that resided behind home plate had to be moved to the first and third-base lines.
2019 season
* A 326-seat section dubbed "The
Goose Island" (now known as the "
Miller Lite
Miller Lite is a 4.2% ABV light American lager beer sold by Molson Coors (previously MillerCoors) of Chicago, Illinois. The company also produces Miller Genuine Draft and Miller High Life. Miller Lite competes mainly with Anheuser-Busch's Bu ...
Landing") replaced sections 106 and 107 in right field. The section includes running water fixtures on all four sides to create the "island" of beer and baseball. The section also features individual seating, spaces for group parties and a standing room area where fans can interact near the outfield concourse. The first few rows of the section will also provide a "modernized" game day experience with cushioned seats, device charging ports, television screens and more. The revamped section expanded the presence of Goose Island, which is owned by beverage conglomerate
Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch Companies, LLC is an American brewing company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Since 2008, it has been wholly owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (AB InBev), now the world's largest brewing company, which owns multiple glo ...
InBev, inside the stadium. The previously known Craft Cave became the Goose Island Craft Cave. Formerly a Goose Island tap statue overlooked the stadium from the special section. The section opened by opening day on April 4.
* An extension of the safety netting from the dugouts to foul poles was completed during the 2019 season.
2021 season
* The White Sox added the flickering LED lights for whenever the team either comes out of their dugout before the first pitch, hits a home run, wins a game, or whenever their closer
Liam Hendriks
Liam Johnson Hendriks (born 10 February 1989), nicknamed "Slydah", is an Australian professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Minnesota Twins, Kansas City Royals, Toront ...
comes out of the bullpen.
Retired numbers
There are 12 retired numbers on the facade of the 1st and 3rd base sides of the 300 level.
Ballpark firsts
Opening Day (April 18, 1991)
Batting
Pitching
Other firsts
Transportation and entry gates
Guaranteed Rate Field can be reached by using the
CTA's "L" Rapid Transit system. The stadium's station stops are
Sox–35th for the Red Line and
35-Bronzeville-IIT for the Green Line. The Red Line is also used by Cubs fans to reach
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a Major League Baseball (MLB) stadium on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is the home of the Chicago Cubs, one of the city's two MLB franchises. It first opened in 1914 as Weeghman Park for Charles Weeghman's Chicago Wh ...
(
Addison Station) on the North side of Chicago. (When the White Sox take on the Cubs every year, usually in June, many fans will use the Red-Line to get to the games. The series is dubbed the ''Cross-Town Classic'' or the ''Windy City Showdown.'')
A new Metra station (
35th Street), which helps fans with more accessibility, opened on the
Rock Island line in 2011. It is also accessible by CTA bus route #35 (31st/35th Street) and the suburban
Pace
Pace or paces may refer to:
Business
*Pace (transit), a bus operator in the suburbs of Chicago, US
* Pace Airlines, an American charter airline
*Pace Foods, a maker of a popular brand of salsa sold in North America, owned by Campbell Soup Compan ...
Guaranteed Rate Field Express shuttle service.
Guaranteed Rate is just west of the I-90/94 Dan Ryan Expressway. The "Dan Ryan" was under construction in 2006–2007 in hopes of relieving traffic congestion.
The ballpark has eight main parking lots.
The ballpark has seven main entrances:
* Gate 1 is located on the South side of the park in right field
* Gate 2 is located on the Southwest side of the park down the right field
* Gate 3 is located on the West side of the park on the 1st
* Gate 4 is on the Northwest side of the park behind home
* Gate 5 is located on the North side of the park on the 3rd base
* Gate 6 is located on the Northeast side of the park down the left field
* Gate 7 is located on the East side of the park in left field.
The main level is accessible only to fans who have a ticket to a seat in the lower level.
Notable games/events
1990s
*April 18, 1991: The inaugural game of the ballpark. The White Sox were defeated by the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
16–0. Attendance: 42,191
*April 22, 1991:
Frank Thomas hits the first White Sox home run in new Comiskey Park as the Sox defeat the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
, 8–7, in the first night contest in the new ballpark. Attendance: (30,480)
*October 5, 1993: New Comiskey hosted its first ever playoff game, game 1 of the
1993 ALCS. The Sox lost to the
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
, 7–3. The park also played host to games 2 and 6 of the series, which the Sox lost, four games to two. Attendance: (46,246)
*September 14, 1997:
Carlton Fisk
Carlton Ernest Fisk (born December 26, 1947), nicknamed "Pudge" and "The Commander", is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1969 to 1993 for the Boston Red Sox (1969, 1971–1980) a ...
