Planning to go to a Chicago White Sox baseball game? Here are my best Guaranteed Rate Field parking tips – including alternate routes, tavern shuttles, and of course, money saving advice!

Guaranteed Rate Field, unlike its neighbor Wrigley Field to the north, offers ample enough parking that getting there by car is generally easy enough, and in some cases preferable to getting there by CTA train or other means. (I’ll discuss those in a future post.)

I’ve covered a lot here, so I’m breaking it down for you:

Alternate Routes to Guaranteed Rate Field
Chicago White Sox Parking Lots
Chicago White Sox Tailgating
Other Parking Lots + Street Parking
White Sox Tavern Shuttles

I know, there are so many. Not to worry, I’ll help you pick a spot!

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Visualize yourself using the right exit!

Guaranteed Rate Field Parking Tip #1: Alternate Routes to White Sox Games. Guaranteed Rate is located at Exit 55 (35th Street exit) off Interstate 90/94, also called the Dan Ryan Expressway. It is visible from the highway, and the parking lots at the ballpark are right there after exiting.

The Dan Ryan was once ranked by a heavy traffic research company as the second worst bottleneck of traffic in America. But the positive of such problems is that generous and busy Internet users post alternate routes, which can still be used today for high attendance games.

I haven’t tried these routes myself, but they might be worth a look if you don’t want to get caught up in the herd:

If you end up in Indiana, you’ve gone too far.

Going north on I-57 from the south: Exit at Halstead Street just before the merge with I-90/94. Turn left to go north on Halstead, then turn left on 95th St. (U.S. Route 12/20) and then right on Ashland Avenue. Follow Ashland all the way to 35th St., and then turn right towards the ballpark.

Going north on I-90/94 from south of the city: Instead of using exit 55A onto South LaSalle St., use exit 55B to S. LaSalle, and then make a left onto Pershing Road. From there you can make a right onto South Princeton Avenue towards the ballpark.

This route backwards, incidentally, can make for an easier exit. (I mean following the steps in reverse, not actually driving backwards.)

They put a ramp there for you and everything. Chicago’s got your back!

Coming from the south using I-90 or I-94: Use the Stony Island Avenue exit (it’s closer to the park from I-90). Go north on Stony Island Avenue, following the signs to Lake Shore Drive (Stony Island turns into South Cornell Avenue and East 57th Street).

Head north on Lake Shore Drive (U.S. Route 41) to 31st Street, and make a left and head west on 31st. After passing under I-90/94, turn left on Wentworth and head south on Wentworth till you get to the ballpark.

Follow the smart people to the White Sox game!

Coming from southwest on I-55 (Stevenson Expressway) North: Use the South Ashland Avenue exit and make a right onto S. Ashland. Take S. Ashland to 35th St. and turn left towards the ballpark.

Coming from the west on I-290 (Eisenhower Expressway): Use the Ashland Avenue exit; head south on Ashland and make a left on 35th.

OK so the signs need some straightening, but you get the idea.

From the northwest/O’Hare: Use I-90 and merge with I-90/94 east, use the Roosevelt Road exit, and head west on Roosevelt to Halstead. Make a left on Halstead and head south until reaching 35th St. Turn left on 35th towards the ballpark.

Again, I would only use these if the I-90/94 Dan Ryan traffic is particularly bad. The Dan Ryan is supposedly much better since the construction period. In many cases, you can just use Halstead St. or Ashland Avenue if you’re looking for a back road.

If you’re from metropolitan Chicago, you know.

One more thing about driving to Guaranteed Rate Field: coming from outside metropolitan Chicago, be sure to have an EZPass or IPass. Illinois rivals New Jersey in toll roads (and that’s saying something). If you don’t have a toll pass, just go to the Illinois Tollway website and look up your license plate.
 

Get a view of the city, and keep an eye on your car!

Guaranteed Rate Field Parking Tip #2: White Sox Parking. The White Sox have a large amount of available parking in their official lots close to the ballpark, approximately 7,000 parking spaces. It’s usually enough, especially since plenty of fans use public transportation to go to games. You can view their parking info here.

As of 2023, the parking price is $27 when pre-paid, and $30 at the gate; for Sunday games that drops to $17 and $20 respectively. All of the Sox lots cost the same, so no need to waste time circling the park. The Sox sell their advance parking through ParkWhiz, and there’s a fee included, so there isn’t any savings buying in advance, but you’ll have a better spot.

Season ticket and multi-game plan members can buy their parking in advance at a cheaper price (about $5 less a game), and you might find a cheaper pass on eBay. The coupons require parking in a certain lot, so you can check the Sox website if you land one to see where to use it.

They don’t take cash anymore, but that’s not why I haven’t gone to a game since.

The signs directing drivers to the parking areas are color-coded for pre-paid coupons. The pre-paid red lots A, B, and C are north of the ballpark and are far more accessible to and from the Interstate; green lots F and L are west and south of the ballpark take longer to exit. You should probably get a pre-paid pass, just to be in a better spot.

If you haven’t bought a parking pass, keep in mind you’ll be parking in Lots F or L south of the ballpark, so plan your entrance accordingly. Also, don’t bother with cash…it’s credit cards or debit parking only on the day of game nowadays. I’ve read they’ll take cash, but the attendants won’t be happy about it.

The Sox open their lots two hours before first pitch on game days. If you’re early enough you don’t need to worry about pre-purchasing a spot, except for Opening Day or a Cubs game, but it’s only a buck or two more to do it.

The Green Line station offers a fine view of additional parking.

If parking does fill up, which is rare, the Sox will provide shuttle service from The McCormick Place Garage C (29th Street and Fort Dearborn Drive), and at IIT east of the ballpark.

Lot A is now designated for rideshare service and bus parking; it stays open an hour after the game ends.

If you break down in the lot after the game, you can go to a Guest Relations booth or find a parking lot supervisor, and they’ll usually arrange for towing your car if needed.

Finally, if the game is postponed, you can use the parking coupon for a future game. Details on the back of the coupon.

The parking lot is even closer than the train station!

Honestly, even though it’s pricey by major league baseball standards, my best advice for White Sox game parking is to buy a pre-paid pass and park in one of the official lots. Arrive early if you can to avoid the bottlenecks. If you want to save money and are including a meal with your game, try one of the tavern shuttles below.

“And at game time, the score is still zed-zed!”

Guaranteed Rate Field Parking Tip #3: White Sox Tailgating. The Sox encourage tailgating, even to the point of offering picnic tables and space for private tailgating parties. Should you gather a group for a party, the Sox give discounts for tickets and will even throw in some parking passes. No kegs, large grills, DJs, or loud music unfortunately. Remember to park your bus in Lot A.

The tailgating scene at the South Side is popular in White Sox fandom. It’s not quite at the level of American Family Field 90 miles north in Milwaukee, but often there will be bands playing, bag-throwing games or folks giving out freebies. Tailgating stops when the game starts and is not allowed after the game—and nor is bringing alcohol outside of the lot.

Featuring ivy on the fence for that Chicago baseball experience!

