The Top Of Their Game: Cubs/Sox Week Day 3

     In 1906, the Cubs and the White Sox faced each other in the World Series.  The matchup led to such a commotion and an upset victory by the White Sox that it quickly became the stuff of legend.  Over the intervening decades, the two teams never again approached playing each other when it counted.  Then, the 1977 season saw both the Cubs and the Sox leading their respective divisions in the summertime and thoughts began to turn to another all-Chicago World Series.  Alas, both teams bottomed out by the Fall, and it was not to be.  31 years later, the flames of destiny would be fanned once more.

     The year was 2008, and it was the 100th Anniversary of the Cubs' last World Series victory.  Not just that, but both teams were doing surprisingly well.  When the time came for the annual face-off, the two teams were at the top of their divisions, and the gauntlet had been thrown down.

     The Series touched off on June 20, at Wrigley Field.  Heading into the final stretch of the game, the Cubs were down when Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez homered to tie up the game.  Then Ramirez smacked a walk-off homer to seal up the game 4-3.  For Game 2 of the series, the Cubs were down 4-1 in the 4th inning, when the team lit up the Sox for 9 runs in the 4th, ultimately prevailing by a score of 11-7.  The next night, the Cubs dazzled before a national audience with a 7-1 victory, prompting A.J. Pierzynski(2 years removed from his infamous bout with Michael Barrett) to parrot Lee Elia's infamous rant from 25 years previously.

     The following weekend, the series reconvened at U.S. Cellular Field.  The first pitch of Game 4 was thrown out by newly acquired Bulls guard Derrick Rose, after which it was the South Siders turn to produce a laugher, beating the Cubs 10-3.  The following day saw the White Sox stifle a Cubs rally to win the game 6-5.  Finally, the Series Finale saw the White Sox emerge victorious by a score of 5-1.  Final Results of the 2008 Crosstown Classic: 3 wins for the Cubs, 3 wins for the Sox.

     At the end of things, the all time series was tied 33-33, and the two teams still led their divisions.  There were still murmurs about another all-Chicago World Series, and while both teams made the playoffs in the same year for the first time since 1906, they both lost in the Division Series.