's number 72 was retired by the White Sox as the Sox played the
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
. The Sox would lose 8–3. Attendance: (32,485)
2000s
*September 13, 2002: The
Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the g ...
, on their
Licks Tour
The Licks Tour was a worldwide concert tour undertaken by the Rolling Stones during 2002 and 2003, in support of their 40th anniversary compilation album ''Forty Licks''. The tour grossed over $300 million, becoming the second highest grossin ...
, play the first-ever concert held in the stadium.
*July 15, 2003: The stadium hosts the
74th MLB All-Star Game. The
first All-Star game was played at
Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park was a baseball park in Chicago, Illinois, located in the
Armour Square neighborhood on the near-southwest side of the city. The stadium served as the home of the Chicago White Sox of the American League from 1910 through 1990. Buil ...
in 1933. Attendance: (47,609)
*September 13–14, 2004: U.S. Cellular Field hosts two games between the
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park.
The franc ...
and the
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...
, due to
Hurricane Ivan
Hurricane Ivan was a large, long-lived, Cape Verde hurricane that caused widespread damage in the Caribbean and United States. The cyclone was the ninth named storm, the sixth hurricane and the fourth major hurricane of the active 2004 Atlan ...
in
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
. The Marlins sweep by scores of 6–3 and 8–6. The series would return to Florida to finish the last three games, with the Expos taking two. Game 1 attendance: (4,003). Game 2 attendance: (5,457)
*August 7, 2005: A life-sized bronze statue of catcher
Carlton Fisk
Carlton Ernest Fisk (born December 26, 1947), nicknamed "Pudge" and "The Commander", is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1969 to 1993 for the Boston Red Sox (1969, 1971–1980) a ...
is unveiled on the center-field concourse behind section 164. The White Sox defeat the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
3–1. Attendance: (35,706)
*October 22, 2005: The
first ever
First Ever Pty Ltd. is an Australian manufacturing company located in Melbourne. The company was established in 2018, and was the official manufacturer and supplier of sportswear and clothing for the National Basketball League during the 2018 ...
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
game in this stadium.
Luis Aparicio
Luis Ernesto Aparicio Montiel (born April 29, 1934), nicknamed "Little Louie", is a Venezuelan former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a shortstop from 1956 to 1973 for three American League (AL) teams, m ...
throws the ceremonial first pitch, then is joined by
1959 World Series
The 1959 World Series featured the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers beating the American League champion Chicago White Sox, 4–2. Each of the three games played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum drew record crowds, Game 5's atte ...
teammates
Jim Landis
James Henry Landis (March 9, 1934 – October 7, 2017) was an American professional baseball player. Landis played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a center fielder on six teams from 1957 through 1967. While playing eight seasons for the Chica ...
,
J. C. Martin J. C. Martin may refer to:
* J. C. Martin (baseball)
:For the former long-term mayor of Laredo, Texas, see '' J. C. Martin (Texas politician)''.
Joseph Clifton Martin (born December 13, 1936) is an American former professional baseball player. He ...
,
Billy Pierce
Walter William Pierce (April 2, 1927 – July 31, 2015) was an American starting pitcher in Major League Baseball between 1945 and 1964 who played most of his career for the Chicago White Sox. He was the team's star pitcher in the decade from 19 ...
and
Bob Shaw
Robert Shaw (31 December 1931 – 11 February 1996) was a science fiction writer and fan from Northern Ireland, noted for his originality and wit. He won the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer in 1979 and 1980. His short story "Light of Other Days" ...
on the field.
Josh Groban
Joshua Winslow Groban (born February 27, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. His first four solo albums have been certified multi-platinum, and he was charted in 2007 as the number-one best selling artist in the United States, wi ...
sings the national anthem.
Craig Biggio
Craig Alan Biggio (; born December 14, 1965) is an American former second baseman, outfielder and catcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career from 1988 through 2007 for the Houston Astros. A seven-time National League (NL) All ...
of the
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
is the game's first batter.