There are restrooms near the main entrance of the park or in the ChiSox Bar & Grill restaurant that you can use, and there are receptacles in most lots to dump your hot coals.

If you’d like to reserve a tailgating spot from the White Sox for your baseball party, you can do that here. The nice part of that is that you can show up three hours before game time instead of two, so no need to slam those beers down on the clock.

Since the Sox reserve tailgating spaces in Lots B and E, that’s the place to wander around if you want to have a brew and sausage with tailgating Sox faithful.

And if you’re a VIP, we won’t park you in!

Guaranteed Rate Field Parking Tip #4: Street Parking and Other Lots. You won’t have an easy time finding nearby street parking at the ballpark. Since the neighborhood has been condo-fied, street ordinances have been put in place to protect the locals’ parking spots. Parking without a residential parking permit in the wrong spot will get you a very stiff fine and a towing.

West of the park in the Halstead St. area are meters that only need to be fed until 6:00 PM, but you could have some difficulty finding these, and unless you live in the area, you may not be comfortable leaving your car there.

I had a very nice conversation with this lovely lady. Chicago folks are really cool.

Some residents and businesses west of the park on 35th, like the 35th Street Red Hots people, will sell you their parking spots, but you probably won’t find any real bargains—the main attraction is the easy exit after the game, so they claim. Not sure how, since you’re further from the interstate, but maybe it’s because it takes a while to empty those large White Sox lots.

What better way to sell White Sox gear than to offer game day parking?

The Grandstand store west of the ballpark on 35th has a lot across the street, and you’re close to a great Chicago sports team store with cool gear there if that interests you. I’m guessing stuff there is cheaper than at the ballpark.

I’ve read in forums that you can park for free on side streets off of 35th; just east of the Dan Ryan near IIT and the Green Line stop. That is where the neighborhood has reportedly improved, but it’s the south side of Chicago, so that one is up to you.

With the new pitch clock, you can make it back in three hours!

Try Chinatown… There is a parking lot near the Cermak-Chinatown Station of the CTA Red Line north of the park; parking there for ten hours is cheaper than at the ballpark and it’s a one-stop trip on the Red Line (it’s a long walk, about 15 blocks, I wouldn’t do it at night).

On weekdays you might be able to find cheap metered parking in the area, and even with the extra few bucks for the Red Line, it’s still a good deal.

There is even some free street parking in Chinatown (I’ve seen cars parked on Wentworth Street), if you have time to look around near the station a bit and get lucky. But if you see a sign that says “Don’t Park Here”, obey it.

Dumplings make great ballpark food.

There are also many places where you can grab a bite or fill up your goody bag in Chinatown; remember you can bring your own food into the ballpark.

For that matter, you could book a cheaper spot anywhere near the Red Line or Green Line if you’re comfortable with an area in Chicago, or want to be somewhere in the city after the game. Both lines have a station near the ballpark.

Wings, beer, a free ride and a free shuttle to the White Sox game…and they even sponsor this comfortable Chicago street bench!

Guaranteed Rate Field Parking Tip #5: White Sox Game Shuttles. So, where do you go if you don’t want to pay the parking fees? There are actually dining establishments in the area that will take you to the park:

The shuttle bus beats walking!

Buffalo Wings and Rings on South Halstead St. west of the park runs a shuttle an hour before the game and will pick you up for 30 minutes after the game. They have free valet parking and parking in the back if there is space available, and there is also metered parking nearby on Halstead.

It’s ideal if you love beer and wings. Wings come in a large variety of flavors, including sweet Thai chili, lemon pepper, and (I’m not making this up) blueberry chipotle BBQ. Blueberry chipotle BBQ wings, beer and free parking…what could go better with White Sox baseball!

You can even help them deliver a few pizzas on the way.

Connie’s Pizza The Bridgeport location of Connie’s Pizza offers free parking in their lot, and if you dine in their restaurant, they’ll give you a ride in their free shuttle bus. The bus runs for an hour before and after games.

Their pizza is no slouch of course…as I write this, it’s #322 of 10,820 Chicago restaurants on TripAdvisor, putting Connie’s in the something percentile which is pretty good in this town. It’s true deep dish pizza, and combined with a White Sox game is a full Chicago experience.

Connie’s also offers game day specials, so enjoy a beer or two before the game, especially since you won’t have to drive.

With helpful instructions right there on the sign!

Ricobene’s The Ricobene’s restaurant on West 26th St. has a free shuttle to Sox games for patrons; they draw pretty good crowds on Sox game nights not just for the shuttle but for the food; the hefty breaded steak sandwich and pizzas are especially popular. Check out the Yelp reviews…this place is revered.

Ricobene’s has ample parking with a lot under I-90 and there’s some street parking nearby, and reportedly they’re very good about accommodating anyone who needs a lift to the game, even for leaving the game early.

You can’t not want to ride in the Reggies Rock Bus. (photo courtesy of Reggies Live)

Reggies Live on South State St. is a good hike away from the park but will take patrons to and from Sox games on their own very cool-looking “Reggies Rock Bus”. It’s just a block away from the Chinatown station on the Red Line or the Cermak-McCormick Place station on the Green Line. You can use those if you don’t want to wait or if you miss the bus after the game.

There is some metered parking on State St., but it is difficult to find, and there is a cover to get in, so this is best for folks interested in a show or a party after the game. That said, lots of folks will tell you Reggies is worth it.

Reggie’s occasionally even throws in a package that includes free bleacher ticket to the game and a BBQ with the ride, so it can make for a pretty cool and economical Chicago evening. You can hang out in the music club or on a rooftop deck (there’s even a retro record store), and the wings here are mighty popular.

A meal and a ride to the ballgame is great, but these things tend to be shaky…I would check with any of these establishments before making them part of your game plan, even though I’m sharing these four because they seem to be consistent.

“And then when the game’s over, we’ll be the first ones out! We’re Griswolds!”

There you go my friends, all of my best tips for Chicago White Sox game parking. Hope you found it useful…stay tuned, I’ll soon be offering other ways to get to games at the new Comiskey Park.

Thanks for reading, and if you need more Guaranteed Rate Field game tips, click here! (And click here for some great tips for Chicago Cubs home games!)

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Going to a White Sox game? Below is your complete Guaranteed Rate Field seating guide, where I share everything you need to know to choose a great seat for your taste and budget at the home of the Chicago White Sox. Stick with me, kid…I’ll help you get the most of your visit.

There’s a lot to cover here, so I’m breaking it down by section and price level.

Guaranteed Rate Field Seating Guide Contents

Guaranteed Rate Field Layout
Wintrust Scout Seats
Premium Seating – Diamond Suites, Other Suites and Guaranteed Rate Club
Club Level Seating
Lower Level Seating
Outfield Seats and Bleachers (+ Obstructed Views)
Upper Level Seating (+ More Obstructed Views)
Group and Party Areas
Standing Room

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I took this pic in 2015, but the ballpark’s shape is the same.

Guaranteed Rate Field Seating Tips, Part 1) Ballpark Layout. The layout of Guaranteed Rate Field is simple enough, especially with its (now unusual) symmetry. Here is the Guaranteed Rate Field seating chart from the White Sox website.

