Sports

Free Hot Dogs at the White Sox Funeral

Who spent a beautiful Sunday watching the White Sox lose for the 99th time?

My friend Mark Konkol, a South Sider through and through, went to Fan Appreciation Day Sunday to see the White Sox lose their 99th game. In a column for DNA Info, he says the ballpark felt more like a funeral parlor. 

A funeral where apparently if you show up to mourn the deceased, you get 5 percent off your electric bill. He writes:

My silent shuffle from Lot C through the turnstile to the seats certainly felt like standing in line to pay your last respects. The Sox had already lost 98 games. It was sad.

Still, you could tell the White Sox brass really tried to lift our spirits.

On the way in, fans got coupons for 5 percent off our ComEd bill.

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A lady standing by the escalator dished out coupons for a free gallon of milk at Aldi. She gave me three.

No one was standing guard to make sure fans in the nosebleeds didn't sneak into the box seats. 

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But those little moments of fan appreciation lifted my spirits only until I got in line for snacks.

The guy in front of me in line waited only to bid farewell to Nina, the lady hawking pretzels, peanuts and pop behind home plate.

“That was Smoking Joe,” Nina said. “He was saying goodbye. It really does feel like a funeral. It is a sad day.”

Gotta like the hot dog vendor tossing free dogs into the stands, though. There was also free milk, free BLTs, free fries and free oatmeal. What was the best freebie of all?

Read Mark's column on that sad, sad, sad game and find out.

DNA Info is a digital news team that covers neighborhood news in the city of Chicago.


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