HOUSTON -- This victory belonged to the entire city of Chicago and a nation of euphoric White Sox fans.
Sure, the White Sox 1-0 whitewashing of Houston on Wednesday completed the 19th four-game sweep in World Series history and gave the franchise its first title since 1917. And team chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and vice chairman Eddie Einhorn were able to hoist the championship trophy for the first time in their 25-year ownership reign.
But Wednesday's effort had far greater ramifications than simply what was played out on the baseball field.
It was a victory for the grandparents and great grandparents, who first came into the world when manager Pants Rowland led a group of players named Buck, Swede, Chick, Happy, Red, Nemo and "Shoeless Joe" to the White Sox last World Series title some nine decades ago. It was for the parents who took their kids to Comiskey Park, U.S. Cellular Field, and heck, even Wrigley Field, hoping against hope that one day they could talk about that championship season in Chicago.
The win even was for the kids, who have no idea what baseball misery is really all about, having waited only four, five or six years, in some instances, to watch one of their team's celebrate greatness. And this just in for the doubters, the skeptics who didn't believe the White Sox would get to the playoffs, let alone advance.
Ozzie Guillen's team is pretty darn good. As postseason success goes, they are almost unparalleled. With Wednesday's win, the White Sox finished the 2005 playoffs at 11-1. This mark ties the South Siders with the 1999 Yankees for the second-best postseason winning percentage of all time. They only trail the 1976 Reds (7-0).
Chicago also won 16 of its final 17 games, dating back to Sept. 28 in Detroit. And they didn't lose a road game during the entire postseason. Simply put, it was utter domination -- even if the final scores didn't always support the theory.
Wednesday's victory followed an all too familiar White Sox pattern in 2005 -- great starting pitching, helped out by just enough offense to get the job done. Neither Houston starter Brandon Backe nor White Sox hurler Freddy Garcia allowed many scoring opportunities during their seven scoreless innings apiece. Backe gave up five hits and struck out seven, including five straight in the fourth and fifth innings. Garcia allowed four hits and walked three, one intentionally, while striking out seven.
But the game's lone run came in the eighth, with two outs, off Houston closer Brad Lidge. Pinch-hitter Willie Harris opened the frame with a two-strike single to left and was sacrificed to second by Scott Podsednik. Pinch-hitter Carl Everett's ground ball to second moved Harris to third, and Jermaine Dye's ground single up the middle moved the White Sox one step closer to history.
It was Dye's third hit of the game. Cliff Politte and Neal Cotts pitched out of a two-on, one out jam in the eighth by retiring Morgan Ensberg and pinch-hitter Jose Vizcaino, as Juan Uribe gunned down Vizcaino by one-half step with the tying run on third. Bobby Jenks finished off the White Sox eighth straight victory of the postseason, setting off a wild celebration on the Minute Maid Park field and among the Chicago faithful in the stands.
The team's lone regret is that the clinching victories for the American League Central, the Division Series, the American League Championship Series and the World Series came in Detroit, Boston, Anaheim and Houston, respectively. Garcia picked up wins in all but the ALCS.
Of course, the fans celebrating throughout the streets of Chicago on Wednesday night certainly will forgive their conquering heroes.
Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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