The lower deck seats are on the 100 level, and the upper deck is the 500 level. The luxury seating levels and suites are the 200, 300, and 400 level sections, between the upper and lower decks.

Do not purchase tickets in Section 532…you will find yourself in the Invalid Ticket Vortex!

The upper deck section numbering is a bit weird. Every so often it skips a number in the sections, so there’s no Section 532, for example. This was done to even it up with the lower sections, which were cut in half to reduce butts (or worse) in seated people’s faces and thus cover smaller space per section.

If you’re concerned about shade on a hot day (or a cold one…it is Chicago), the sun shines brightest and latest on the left field bleachers, as opposed to the right field seating in most ballparks.

Facing the field, Seat 1 in any section is always closest to home plate. Guaranteed Rate Field’s seating capacity is 40,615.

Here’s the lowdown on the seating sections, starting with the most expensive:

Nothing says “you’ve made it” like cushioned seats and cup holders at the ballgame.

Guaranteed Rate Field Seating Tips, Part 2) Wintrust Scout Seats. The Wintrust Scout Seats are the best seats at Guaranteed Rate Field, for many reasons, and are priced as such. These are padded and wide leather seats directly behind home plate, and they include waitresses bringing you food items from a small menu. If you’re willing to get up, you may help yourself to more lavish buffet and open bar. There’s even a little desk on the side of the seat in case you need to work on that proposal at the game.

The Scout Seats have their own private entrance, a nice thing here. The buffet includes all of those high-quality food items from Levy Restaurants…carved meats, gourmet desserts, all the high end food items that baseball is all about.

Just a small fence separating the well-to-do from the riffraff!

For the price, though, most times you can just get a Platinum Box seat and buy enough food to split your pants with the money left over. But there’s probably something to be said for a cushioned seat with a great view and access to a climate controlled lounge.

If you want to score Scout Seats for a lesser demand game, try the TickPick or third party route and wait until game time draws closer. Chances are you’ll pay less than face price on a slow night (and the Sox have a lot of those), and face value is pretty darn high for these.

Be sure to ask about our climate-controlled buffet!

Guaranteed Rate Field Seating Tips, Part 3) Premium Seating. One thing White Sox ownership got out of their new Comiskey Park is plenty of luxury suites and seating, as anyone can see looking at the mezzanine levels of the ballpark.

Still, there are lots of seats that aren’t out of the price range of the everyday fan. Most Club level seats, for example, are available at the same pricing levels as other seats. You can get them for a lower price when the Sox aren’t playing a popular opponent, in which case the cost isn’t bad at all.

If you’re going to a game in April or May, you may be glad you got a premium seat and access to a climate controlled concourse. Chicago is not baseball friendly in early spring.

The real bonus is that if no one in your group cares about the actual game, there’s plenty of empty seats!

White Sox Premium Seating: Diamond Suites. The Diamond Suites surrounding the ballpark hold 20 to 60 people, and include their own bar, comfortable seating, in-seat wait service, a private entrance with an elevator, and premium parking. Diamond Suites are at the highest part of the Club Level (400), so the view isn’t as great as you might think it should be for the price.

Like with most premium seating, there is a basic food menu that includes wings, roast beef and turkey sandwiches with the hot dogs, peanuts and beer; you can upgrade the food or the bar and have baby back ribs and Tanqueray, etc. for an additional fee. Suites have private restrooms, a benefit not truly appreciated until you’re sharing with a bunch of others after a game.

Most of the Diamond Suites are reserved for full or partial season packages to corporate types, but they occasionally are available for individual games. In 2017 the Sox added a suite on the field level behind home plate called Suite 134; good for 25 fans who have the considerable means (somewhere in the neighborhood of $200 a ticket).

The naming rights change frequently, but the amenities and views remain constant.

White Sox Premium Seating: Guaranteed Rate Club. The Guaranteed Rate Club (formerly the Home Plate Club and Gold Coast Tickets Club) is the outdoor but covered section of seats behind home plate on the 200 level. There are just four rows of seats here, which is nice. The seats are padded and wide like the Scout Seats, with a nice bird’s eye view of the field. You can only access this level by a private elevator.

Fans (or their rich uncles) can access the private lounge with a view of the field and its high class buffet and open bar, even after the game. The prices for drinks go up after the game, reportedly. Season ticket holders get free parking in Lot D next to the ballpark, no small thing.

They even supply a concierge, in case you need to have a pizza delivered.

Because you belong above it all!

White Sox Premium Seating: Terrace Suites. The Terrace Suites are located down near the left field foul pole at the top of the club level. These are for group outings and can hold up to 400 people. Not the best view from here, the suites and clubs behind home plate might be better if your group cares. But you do get the full bar, and with a climate controlled area the price isn’t terrible at all.

The Upper Terrace does feature a nice view of the city of Chicago, but you can get that on the upper concourse.

Okay, so maybe you can’t put your feet up. But the view is almost as good here.

White Sox Premium Seating: All-Star Suite. The 22-person All-Star Suite is located at Section 439 on the third base side. It appears to be similar to a Diamond Suite, although the White Sox tout its new furniture and refurbished private area. Not sure exactly what the improvement is, unless you’re looking to sit over the home team dugout. It is reasonable as suites go.

Like with the other suites, you can get a food upgrade with fancier items than the chicken wings and sandwiches usually served, and the bar is upgrade-able too. It also includes four parking passes.

Okay, whew! Now about the seating for us actual baseball fans…

Fewer rows and steps to reduce your nachos spilling risk.

Guaranteed Rate Field Seating Tips, Part 4) Club Level. The Club area, in the middle (300) tier of the mezzanine level between the bases, features outside seats in front of the climate-controlled lounge area, with a full bar and a premium menu with fancy extras.

If you plan to eat in the Club concourse, you should order as soon as possible, because it does tend to get crowded. The food isn’t complimentary here, but there is a better selection of it than in the lower or upper concourses.

Tickets for this level are reasonable by club seat standards in baseball. The Club sections increase in price as they get closer to home plate, costing almost double the price behind home as they do closer to the foul lines. The Premium Club seats do sport a much better view; and the White Sox ballpark is one place where that is worth springing for. You might find a good deal on TickPick.

You could just sit lower than all of those premium seating types. Works just fine.

Guaranteed Rate Field Seating Tips, Part 5) Lower Level. The lower level at Guaranteed Rate in foul territory consists of the aforementioned Scout Seats, Gold and Silver Box, Premium Lower Box, and Lower Reserved. In that order.

The White Sox now rate types of seats by rows, so Rows 26 and higher of Sections 119 and 120 are cheaper than the rows in front of them, for example. In Section 111 there are three different price levels. So presumably, you can save a few bucks in the front row of a “tier”. When you’re buying tickets through the Sox, check the price of the different rows. No point in paying more for Row 14 when Row 15 is just two more feet away from the field.

Since the ballpark is symmetrical, there isn’t much difference whether you’re on the first or third base side, except for the fact that the sun sets behind the first base side and third base is in the shade last. The White Sox also adjusted the seats in the outer Lower Box sections to face closer to the home plate, making for a better viewing angle.