Jermaine Dye
Jermaine Trevell Dye (born January 28, 1974) is an American former professional baseball right fielder. Dye grew up in Northern California and was a multi-sport star at Will C. Wood High School in Vacaville. Dye attended Cosumnes River College in ...
's first-inning home run off
Roger Clemens
William Roger Clemens (born August 4, 1962), nicknamed "Rocket", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 24 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily with the Boston Red Sox. Clemens was one of the most dominant pi ...
provides the game's first hit and run. The White Sox get their first World Series game victory since 1959, defeating the
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
5–3. Attendance: (41,206)
*October 28, 2005: After winning the 2005 World Series, the team's victory parade begins at U.S. Cellular Field, players boarding double-decker buses that travel north to downtown Chicago. A throng estimated at more than 200,000 celebrates the first
White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
championship since 1917.
*April 2, 2006: The Sox open the 2006 season with the unveiling of their
2005 World Series
The 2005 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2005 season. The 101st edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (AL) champion Chicago White Sox and the National ...
Championship banner on the left-center light tower. Three other banners are placed on the other light towers: One for the
1906
Events
January–February
* January 12 – Persian Constitutional Revolution: A nationalistic coalition of merchants, religious leaders and intellectuals in Persia forces the shah Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar to grant a constitution, ...
and
1917 World Series
The 1917 World Series was the championship series in Major League Baseball for the 1917 season. The 14th edition of the World Series, it matched the American League champion Chicago White Sox against the National League champion New York Giants ...
championships by the Sox on the far left tower. The one on the right-center tower is for all the team's American League Championships. The one on the far right is for all the division championships. The Sox defeat the
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
10–4. Attendance: (38,802)
*April 8, 2008: The Illinois Sports Facilities Authority unveil the first environmentally friendly permeable paving parking lot to be used by a Major League sports facility in parking lot L.
*April 11, 2008: The White Sox dedicate their new brick plaza to the 2005 World Series Champions and their fans. The Sox are defeated by the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
5–2. Attendance: (26,094)
*July 20, 2008: A life-sized bronze statue of
Harold Baines
Harold Douglas Baines (born March 15, 1959) is an American former right fielder and designated hitter (DH) in Major League Baseball who played for five American League (AL) teams from 1980 to 2001, and is best known for his three stints with th ...
is unveiled on the center-field concourse behind section 105. The Sox are defeated by the
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
8–7 and
Jim Thome
James Howard Thome (; born August 27, 1970) is an American former professional baseball corner infielder and designated hitter, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 22 seasons (1991–2012). He played for six different teams during th ...
of the Sox collects his 2,000th career hit. Attendance: (32,269)
*January 20, 2009: The White Sox display a banner outside of Gate 6 to honor White Sox fan
Barack Obama's presidential inauguration.
*July 23, 2009: The
first perfect game and second no-hitter at U.S. Cellular Field.
Mark Buehrle
Mark Alan Buehrle (; born March 23, 1979) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played the majority of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Chicago White Sox, playing twelve seasons for the team and winning the World S ...
strikes out six batters and records 11 ground ball outs to get a perfect game against the
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...
. It is the second no-hitter of Buehrle's career, the last occurring on April 18, 2007, against the
Texas Rangers. He is the first player since
Hideo Nomo
is a Japanese former baseball pitcher who played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and Major League Baseball (MLB). He achieved early success in his native country, where he played with the Kintetsu Buffaloes from to . He then exploited a l ...
to throw multiple no-hitters, and the first to throw a perfect game since
Randy Johnson
Randall David Johnson (born September 10, 1963), nicknamed "The Big Unit", is an American photographer and former professional baseball pitcher who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (1988–2009) for six teams, primarily the Seattle M ...
did it May 18, 2004 against the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
at
Turner Field
Turner Field was a baseball stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia. From 1997 to 2016, it served as the home ballpark to the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). Originally built as Centennial Olympic Stadium in 1996 to serve as the c ...
