Tag / John Rooney

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20 Years Later

White Sox win the 2005 World Series

Jenks with a deep breath.  He OKs the sign.  From the stretch, with a runner at second.  Here’s the 1-2 pitch to Palmeiro.  A ground ball, past Jenks, up the middle of the infield.  Uribe has it.  He throws.  OUT!  OUT!  A White Sox winner!  And a World Championship!  The White Sox have won the World Series and they’re mobbing each other on the field.

The celebration is on the mound right now at Minute Maid Park in Houston on Wednesday, October 26th, 2005.  The White Sox have won their first World Championship since 1917.  And the players are absolutely going wild on the infield.  Enjoy the celebration, Chicago.  This is long overdue.

John Rooney
10-26-2005

Twenty years ago tonight, the White Sox ended their 88-year title drought, winning their first World Series since 1917.  Sadly, they’ve only returned to the playoffs three times in the twenty seasons since and failing to finish above .500 thirteen of those years.

Much of this year was spent celebrating the championship team, as well it should have been, but hopefully there will be more focus now on winning another.  Hopefully it won’t take another 70+ years.

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iTunes Top 200: #6

Music.  It is a powerful thing that brings people together, creates memories, and evokes emotions.  It is the universal language that speaks to the soul.  It forms the soundtrack of our lives.

It has now been five years since we last counted down the Top 200 songs in my iTunes library, featuring he songs I have listened to the most since 2007.  It is time to do so again, seeing which older songs still resonate and if any newer ones have joined the fray.  So, without further ado, here are my most listened to songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2025.

We continue this week with the two tracks tied for sixth on this countdown with 152 plays apiece, both of which have ties to the local ballclub and neither of which would classify as a traditional song.

#7: sox05_montage
iTunes stats: 152 plays, most recently on 8/28/2024
Previous ranking: #6

In 2005, the White Sox won their first division title since 2000, their first ALDS and ALCS ever, and, finally, their first World Series championship since 1917.  This track contains radio highlights from John Rooney and Ed Farmer, courtesy of the team’s flagship ESPN 1000, of the entire 2005 season, starting with a 1-0 victory over Cleveland at US Cellular Field and culminating in a 1-0 victory against the Astros in Houston to give the White Sox their first championship in 88 years.  It featured on my White Sox victory playlists for the next decade, finally dropping off in 2015.

#6: Gordon Beckham Intro
iTunes stats: 152 plays, most recently on 6/27/2024
Previous ranking: #6

Drafted by the White Sox as the eighth overall pick in 2008, Gordon Beckham made a splash when he first broke into the Major Leagues in 2009.  He used The Outfield’s hit Your Love as his walkup song, which was not part of my collection at the time.  This recording, featuring Gene Honda introducing the former White Sox infielder as he came up to the plate, was a part of my White Sox victory playlist until I was able to track down a copy of the real thing.

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RIP Farmio

The White Sox announced yesterday that long-time radio broadcaster Ed Farmer had passed away Wednesday night.  Farmer, who missed parts of last season due to illness, returned for the initial broadcast of spring training earlier this year, but then stepped away again in early March to continue recovering.  He was 70.

Farmer, a Chicago native and graduate of St. Rita, pitched for the White Sox from mid-1979 through 1981 and set a then-team record with 30 saves in 1980, earning him an All-Star team bid for the best season of his 11 year pitching career.  He was working as a scout for the Orioles in 1990 when he was asked to fill in on a few White Sox broadcasts.  He became a special assistant to White Sox GM Ron Schueler in 1991 and filled in for John Rooney when he was on national assignments.

Farmer replaced Wayne Hagin in the radio booth in 1992, teaming with Rooney for the next 14 seasons.  In 2004, the duo were named the best radio team in the American League by USA Today.  When Rooney left following the 2005 season, Farmer became the play-by-play man and teamed with Chris Singleton, Steve Stone, and Darrin Jackson, who has been his radio partner since 2009.

Farmer was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease and received a kidney transplant from his brother in 1991.

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He (Nearly) Gone

Ken-HarrelsonBack in October, the White Sox announced that Ken Harrelson, the play by play man for White Sox television broadcasts since 1990, will be cutting back his role this year, working road games, the home opener, and the Cubs series.  The 74 year old Harrelson, who has a 100 mile commute each way from his home in Indiana to US Cellular Field, had hinted at reducing his schedule prior to last season, but changed his mind after the team’s off-season moves offered the promise of an exciting summer.

Yesterday, the White Sox made the move official and announced the hiring of Jason Benetti, a 32-year old Homewood native who cut his professional broadcasting teeth with the Syracuse Chiefs, the Triple A affiliate of the Nationals.  Benetti becomes the first actual broadcaster hired by the White Sox since John Rooney in 1988.  The White Sox also announced that Harrelson and Steve Stone have signed multi-year extensions, settling the television booth for years to come.

I’ve never heard Benetti’s work (he also does college basketball on ESPN), but am looking forward to a younger and competent voice joining the broadcast booth.  An improved team and an improved broadcast booth should lead to an enjoyable summer.

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10 Years Later

White Sox win the 2005 World Series

Jenks with a deep breath.  He OKs the sign.  From the stretch, with a runner at second.  Here’s the 1-2 pitch to Palmeiro.  A ground ball, past Jenks, up the middle of the infield.  Uribe has it.  He throws.  OUT!  OUT!  A White Sox winner!  And a World Championship!  The White Sox have won the World Series and they’re mobbing each other on the field.

The celebration is on the mound right now at Minute Maid Park in Houston on Wednesday, October 26th, 2005.  The White Sox have won their first World Championship since 1917.  And the players are absolutely going wild on the infield.  Enjoy the celebration, Chicago.  This is long overdue.

John Rooney
10-26-2005

10 years ago tonight, the White Sox ended an 88-year title drought, winning their first World Series since 1917.  Sadly, they’ve only returned to the playoffs once in the 10 seasons since and failing to break .500 6 of those years.  Much of this year was spent celebrating the championship team, as well it should have been, but hopefully there will be more focus now on winning another.  Hopefully it won’t take another 70+ years.

by admin

5 Years Ago

White Sox win the 2005 World Series

Jenks with a deep breath.  He OKs the sign.  From the stretch, with a runner at second.  Here’s the 1-2 pitch to Palmeiro.  A ground ball, past Jenks, up the middle of the infield.  Uribe has it.  He throws.  OUT!  OUT!  A White Sox winner!  And a World Championship!  The White Sox have won the World Series and they’re mobbing each other on the field.

The celebration is on the mound right now at Minute Maid Park in Houston on Wednesday, October 26th, 2005.  The White Sox have won their first World Championship since 1917.  And the players are absolutley going wild on the infield.  Enjoy the celebration, Chicago.  This is long overdue.

John Rooney
10-26-2005