You can tell people to just go around to the other side now!

One very nice thing in the lower level is that sections have fewer seats in each row (usually eight) than in most ballparks, so you won’t have as much of a problem of folks getting up in front of you.

Remember that lower level seating obviously includes access to the lower concourse, and the rest of the ballpark for that matter, something upper level seats do not include. More on that in a bit.

There are usually 30-35 rows in lower level sections, and the upper deck overhang covers the seats from about Row 26 up, so don’t expect much protection from the sun especially for day games.

Proximity to a bullpen allows for fun encouragement for pitchers.

Guaranteed Rate Field Seating Tips, Part 6) Outfield Seats + Bleachers. The Lower Reserved seats in the outfield are in left field near the foul pole and in all of right field. These are actual seats as opposed to the bleacher-style benches in left center, which are cheaper. Surprisingly, bleacher seats are often more expensive than most of the seating in the upper level.

The bleachers in left center field are bench-style seats, but they have backs on them with numbers, so you still have an assigned seat as opposed to most ballpark bleachers. You still might have to share with a neighbor’s cheek a little bit, but at least they are easier on your back.

Lots of sun-baked metal, but in April in Chicago that might not be a bad thing.

Remember that the sun sets behind first base and it can be particularly blinding and hot in the left field seats. (Incidentally that’s why they call them “bleachers”, since they get bleached by the sun.) I highly recommend sunscreen and sunglasses sitting here.

The visiting team’s bullpen is in right field, all the better for heckling. If you get seats in front of either bullpen, the row numbers start with 8 in left and 9 in right. The bleachers in left are a good spot to catch batting practice home runs.

If your girlfriend has a crush on a right fielder, maybe this isn’t a bad thing.

Obstructed View Alert #1: In the small section to the right of the batter’s eye is Section 100, which, along with the benches in Section 164 on the left field side, may have an obstructed view with the batter’s eye blocking a portion of the opposite field. It can also affect Sections 101 and 163 if you’re sitting high enough. With White Sox attendance you probably won’t have to deal with this, but just saying.

Be sure to get a low row if you get seats in these sections, from high up a good portion of the opposite field could be blocked from view, and you won’t like that. (The Sox will alert you about this before you buy the ticket, but I’m not sure that third party sellers will.)

It’s kind of like Eutaw Street in Baltimore, except without the warehouse, BBQ stand, restaurant…okay maybe it’s not.

The outfield seats have a nice and wide concourse area to roam around in, and they’re also close to the ballpark’s extra amenities, like the kids’ play area, the Plumbing Council shower, and the Craft Lodge in right field. They’re not the best or cheapest outfield seats in major league baseball, but they do have some things going for them.

By the way, this isn’t Wrigley Field—if you catch a home run here, you can be ejected for throwing it back on the field.

If you can handle the vertigo, these seats are a bargain.

Guaranteed Rate Field Seating Tips, Part 7) Upper Level. The upper deck seats at Guaranteed Rate are better than they once were. Before the top eight rows were eliminated, the height and angle of upper level seats could be terrifying. Much was made of how the first row of seats in the upper level are further from home plate than the last rows at the old Comiskey.

Fortunately, the situation has improved. You can only go so high now, and while the angle is still dizzyingly steep, now it’s just “unnerving”. There is a flat iron roof covering the top two-thirds of the highest seats. There are 21 rows of seats in most upper level sections; like in the lower level, the lower rows are more expensive.

The Upper Corner sections are now the cheapest tickets in Guaranteed Rate Field (and most of baseball, for that matter). There’s a good reason for it though, as a Chicago native friend put it to me: “The Waveland rooftops are closer!”

For what it’s worth though, the upper concourse here is one of the nicer ones in baseball; it’s got murals of White Sox greatness and is covered with panels that let the sun in but not the rain. There is a decent food and drink selection too.

OK, but do you really need to see home plate?

Obstructed View Alert #2: There are support poles holding up the new roof on this level; from Row 17 up at this level you could have a pole blocking a good portion of your view. Behind home plate and in the outfield it’s not much of a problem, but down the lines it can be annoying. Again, you probably won’t likely have to deal with it given current White Sox attendance numbers, but just so you know.

Remember, Seat 1 in any section is closest to home plate. So in the high rows down either line, seats 1-5 are likely to be the most problematic with the views. I would go for outfield seats rather than the sections down the line given the choice.

This kind of sucks, so you should be aware of it before you go.

Pay attention, this is important: Upper deck ticket holders are not allowed in the lower level concourse, and the Sox enforce this–a matter of great irritation to some fans. So upper deck seats preclude shopping at the best gift shop, enjoying the more interesting food offerings, seeking autographs, and a number of photo-ops like posing with player statues.

So if you want the entire Guaranteed Rate Field experience, avoid upper level tickets, or use your Ballpark app to get an upgrade. Remember you can’t do standing room in the closed upper concourse here either.

If you want to be a cheapskate…and upper level tickets can be super cheap…you can get someone with a lower level ticket to give you a copy of their ticket, which you can then show to ushers, although you then risk using the wrong ticket to get in and a well deserved whupping. Or you can nicely complain to an usher or Guest Services and tell them you’re a tourist. They may let you down in later innings.

Heading up to the top level on the outside ramps does give one a striking view of the south side of Chicago, so you’re not missing everything. There’s a nice view at the top of the stands too, although it does get windy.

When the beer is complimentary, upper outfield seats are A-OK.

Guaranteed Rate Field Seating Tips, Part 8) Group and Party Areas. Finally, the recent renovation created some sparkling new party areas at Guaranteed Rate Field, for those looking to entertain at a reasonable price:

They’ve upgraded this, but this is the general gist of it.

White Sox Party Areas: Miller Lite Landing. The Miller Lite Landing (formerly the Goose Island) is the outfield lounge and seating area at the foul pole in right field. The seating area includes cushioned seats, food and drinks, and drink rails which are always useful. The back rows are standing room, but still include the counters to lean on. The landing is in front of a bar with Miller products.

The lower rows of the Miller Lite Landing feature large and comfortable leather chairs, TVs since you’re pretty far from the action, charging ports, cup holders, and an extra $20 of concessions value in your ticket. All of the rows except for standing room include wait staff.

The lower seating area is at field level and you can watch the game through the fence, while sitting next to the visitors’ bullpen presumably to give opposing pitchers a hard time. Watching a game through a fence isn’t fun though, so I would go for higher row seats here.

Under the landing seats is the Leinenkugel’s Craft Lodge, where you can duck out of the elements and try any number of great craft brews…and since you’re paying what you’re paying for beer at the ballgame, you might as well drink something good.

Note that these tables in particular do not offer an optimal view.

White Sox Party Areas: CIBC Fan Deck. The CIBC Fan Deck is the two-tiered patio in center field, which is available for group outings of up to 150, at about $100 a person. The plan includes the barstool seating with drink rails and picnic tables in front of the scoreboard, and a low-level pregame buffet of normal ballpark fare; beer is included which is certainly worth a few bucks. Service starts when the park opens and ends as the game starts.

