White Sox win and evade setting loss record, but gloom pervades Guaranteed Rate Field anyway
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The White Sox won Tuesday night—beating the Los Angeles Angels 3-2, and for the time being averting a historical milestone that is no cause for celebration.
The Sox now have 120 losses for the 2024 season—tying the loss record of the 1962 expansion New York Mets. The White Sox had already surpassed the 2003 Detroit Tigers, a team that lost 119 games, setting the American League record.
One more loss, and the White Sox would have the worst record in the modern era—which began in 1900. Because it happened just one year too early, the 1899 Cleveland Spiders' all-time record of 134 losses is not included.
That loss did not happen on Tuesday—the White Sox remain at 120 losses for now. But some went to the game, and braved a rain delay of about an hour, in hopes of seeing the Sox lose and etch their spots in the history books. Other diehard fans had a happy ending Tuesday night, as they came to support their team despite the rough record.
"It's depressing when no one's here, you know? You want to have people around and cheer," one White Sox fan said, "and it's been tough to find things to cheer about, for sure."
"Disappointing, I don't know," said White Sox fan Chris Novak. "Just such a bummer."
Depressing, disappointing, disastrous—fill in your favorite adjective, and White Sox fans will agree. They are looking forward to a familiar Chicago refrain.
"There's always next year, right?" said Karen Novak. "I sound like a Cub fan!"
While the weather was dismal and rainy all day Tuesday, that alone was not enough to explain the funereal atmosphere at Guaranteed Rate Field.
"It's dead. It's like a morgue," said Chris Novak. "I mean, normally, this place—even if it was crummy weather—there's grills going. You see smoke. People are happy, you know, drinking."
Some braved the elements to see history, while others say they will stick by the team—win or lose.
"I was here for Game 2 of the [2005] World Series and got to see history, and we figured, well, we'll see the other end of it," said Chris Novak.
"We came for history—the wrong type of history," added Karen Novak.
But not everyone was not on board with such schadenfreude.
"Not me," said Foster Ward. "I want them to win."
Inside Guaranteed Rate Field, rain kept the tarp on the field for nearly an hour. Robert Sandoval did not seem to mind sitting out in the rain—putting a cardboard drink holder over his head.
"I hope they rally the rest of the season, but you know, we'll find out," Sandoval said.
And to ease the pain of the season, the White Sox gave back with $5 beers and hot dogs—which one fan should be available all the time.
White Sox General Manager Chris Getz acknowledged it has been a long season for fans.
"It's our job to get us back on track so they can once again be proud to be a White Sox fan," Getz said.
As fans filed out, a number of fans called on White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf to sell the team.
The White Sox have five more games. If they want to avert setting that new record, they will need to win them all.