. In a remarkable coincidence, Buehrle's first no-hitter was 2 hours and 3 minutes and Buehrle's second was just as long. Another coincidence was home plate umpire (#56, same as Buehrle's)
Eric Cooper
Eric Richard Cooper (December 18, 1966 – October 20, 2019) was an American professional baseball umpire, whose Major League Baseball (MLB) career spanned 1999 until his death in October 2019. He wore umpire uniform number 56. As a Major Leagu ...
who called both Buehrle's no-hitters. Yet another coincidence is that
Ramón Castro, who caught for Buehrle, wears the No. 27 on his jersey, the number of consecutive outs needed for a perfect game. It was also Cooper's third no-hitter called with his first one with
Hideo Nomo
is a Japanese former baseball pitcher who played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and Major League Baseball (MLB). He achieved early success in his native country, where he played with the Kintetsu Buffaloes from to . He then exploited a l ...
on April 4, 2001. Attendance: (28,036)
2010s
*August 29, 2010: The
White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
host
Frank Thomas Day at the ballpark against the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
. Thomas's jersey is retired, along with his image posted on the legends' wall in left-center field next to
Billy Pierce
Walter William Pierce (April 2, 1927 – July 31, 2015) was an American starting pitcher in Major League Baseball between 1945 and 1964 who played most of his career for the Chicago White Sox. He was the team's star pitcher in the decade from 19 ...
on his left and
Carlton Fisk
Carlton Ernest Fisk (born December 26, 1947), nicknamed "Pudge" and "The Commander", is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1969 to 1993 for the Boston Red Sox (1969, 1971–1980) a ...
on his right, and also right under "The Catch" logo. Yankees defeat the Sox 2–1. Attendance: (39,433)
*July 31, 2011: The White Sox unveil a replica statue of
Frank Thomas on the outfield concourse behind section 160. The White Sox lose to the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
5–3. Attendance: (28,278)
*September 27, 2014:
Paul Konerko
Paul Henry Konerko (; born March 5, 1976) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman from 1997 to 2014, most prominently as a member of the Chicago White Sox, where he was a si ...
is honored before the game for his retirement from baseball. A statue of him is unveiled on the left-field concourse next to
Frank Thomas' Statue. Konerko was the last member of the 2005 Champion White Sox left on the team at the time of his retirement. The Sox defeat the
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
5–4. Attendance: (38,160)
*May 23, 2015:
Paul Konerko
Paul Henry Konerko (; born March 5, 1976) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman from 1997 to 2014, most prominently as a member of the Chicago White Sox, where he was a si ...
's number 14 is retired by the White Sox with a pregame ceremony. He became the 10th player to have his number retired by the White Sox. The White Sox were defeated by the
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...
4–3. Attendance: (38,714)
*June 24, 2017:
Mark Buehrle
Mark Alan Buehrle (; born March 23, 1979) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played the majority of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Chicago White Sox, playing twelve seasons for the team and winning the World S ...
's number 56 is retired by the White Sox with a pregame ceremony. Buehrle becomes the 11th player in White Sox history to have a retired number. The White Sox were defeated by the
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
10–2. Attendance: (38,618)
2020s
*May 25, 2021: Long time Major League Baseball umpire
Joe West umpired his 5,376th game passing
Bill Klem
William Joseph Klem, born William Joseph Klimm (February 22, 1874 – September 16, 1951), known as the "Old Arbitrator" and the "father of baseball umpires", was a National League (NL) umpire in Major League Baseball from 1905 to 1941. He worked ...
for most games ever umpired. Attendance: (16,380) Limited in–person attendance due to
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.
White Sox record at home
![U](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/U.S._Cellular_Field21.jpg)
Notes:
1994
File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which Sinking of the MS Estonia, sank in ...
season incomplete due to Players Strike. Only 113 games played.
Only 144 games played in
1995
File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...
.
Only 161 games played in
1997
File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...
,
1999
File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shootin ...
&
2019
File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
.
163 games played in
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
due to
AL Central division tie-breaker game.
Only 60 games played in
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.
Non-baseball events
Concerts
Football
In film and other media
Guaranteed Rate Field has appeared in films such as ''
Rookie of the Year'' (1993), ''
Major League II
''Major League II'' is a 1994 American sports comedy film and sequel to the 1989 film '' Major League'' and it is the second installment in the ''Major League'' film series. The film stars most of the same cast from the original, including Charl ...
'' (1994), ''
Little Big League
''Little Big League'' is a 1994 American family sports film about a 12-year-old who suddenly becomes the owner and then manager of the Minnesota Twins baseball team. It stars Luke Edwards, Timothy Busfield, and Dennis Farina. The film is directo ...