The Fan Deck is good fun for parties, but they definitely aren’t the best seats in the ballpark, being in straightaway center and elevated. The back rows especially lose quite a bit of the field, and the seating as it slopes off to the side isn’t good at all. You also can’t see much of the game when you are partaking of the burgers and bratwurst, obviously.

It also gets windy up there, so the Fan Deck might be better for hot summer days, so long as you have sunscreen.

Not a great view. I will say the buffet is impressive though.

White Sox Party Areas: Party Patio. Underneath the stands on the other side of the visiting team’s bullpen in right center field is the Party Patio; this is available for pregame and during-game parties of as many as 1,300 fans (the overwhelming majority of which will not be able to see the game until they head to their seats). In addition to a buffet of fried chicken, dogs and burgers (and beer), fans are treated to a great view of batting practice.

Seeing the game itself from the warning track area costs extra (you need a game ticket to attend the Party anyway), and they’ll kick you out if you haven’t paid for it. Honestly you’re not missing much; it’s a field level view behind a fence, and you can’t see any of the scoreboards–not worth wait staff in my humble opinion.

You can sometimes get a pass for the Party Patio from eBay or third party sellers. Or sign up for the White Sox newsletter; they will offer decent deals on a Patio pass that would be well worth the money at ballpark prices.

Currently, the answer is “no”.

Guaranteed Rate Field Seating Tips, Part 9) Standing Room. The White Sox make standing room tickets available for big games like Opening Day and Cubs games, but since they don’t sell out a lot, standing room tickets aren’t offered too often. The White Sox did offer a FanPass with standing room access for a month’s worth of games in the past, but as of 2023 they’re not doing this.

Should the Sox be playing in the World Series or something and you find SRO tickets, there’s plenty of space in the large outfield concourse to stand and watch the game. The lower level concourse is open, so you could watch the action from there, but with the overhang of the upper level you won’t have much of a view of the scoreboard.

Lots of people roam around the ballpark through the game, so you might be able to find a seat no one is using somewhere in the outfield or the corners.

Now you can choose which one of these is right for you!

There you are my friend, your comprehensive guide to the seating at the home of the White Sox. I hope you’ve enjoyed the read and found it helpful…be sure to check out more Guaranteed Rate Field tips here. And if you’re visiting Chicago for a baseball trip, be sure to carefully read my Wrigley Field Guide!

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I’ve talked about some of the big stars in Guaranteed Rate Field food options here, but one post isn’t enough of course. Here are some more very popular choices at the home of the White Sox, especially if you don’t have the time for a sit-down meal.

Sometimes just pictures of pizza taste great.

Guaranteed Rate Field Food Options, #1) Beggars Pizza. Beggars is a local chain with 22 locations in Chicago and northern Indiana. They offer their classic thin crust here, but they’ve added a deep dish edition to rival Giordano’s at Wrigley. Beggars is generous with the cheese, as it should be…their slogan is “We lay it on thick!” You can get your slice with pepperoni or sausage at most stands.

The “Pizza Pub” in left center is the spot for unusual pizza types, including one with Italian beef and giardiniera. And a deep dish chocolate chip cookie. True. Beggar’s even has a gluten-free pizza for celiacs, which should be a nice selling point to my wife if we go again.

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See what they did there with the baseball reference?

Guaranteed Rate Field Food Options, #2) Bases Loaded Baked Potato. The baked potato stand is where you get your fancy loaded potato…toppings include chicken carnitas, BBQ beef barbacoa, bacon, cheddar, broccoli, sour cream, butter and/or salsa. All your major food groups, including starch.

Last I checked, you could get a loaded sweet potato with butter and brown sugar. Makes a nice filling dessert.

The loaded potatoes are price, but they’re good-sized and enough of a meal in itself. Almost.

There are plenty for everyone, but don’t depend on heat lamps to keep them fresh.

Guaranteed Rate Field Food Options, #3) Churros. The Sox now have separate stands dedicated just to churros, which should tell you how popular they are around here. They’re available in quite a few flavors, including Oreo (ding!). Churros make for an easy-to-eat ballpark delicacy, especially when walking.

I’ve read that if you’re going for a churro, it’s best to get one early when they’re warm and fresh. At the ballpark you can do dessert first. It’s ok.

There you go, three more food choices at the home of the Pale Hose. Stay tuned…I’ll be adding more.

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Since the home of the White Sox is surrounded mostly by parking lots, the nearby scene is known far more for above average tailgating than a slew of eateries. (There are a few decent watering holes nearby though, contrary to popular myth.) That said, there are several Guaranteed Rate Field restaurants – as in attached to or inside the ballpark. Here are three worth noting:

“Wait! I’ve just realized we can see the game live right next door!”

Guaranteed Rate Field Restaurants, #1) The ChiSox Bar & Grill. The nice thing about the ChiSox Bar & Grill attached to the ballpark is being able to enjoy a meal before or after the game, without having to move your car.

The ChiSox draws a good crowd and the bar on the lower level gets pretty crowded. The food is popular among fans: burgers, tacos, sandwiches and appetizers like jalapeno cheddar hush puppies and pork nachos…and of course, wash it down with Big Hurt Beer. The ChiSox has appetizer specials on game days.

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This is about as good a spot for outdoor dining as you’ll find in Chicago.

Guaranteed Rate Field Restaurants, #2) The Craft Kave. The White Sox turned the Miller Lite Bullpen Sports Bar into the much more tasteful Craft Kave…it’s actually a party area with seating in right field and a full bar underneath.

It used to be for groups, but you can now enter the Craft Kave and not only choose from over 70 Chicago area craft brews, but also some truly incredible craft burgers like the “Veeck as in Wreck” burger with two patties and onion rings piled on, or the “Wild Pitch” with mushrooms and Swiss. There’s even a White Sox staffer that helps you choose the perfect brew to go with your burgers. Amazeballs.

Be sure to have someone on lookout for people trying to snag your seats.

Guaranteed Rate Field Restaurants, #3) Xfinity Zone. The Xfinity Zone in the lower right field concourse is a great spot for a sit down meal. There’s no view of the game, but there are plenty of TVs and you’re bound to be pretty close to one.

The menu includes superlative deli-style sandwiches such as the Ultimate Turkey Club and the Supreme Corned Beef, along with dogs, sausages and fried pickles and such. There’s a full bar with mixed drinks and domestic or craft brews.

There’s much more food at Guaranteed Rate Field to choose from…like the Comiskey Dogs and elotes, but this should help you choose a sit down spot in the absence of a nearby restaurant.

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When the Pale Hose struggle at the gate, there are numerous ways to find yourself some cheap White Sox tickets. Here are a few of my favorite tips.

They’re very nice people here, but check your inbox first.

Cheap White Sox Tickets, Tip #1) Get Team Ticket Alerts. I recommend this for every team, but the White Sox in particular offer very nice deals to their e-mail subscribers: monthly ballpark passes, flash sales of 200 or so tickets at a very nice price, and a “Sox Save of The Week”. No need to pay face price, especially when you can be flexible about when you go. Click here to sign up…

“I don’t know about the window with no line. What if it’s for farm vehicles?”

