It all started after Robert Prevost was elected as the 267th pontiff. In a twist worthy of a sitcom, Pope Leo’s own brother, John Prevost, set the record straight on live TV: the Pope is, and always has been, a White Sox fan-born and raised in Dolton, deep in Sox territory. “Yeah, he was never ever a Cubs fan. So, I don’t know where that came from. He was always a Sox fan,” he said.
He didn’t stop there. Clarifying the misinformation, John told CBS News Chicago, “They had it wrong. He’s a Sox, and then the radio announced Cubs, and that’s not true,” as long as he’s known him. The White Sox wasted no time, firing back with their own celebration. Next thing? Rate Field lit with a message: “Hey Chicago, He’s a Sox Fan!”
Well, would you look at that… Congratulations to Chicago’s own Pope Leo XIV pic.twitter.com/U5DJ7TOyDr
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) May 8, 2025
The Cubs may not have been able to include Pope Leo XIV in their fandom, but they sure can include his mother. John revealed he and Pope Leo XIV aren’t the only baseball fans in Prevost’s household. While their mother supported the Cubs, their father was a big Cardinals fan. Perhaps, that’s how the Cubs got the idea that Pope Leo XIV was also a Cubs fan.
While the Cubs sit atop the National League Central with a 22-16 record and .579 Pct, the White Sox are at the bottom of the American League Central with a 10-28 record and a .263 Pct. The White Sox have been an absolute disaster this season, and fans can’t get over it. That’s why, when the White Sox bragged that the new pope chose them over the Cubs didn’t sit well with the fans. There was widespread criticism, and fans started making fun of the White Sox.
Picking White Sox over Cubs leads to fans’ fury
As the news ricocheted across social media, fans from both sides joined in the fun. One fan joked that the Pope’s support for the Sox makes him “a true advocate for the downtrodden.” After all, the White Sox are going through a crisis at the moment, and sadly, not just in the bullpen. Being fed up with their woes, fans brutally reflected their anger by urging the club’s owner, Jerry Reinsdorf, to quit.
A true advocate for the downtrodden.
— Charlotte Clymer (@cmclymer) May 8, 2025
“The best news the White Sox have had in 20 years. You guys need all the help you can get.” That’s another funny comment, suggesting it might be the best news that the White Sox have ever received. Well, the White Sox may be on their way to having the worst back-to-back seasons in MLB history, possibly even surpassing the modern MLB record of 79-226, a record held by the Philadelphia Athletics in 1915/1916.
Then came more criticism: “Witnessed a 41-121 season and still believes in God, I have to respect it.” It seems the fan is recalling the 2024 season when the White Sox finished 41-121, breaking the record for losses, which was previously held by the New York Mets, who went 40-120 during the inaugural season of the club.
Losing all faith in the White Sox, another X user commented, “Even divine intervention cannot fix the Sox.” And it’s true—it’s just not happy for the White Sox anymore. They suffered yet another humiliating defeat, losing their eleventh consecutive game in Kauffman Stadium on Thursday. They lost 10-0 against the Kansas City Royals, and their offensive woes continue.
The final comment was nothing short of brutal: “IMPEACH HIM,” a fan wrote—a massive call made against the pope for supporting the White Sox. However, despite a challenging start to the season, the White Sox were doing quite well at times, even if it wasn’t reflected in the record book, though. They entered Thursday with a -29-run differential, which was 60 runs better than the club last year, although that hasn’t made an impact on the standings so far.
The post Pope’s Pick White Sox’s Gloating Over Cubs Backfires With Hilarious Fan Trolling: “Advocate for the Downtrodden” appeared first on EssentiallySports.