Chicagoans were talking about one pressing subject as the world welcomed its first American pope: Cubs or Sox?
Growing up, Robert Francis Prevost—now Pope Leo XIV—was raised in a divided household. Born in Bronzeville and brought up in the south suburbs, his mother was a devoted Cubs supporter from the North Side of Chicago. A fan of the St. Louis Cardinals, his father?
However, his brother John Prevost claims that the new pope immediately made his own decision, and it wasn’t the Cubs.
John told WGN that whoever stated “Cubs” on the radio was mistaken.”That’s the Sox. He was never a Cubs fan at all.
John and Louis are the two brothers of Pope Leo XIV. A former Catholic school principal, John recently resolved the controversy over the Pope’s baseball allegiances, and Louis, a veteran of the armed forces, resides in Florida.
Therefore, it is evident that the pope’s loyalty to the diamond has always been unwavering, even though he currently leads 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide.
His heart belongs to the South Side.
Social media was rocked when it was revealed that Pope Leo’s favorite team was the Chicago Cubs, who promptly attempted to claim the freshly elected pope as their own.
Hours after his historic hiring, the team paid tribute to him online, quoting commentator Harry Caray’s famous statement, “The good Lord wants the Cubs to win!”
“Families are always the best.”
However, the last laugh went to the South Side.
Immediately embracing their sacred relationship, the White Sox sent a club jersey and cap straight to the Vatican.
According to the team, “family always knows best,” NBC Chicago said. And the lifetime admiration for Pope Leo XIV seems to be more in line with Shields and 35th. We’re happy to see a White Sox supporter at the Vatican, but there are some issues that transcend sports.
Sports allegiances
According to the Sun-Times, Pope Leo went to mass frequently at St. Mary of the Assumption, which is situated on the city’s Far Southeast Side, and spent his early years in the Dolton suburb.
Sister Barbara Reid, president of the Catholic Theological Union, where Prevost previously attended, commended his character during a press conference on Thursday, saying, “He’s an extraordinary person with a very keen intellect, a heart as big as the whole world, especially for the people who most are on the margins.”
Despite spending a significant portion of his adult life serving the Church overseas, especially in Peru, Pope Leo has never forgotten his roots in the Windy City or his passion for sports.
Pope’s preferred soccer team
Pope Leo is a 1977 Villanova University alumnus who has always had a strong interest in sports. Robert Prevost proved his devotion to the South Side before becoming pope by supporting the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field during the 2005 World Series.
In addition to baseball, Prevost is an avid tennis player who describes himself as a casual player.
He even acknowledged being an amateur tennis enthusiast in an interview conducted in 2023. He remarked, “I am eager to return to the court because I have not had many opportunities to practice since leaving Peru.” “So far, I don’t have a lot of free time for it because of this new job.”
It has also been said that Pope Leo has long been a supporter of Alianza Lima, a well-known soccer team in Peru.