Cheap White Sox Tickets, Tip #2) Use The Box Office. Except for Opening Day and Cubs games, most White Sox games don’t sell out, and there’s no online fee for buying tickets at the box office. If you’re buying multiple tickets especially, the online fees add up, and they’re not necessary. Just go on game day and get tickets there.

You don’t have to work quite so hard to get in the ballpark.

Cheap White Sox Tickets, Tip #3) Donate Blood Or Something. The White Sox hold community events and they offer free or discounted tickets to charitable groups…more so than most teams. Check the community and group tickets section of their website, because you may find a great deal for philanthropic sorts.

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Cheap White Sox Tickets, Bonus Tip!) Try TickPick! My friends at TickPick usually have great deals on White Sox tickets, and I’m not just saying that because they’re an affiliate of mine. Click here to check out their inventory of White Sox tickets…but remember that you can’t print them now. 

There’s three ways to save money on White Sox tickets, but there’s plenty more deals out there…stay tuned. If you’d like to know some things about seating here, check this out.

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If you’re going to see the White Sox for the first time, I’ve put together some of my favorite Guaranteed Rate Field tips for you below. It may not present the same challenges as Wrigley Field on the north side, but to some, that’s what makes Guaranteed Rate Field a fun place.

Here are some tips you should know for your first trip.

Hmmm…which window has that “generous” guy?

Visiting Guaranteed Rate Field Tip #1: Get tickets from the box office. That is, unless you can find a crazy great deal from a third party seller; but the White Sox don’t sell out most games and they don’t charge fees at the box office. You can save quite a few bucks this way, especially buying multiple tickets.

The only exceptions to this rule are Cubs games and perhaps Yankees and Red Sox games on July/August weekends.

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You didn’t check your E-Guide?

Visiting Guaranteed Rate Field Tip #2: Avoid the upper (500) level seats! Yes, they’re cheap and yes they offer a nice panoramic view. They’re also restricted; fans with upper level tickets are not allowed to access other levels of the ballpark.

This can be a real downer for a traveling fan who likes to walk around an entire ballpark to see what food offerings and statues are there, and that’s most of us. 500 level seats are for people looking for a White Sox game on the cheap, not first time visitors. If you want to go cheap, go for the outfield corners.

Nothing but old lots that don’t take coupons to the right.

Visiting Guaranteed Rate Field Tip #3: Drive only on Sundays. The CTA Red and Green Lines both serve Guaranteed Rate Field well, as does Metra Rail. All three have stations close enough to the ballpark that it’s in view from the station platform.

You can drive to the game if you want to be a part of a tailgating scene that is certainly respectable, but it’s a fairly high parking cost. Parking is much cheaper on Sundays, though, so save the brats and grill for the Sunday afternoon games and use CTA or Metra (or the Pace Express!) for the rest of them.

Chicago dogs in Chicago. When common sense just works.

Visiting Guaranteed Rate Field Tip #4: Have a Comiskey Dog. Or Burger. The Comiskey dogs are the Chicago-style dogs at the ballpark; it’s a dog the way it’s meant to be in Chicago, with yellow mustard, chopped onions, neon green relish, pickle spear, tomato chunks, sport peppers and celery salt. Or get the Comiskey Burger…with cheddar cheese, pico de gallo and other Chicago Dog ingredients.

There’s other great food here like Bobak’s sausages and elotes, but the Comiskey dogs and burgers are the true taste of Chicago.

The short porch will jack up your kid’s power numbers.

Visiting Guaranteed Rate Field Tip #5: Bring the kids. Guaranteed Rate has one thing on its neighbor in Wrigleyville; it’s much more kid-friendly. Not only is it a whole lot cheaper to bring the little ones to a game, there’s a terrific Xfinity Kids Zone in left field, with interactive games and a wiffle ball field on the upper level.

And not to be derisive of the smaller crowds the Sox are drawing, but it is a bit less worrisome with little ones to not be in a concourse jammed with people as Wrigley so frequently is. Wait until the kids are a little older for the Friendly Confines…for now take them to a game on the South Side.

There you go…some first time tips for visiting Guaranteed Rate Field. There’s a whole lot more to know of course…click here for more useful seating, parking and food advice!

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To get to Guaranteed Rate Field isn’t near as challenging as getting to Wrigley, its venerable neighbor to the north. There are a few reasons for this: the White Sox offer more parking, they don’t draw as well as the Cubs, and there isn’t much else in the area drawing crowds, at least not at the moment.

But this isn’t to say that you won’t run into difficulties on the South Side. The Dan Ryan Expressway (I-90/94) in Chicago was recently called one of the worst bottlenecks in America by Some Highway Commission; the Red Line gets packed before games—and people often complain of the odor of urine, although I don’t remember it; and the neighborhood, while improved, is not a place where many folks remain after the game.

But as of 2011 the nice folks at Metrarail, one of the public transportation arms of Chicago, have introduced a new remedy to all of this.

Lou Jones, apparently, was into stairways and ramps.

Metra is the commuter rail service serving the metropolitan area. Train lines run from towns as remote as Kenosha, Wisconsin and Manhattan, Illinois. It is a highly regarded service for commuters, with quiet and efficient cars.

It can be used for getting to Sox or Cubs games, but from most routes it involves a transfer to the CTA Red Line downtown, and sometimes that includes a walk of a few blocks.

In 2010 Metra feverishly worked on a station located at 35th and LaSalle Streets, which requires a very short walk to get to Guaranteed Rate Field. The new station is called the “Lou Jones/Bronzeville Station” named after Lou Jones/Bronzeville (snort), a state majority leader who passed in 2006.

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See you in the Loop.

The new station is part of the Rock Island Line, which has its suburban terminus about 40 miles southwest of Chicago in Joliet. The daily fee for parking is usually just a buck or two, and it’s free to park on weekends—a much better deal than you’ll get anywhere close to the ballpark. Depending on how far away you start, the fare for the train one way can be between $2.25 and $7.75.

By yourself or with maybe one other person, it’s probably cheaper than gas and parking, not to mention the saved aggravation of driving in downtown Chicago, which can be irritating for a Sox game. Far better to enjoy a beer on a train.

There are, of course, many other cool, cheap and fun ways to get to Guaranteed Rate…like the venerable Red Line, the Pace Express Bus, the Reggies Rock Bus, or just driving you car. Stay tuned for more…

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There is a lot of interesting variation on the Guaranteed Rate Field food menu. The White Sox, like most teams, offer a lot of local iconic eats, but they also feature a few items that acknowledge the Latin community in town, like elotes, Cuban sandwiches, hot tamales and walking tacos.

Here are three items worth trying at the ballpark…get your Chicago fix in and have some Latin flavor with it.

Comiskey Dogs? Wasn’t that a Quentin Tarantino movie?

Guaranteed Rate Field Food Tip #1: The Comiskey Dog. Well, yes. Chicago, as a city, worships the hot dog, and they have their own popular variation of it. The city is home to any number of hot dog joints, most all of which will hand you a dog cooked Chicago-style, or “dragged through the garden” as frequent Chicago visitors call it.

