Pope Leo XIV, Hailing from Chicago, Aligns With Which Baseball Team: Cubs or White Sox?

In Chicago, baseball allegiance is a serious matter, and one of the first questions following the election of a Chicago-born pope was whether he supported the White Sox or the Cubs.

The geographical divide between Cubs and Sox fans is well defined. Cubs fans generally reside on the North Side, close to Wrigley Field, while Sox fans are usually found on the South Side, near Guaranteed Rate Field. Suburban fans tend to mirror these divisions but are viewed somewhat neutrally.

Initially, fans from both sides claimed the new pope as their own. The Cubs’ spokeswoman couldn’t confirm his allegiances and issued a welcoming statement from Tom Ricketts, the executive chairman, on behalf of the Cubs.

In a statement, Mr. Ricketts expressed enthusiasm for welcoming Pope Leo XIV, suggesting he could sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” or follow the path of previous popes who visited Yankee Stadium.

By afternoon, Wrigley Field’s marquee had announced the new pope as a Cubs fan.

However, in the Chicago suburbs, the pope’s brother, John Prevost, clarified the situation in an interview with WGN, a long-time broadcaster of Cubs games with a broad fan influence.

“He was never a Cubs fan,” Mr. Prevost affirmed. “I don’t know where that idea came from. He was always a Sox fan.”