In a reversal of roles, a fan has signed a jersey for a pro athlete.
Pope Leo XIV had a signed jersey delivered to former Chicago White Sox great Paul Konerko.
During a pre-game ceremony preceding a match with the Cleveland Guardians, Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich gifted Konerko a jersey adorned with the new pontiff’s signature on the back.
It had the six-time All-Star’s last name and “Pope Leo” above the No. 14.
Robert Prevost became the first pope from the US in the history of the Catholic Church when he was elected May 8.
The Chicago-born missionary, who took the name Leo XIV, is a White Sox fan.
Prevost attended the 2005 World Series opener against Houston in Chicago.
He watched from Section 140, Row 19, Seat 2 as the White Sox beat the Astros 5-3 on their way to a four-game sweep and their first title since 1917.
Prevost appeared on the “MLB on FOX” broadcast of the game held at US Cellular Field on October 22, 2005. The cameras caught him in the ninth inning while the White Sox were securing a 5-3 victory over the Houston Astros.
According to the White Sox, the pope attended the game with the late Ed Schmit, a family friend and season ticket holder.
The two were acquainted through their professional engagements at a Catholic high school situated on Chicago’s South Side, with Schmit’s son, Nick, still holding the account for the pope’s World Series seat.
Prevost was first revealed as a White Sox fan when his brother, John Prevost, mentioned it in an interview with WGN-TV.
“He was always a Sox fan,” John said.
In May, the team unveiled a graphic installed near the seat paying tribute to Pope Leo and that moment.
The pillar artwork features a waving Pope Leo XIV along with a picture from the TV broadcast of the future pope sitting with good Schmit and his grandson, Eddie.
Members of the 2005 team are in Chicago this weekend to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the championship run.
The White Sox debuted uniform patches honoring late closer Bobby Jenks, who died last week in Portugal, where he was being treated for stomach cancer.
On Friday, the team unveiled a statue of former ace Mark Buehrle.