So it follows that you have to have a Vienna Beef classic on a poppy seed roll, topped with…in order…yellow mustard, chopped onions, neon green relish, pickle spear, tomato chunks, sport peppers and celery salt.

There are plenty of places to get ordinary dogs or Bobak’s sausages at Guaranteed Rate Field. But if you want the authentic stuff from the Windy City, Comiskey Dogs has it.

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The Chi-town pico is a nice healthy offset to bacon on a stick.

Guaranteed Rate Field Food Tip #2: The Comiskey Burger. Whoa, that was a curveball, right? Comiskey Burger? Did they even have burgers at ballparks in Comiskey’s day?

Well, the idea behind the Comiskey burger is to create a burger offering that is every bit as Chicago as the Comiskey Dog, which it is…the Comiskey Burger is two decent sized patties with cheddar cheese, topped with pico de gallo and the Chicago Dog ingredients, sport peppers and all.

Again, they have ordinary burgers at the rest of the stands, and you can get turkey or black bean burgers, but man, if you’re gonna get a burger, get that Chicago-style too. It’s worth the couple extra bucks.

We keep the cobs and pass the savings on to you the consumer!

Guaranteed Rate Field Food Tip #3: Elotes. Elotes is another word for corn off the cob…yes, off the cob. At Guaranteed Rate (I’ll never get used to that name), the shucked corn comes with a load of toppings: salt, butter, cayenne pepper, cheese, and mayo. They call it a “healthy” option…I don’t know about all that, but they’re tasty and popular here.

If you’re wondering why corn off the cob isn’t just called “corn”, it’s because it’s shucked off the cob right there in front of you, as proof that it didn’t come from a can.

I’ve heard the White Sox wouldn’t sell actual corn cobs because of their weapon potential. But their selling of mac and cheese bites now kind of negates that theory.

There you go…three Guaranteed Rate food menu items worth trying at your next Sox game. Not only are they unique to this ballpark, they’re pretty unique as variations on classics too. But there’s also the burgers at the Craft Kave, the Southside Italian beef (sandwiches), the Wok-Off noodles, and Cuban Comet sandwiches…stay tuned.

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Hopefully this website has helped you with some decent Guaranteed Rate Field tips…I would have liked to know about that Comiskey Burger. But here are a few extras things you might like to check out while you’re at the “Rate” (sigh).

Because when you think youth baseball, you think Xfinity.

Extra Guaranteed Rate Field Tips, #1: The Fundamentals Kids Zone. The Comcast FUNdamentals area is located in the left field corner…kids can play on a wiffle ball field, and learn all kinds of baseball skills completely free of charge. It’s really impressive, as if the White Sox were attempting to make up for not having a kids zone for years.

It is also accessible from the upper level, so you don’t have to spend for a lower level seat just to bring the kids to happy zone. Nearby is a “Rookie’s Club” selling kid-sized portions of food.

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Before all those big buildings were there, you could see Wrigley from here.

Extra Guaranteed Rate Field Tips, #2: The View From The Upper Level. As mentioned before, if you have an upper level seat you aren’t allowed in the lower sections. But it’s not all bad, since the ramps are on the northern side of the ballpark, and at the top on a clear day you can have a fine view of the Chicago skyline. This is even worth the trip if you’re sitting in the lower level to begin with.

When they put lockers in for towels, it’s gonna rock.

Extra Guaranteed Rate Field Tips, #3: The Rain Room. The Rain Room in the large outfield concourse area is a throwback to the days of late White Sox owner Bill Veeck, who never ran out of ways to improve the baseball experience for fans. It is a small area where fans can duck out of the heat and have a cool mist sprayed on them. The original shower was brought over from the old Comiskey, but is only on display now as an ad for some plumbing outfit. If you want to get some odd looks, head for the Rain Room during an April night game.

There are also the player statues in the outfield, the tailgating scene before the game, and the humorous special promotions the White Sox feature, like 80s Mullet Night (OK, my past mullet isn’t something I’d admit to…not for upper level tickets, anyway). All good stuff. But these are three of my favorite Guaranteed Rate Field tips.

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I have great respect for White Sox fans. It can’t be easy. For all of the romanticizing of the 86-year championship drought endured by Red Sox fans and the continuing looking to next year that Cubs fans endured, White Sox fans never seemed to garner any sympathy for the 88 seasons that they pulled for the Pale Hose without seeing a championship.

Surely, thousands of fans attended games through their entire lives without ever once seeing their heroes on top of the baseball world.

2001 was year 84 of the drought.

In the years from 1919 to 2005 after the Black Sox, the White Sox had four playoff appearances, losing in the first round of each one…the World Series of 1959, the American League Championship Series of 1983 and 1993, and the League Division Series of 2000. They had experienced almost every bit the level of futility as the Red Sox or Cubs, if not the devastating near misses. Yet the White Sox seemed to garner nowhere near the compassion.

One possible reason is, of course, the so-called Curse of the Black Sox. Bambino and Billy Goat curses are easier for fans to pour their heart into…after all, what did Ted Williams or Carl Yastrzemski or Ernie Banks or Ryne Sandberg do to deserve to never win a title in their careers? But it seems more just for the baseball gods to punish a team that desecrated the sanctity of the World Series.

To this day the biggest names associated with the White Sox to most fans are Charles Comiskey, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Buck Weaver and Eddie Cicotte…names that are just as well known (thanks partly to Eliot Asinof and Hollywood) as Frank Thomas, Luke Appling, Harold Baines or owner Jerry Reinsdorf, who paid for the 2005 championship drought-ending team. Even if you are sympathetic to Shoeless Joe, as many fans are, that can’t be an easy legacy to champion.

I’ve asked some White Sox fans what they think is the reason the Sox’s drought gets dismissed in comparison. The consensus is generally that while the Black Sox may have something to do with it, there are some other possible reasons too.

For one, White Sox never seemed to suffer the colossal near misses that the Red Sox did.

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They probably figured they’d be putting up another banner well before 2004.

The Red Sox made four World Series in their 86-year drought; each one went seven games and ended in a Red Sox loss. In 1986 the Red Sox blew a two-run lead in the tenth inning of Game 6, coming within one strike of winning the Series before a ground ball trickled through Bill Buckner’s legs.

The Curse of the Bambino was by far the easiest of all to really believe in, given the crushing defeats that always seemed to befall the Red Sox. Until the NLCS of 2003 and the infamous Bartman game, the Cubs seemed to simply suffer from a usually incompetent roster more than a black cloud waiting to unceremoniously deflate fragile hopes.

Another reason a White Sox fan suggested to me is the lack of a well-known rivalry with a team whose success on the field has been the opposite of futility. The Red Sox have, of course, the fierce rivalry with the Yankees that has lasted ever since the sale of Babe Ruth to the Bronx. The Yankees are the most successful team in major sports history, with 27 World Series championships.

