As expected, several hundred thousand Chicagoans showed up for the ticker-tape parade celebrating the White Sox accomplishment. 

Chicago’s pitching was nothing less than stellar throughout the postseason, accumulating a 2.55 earned run average. 

The White Sox also benefited from timely hitting, especially from right fielder Jermaine Dye. Dye, who hit .438 (7-for-16) with a homer and three runs batted in during the World Series, was chosen by baseball writers as the World Series Most Valuable Player. 

“Being a die-hard Yankee fan, I was disappointed that the Yankees lost,” said Scott Legones, a freshman from Westfield, N.J. “I really thought this was the year that they were going to win. But, I’m glad the White Sox won because they were finally able to break an 88 year curse.” 

Joe Morris, a freshman from Las Vegas, NV, expressed disappointment that his favorite team did not make it to the World Series. 

“I was really disappointed that the Angels didn’t make it. Because … have you seen ‘Angels in the Outfield?’ Yeah, that’s why,” Morris said. 

This year’s World Series T.V. ratings were the lowest on record. 

“I hardly watched the World Series because the Red Sox or Yankees weren’t in it,” said Kevin Berg, a freshman from Grant’s Pass, Ore. 

Although the World Series was won in four games, it didn’t lack excitement. Two games were won by one run while the other two games were won by two runs. In game two, White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko hit a seventh inning grand slam and later won the game on a ninth inning walk-off homerun by leftfielder Scott Podsednik. In game three, former Astro Geoff Blum homered in his first World Series at bat to break a tie in the 14th inning of the longest game in Series history. The game lasted five hours, 41 minutes. And finally in game four, Houston’s Roy Oswalt and Chicago’s Freddy Garcia both had solid pitching performances and Dye singled in what would turn out to be the winning run in the eighth inning. 

Chicago was led by second-year manager Ozzie Guillen, considered to be the favorite for the American League Manager of the Year Award after leading the Sox to an American League best 99 regular season wins. 

The 2005 World Series marked the second year in a row that a team broke a drought of 80-plus years without winning a World Series. Last year, the Boston Red Sox swept the St. Louis Cardinals to claim their first World Series title in 86 years.

Also see A Season to Remember