'' (1994), ''
My Best Friend's Wedding
''My Best Friend's Wedding'' is a 1997 American romantic comedy film directed by P.J. Hogan from a screenplay by Ronald Bass. The film stars Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz, and Rupert Everett.
The film received generally positive ...
'' (1997), and ''
The Ladies Man
''The Ladies Man'' is a 1961 American comedy film directed by and starring Jerry Lewis. It was released on June 28, 1961 by Paramount Pictures.
Plot
Herbert H. Heebert is a young man who loses his girlfriend, swears off romance, and then takes ...
'' (2000). In ''Rookie of the Year'', the stadium played the role of
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium is a baseball stadium in the Elysian Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It is the home stadium of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers. Opened in 1962, it was constructed in less than three years at a cost of ( ...
, and in ''Little Big League'', it played the role of all opposing ballparks except for
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium is a baseball stadium located in the Bronx, New York City. It is the home field of the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball, and New York City FC of Major League Soccer.
Opened in April 2009, the stadium replaced the origi ...
and
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball stadium located in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, near Kenmore Square. Since 1912, it has been the home of the Boston Red Sox, the city's American League baseball team, and since 1953, its only Major League Base ...
. Commercials for the
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour (stylized in all capital letters as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in the United States and North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also k ...
,
Nike
Nike often refers to:
* Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory
* Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment
Nike may also refer to:
People
* Nike (name), a surname and feminine given ...
,
Reebok
Reebok International Limited () is an American fitness footwear and clothing manufacturer that is a part of Authentic Brands Group. It was established in England in 1958 as a companion company to J.W. Foster and Sons, a sporting goods company ...
, and the
Boys & Girls Clubs of America
Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) is a national organization of local chapters which provide voluntary after-school programs for young people. The organization, which holds a congressional charter under Title 36 of the United States Code, ...
have been filmed at the park.
See also
*
Gene Honda
Eugene "Gene" Honda is a public address announcer for the Chicago White Sox (starting in 1985, full-time since 1991), Chicago Blackhawks (succeeding Harvey Wittenberg since the 2001–02 season), DePaul Blue Demons basketball, Big Ten tour ...
– Public address announcer for the White Sox,
DePaul Basketball,
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division i ...
,
Illinois Football
The Illinois Fighting Illini football program represents the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) level. The Fighting Illini are a founding member of ...
, and the
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, branded as NCAA March Madness and commonly called March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament played each spring in the United States, currently featuring 68 college basketball teams from ...
Final Four.
*
Roger Bossard
Roger Bossard is the head groundskeeper at Guaranteed Rate Field, home of the Chicago White Sox.
Bossard joined the White Sox in 1967 working as an assistant to his father, Gene Bossard, and became the official head groundskeeper when his fathe ...
– Head groundskeeper for the White Sox. (1983–present)
*
Nancy Faust
Nancy Faust (born March 11, 1947) is an American former stadium organist for Major League Baseball's Chicago White Sox.
Biography
Early life
Faust grew up in the Chicago area, and began playing the organ at age 4 by learning from her mother, Jac ...
– Long-time
stadium organist
A stadium organist is a musician who plays an organ during live sporting events.
Organs at sporting events
During the early part of the 20th century, organs were often found in public locations such as movie theaters, eating establishments, and ...
for the White Sox. (1970–2010)
*
Southpaw – White Sox mascot.
*
Camelback Ranch
Camelback Ranch–Glendale is a baseball complex located in Phoenix, Arizona and owned by the city of Glendale. It is operated by Camelback Spring Training LLC. It is the spring training home of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox. The m ...
– The spring training home of the White Sox shared with the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
. (2009–present)
Notes
*Nathaniel Whalen, "Marked seats meaningful to Sox stars", Post Tribune, March 30, 2007
References
External links
Stadium site on MLB.comISFAuthority.comAerial view of Guaranteed Rate Field Guaranteed Rate Field Seating Chart
{{Music venues of Illinois
Chicago White Sox stadiums
Major League Baseball venues
Baseball venues in Chicago
Sports venues completed in 1991
1991 establishments in Illinois
Populous (company) buildings
Armour Square, Chicago