In second place in World Series titles is the St. Louis Cardinals…who scored a miraculous 11th in 2011, and who were for many years the Cubs’ biggest rival. While interleague play has turned Cubs and White Sox fans into snarling crosstown enemies, the Cubs fans rivalry with Cards fans is still going pretty strong.

Don’t worry, we’ll get another star pitcher when Feller retires.

By contrast, the White Sox have never had a team in their division racking up titles and bringing crowing fans into Comiskey/U.S. Cellular/Guaranteed Rate from out of town.

There’s a rivalry of sorts with the Indians, but the Tribe has been enduring a pretty long championship drought of its own—64 years as of this writing and probably counting. White Sox fans don’t care much for Tigers fans, but the Tigers have only put four titles on the board, just one more than the Sox.

Then there’s the characterization of the teams’ fan bases.

Two directions…two entirely different baseball worlds.

Wrigley Field and Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago are separated only by a half-hour train ride on the CTA Red Line. But they might as well be in different countries. At Wrigley a baseball game is a celebration that engulfs the entire neighborhood, from the rooftops of nearby houses to the drinking establishments where the party often continues, win or lose.

At Guaranteed Rate, fans are there to see a game, and the only partying is in the parking lots—although there is a considerable amount of happy times there. There is almost no ballpark neighborhood to speak of, and the South Side has a reputation for being a place people don’t want to be at night, so if you’re not interested in baseball, you’re less likely to enjoy yourself at a White Sox game. But at least won’t be surrounded by mai-tai drinking cell phone users, and you can better follow what’s going down on the field.

Sure, what the Cubs endured was rough, and being a Red Sox fan for those 86 years could have made normal people suicidal. That aside, it’s not like White Sox fans haven’t had to endure more than their share of heartache.

They won 99 games in 1983, only to lose an ALCS to a seemingly destined Orioles club. They had to face a well-funded Blue Jays team in 1993 and hung tough until a six-game ALCS loss. The 2000 Sox won 95 games, the best in the American League, but fell to the Mariners in four games of the ALDS.

For 40 years, Sox fans had to live with their team corrupted into a loss in their last appearance in the World Series. The 1959 World Series loss to the Dodgers had to be tough too…Sox fans knew very well by then how long it could be before their team could make it back to the Big Show, and indeed the White Sox wouldn’t be back again for another 46 years.

So what’s a measly 88 years?

That the Sox swept the Astros in four games in the 2005 Series probably saved the hearts of some older Sox fans, who would have had enough without a nail-biter seven-game Series.

To grow up in the city of Wrigley Field and the Cubs and become a White Sox fan, one must acquire or already possess a nonconformist nature. It could be argued that White Sox fans are more dedicated than most in baseball, even if the White Sox aren’t among league leaders in attendance. Not only did they go 88 years without a title, they did it without soulful books and poetic tributes from sportswriters about a suspected hex that had been placed on their team.

So here’s to the White Sox fans…and all their loyal dedication to the Sox without forming support groups.

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Most baseball fans will tell you that the demolition of their old home ballpark was a very sad day in their lives, and Old Comiskey Park was no slouch in its historical value. As an Orioles fan I still feel that way about Memorial Stadium. But time moves on, and the job of an author is to capture what was.

My friend Floyd Sullivan, author of “Waiting for the Cubs”, has done an outstanding job of just that, with his collection of essays from writers, players and fans about the old ballpark on the South Side of Chicago. The full title of the tome is “Old Comiskey Park: Essays and Memories of the Historic Home of the Chicago White Sox, 1910-1991“.

Old Comiskey Park, by Floyd Sullivan of the Waiting For The Cubs blog.

If you are an older Sox fan especially, this book should be your Bible when it comes to their beloved former home.

The book begins with a terrific piece from Carl Rinder, describing the early history of the area and the three neighborhoods bordering Comiskey: Bridgeport, Douglas, and Chinatown. This is followed by Richard Smiley’s essay of the construction of the new ballpark in 1910, replacing the then state of the art Sox Park.

From there the book details the history of events that took place at Comiskey…like the first ever All-Star Game, with the two teams led by the heavyweight managers of the day–John McGraw and Connie Mack; the Negro League games played by the American Giants of Chicago and the popular East-West games that were often played there; the 1919 “Black Sox” World Series, the 1959 World Series, the 1983 ALCS, and three other All-Star Games.

Sullivan himself contributes a section dedicated to other events held at Comiskey. If you’ve ever seen the movie “Cinderella Man”, you know that Joe Louis claimed James Braddock was the toughest fighter he ever fought. That fight took place at Comiskey. There were legendary wrestling matches, it was the home of the Chicago football Cardinals, even roller derby events. And of course, the Beatles played Comiskey Park.

My personal favorite parts of the book are the bits about the inimitable Bill Veeck, who owned the Sox for a spell and was known for his imaginative promotions.

Dan Helpingtine contributes a great bit about Veeck…including, of course, the story behind “Disco Demolition Night”. It wasn’t Veeck’s finest hour.

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Veeck as in wreck.

But Veeck’s contributions to the game are often underappreciated…such as the home run celebration, extremely common today but unusual when the scoreboard first exploded at Comiskey. That was not a popular celebration among other teams…which was precisely why it stayed.

And I didn’t know this: the tradition of Harry Caray singing ”Take Me Out To The Ballgame” started at Comiskey. Caray was the White Sox announcer, and Bill Veeck urged him to lead the crowd, knowing that everyone in the stands could sing it better than he could and wouldn’t be afraid to join in. If that doesn’t cement Veeck as a promotional genius, I don’t know what does.

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Another excellent piece comes from Greg Prince, author of the popular Mets blog “Faith and Fear in Flushing”. Prince tells his story of being in Chicago on business and wanting to visit Wrigley, but with the Cubs out of town he decides reluctantly to visit Comiskey instead…and while there he is shocked by what a true gem Comiskey turned out to be as a home of baseball, and to this day favors it to Camden Yards and PNC Park.

Towards the end are the somber reflections of players, personnel and fans as they share their memories and the emotion of losing their childhood second home. Interestingly, there is a consensus that it needed to be replaced among most, very unlike the angry fan reaction to the demise of Tiger Stadium. But this isn’t of much comfort to fans. There are quite a few tearjerker moments, something older Tigers and Orioles fans can certainly understand.

“Old Comiskey Park” is a large volume, and it works best as a coffee table book that you can open to any page and read a story about something that happened at Comiskey…like the first All-Star Game, the East-West Negro League games, or Disco Demolition Night. Or the great White Sox teams, like the Go-Go Sox or the South Side Hitmen, or the personalities like Charles Comiskey, Al Simmons or Bill Veeck.

For anyone who loved the old park, it’s an absolute must have…and for any White Sox fan or student of baseball history, it’s a great read. Check it out.

Planning a trip to Chicago? Save a bunch of money on hotels, flights and rental cars…book your trip with my friends at Hotwire! (It’s still Kurt’s favorite!)

Click here to start booking your trip to Chicago and Guaranteed Rate Field today!

(Note: this article contains affiliate links. If you use an affiliate link to make a purchase, Ballpark E-Guides earns a commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!)