It isn’t very often that a four-game sweep can be called exciting, but the 2005 World Series had a lot of excitement packed into a short series. Extra innings, timely hits, great defense, tough pitching, big home runs from unlikely sources… this was a series that should have gone the distance just for the possibility of further drama. The White Sox bring home the trophy in a close series.
Fans of the Chicago White Sox can finally rejoice.
All those people with the Carlton Fisk, Britt Burns, Bobby Thigpen, Mike Squires and Chet Lemon jerseys hanging in their closets finally have something to cheer about. I just hope that none of them had the black uniform shorts to match.
Regardless if you had the pajama-style uniform or not, all Pale Hose followers were celebrating this past week after the White Sox defeated the Houston Astros in the Fall Classic.
This was a fun series to watch no matter who you were rooting for. The Astros starting rotation was loaded with plenty of post season experience in Roger Clemens and Andy Petite. The White Sox had plenty of experienced pitching as well, with two former Yankees of their own, Jose Contreras and Orlando Hernandez, having pitched under October pressure.
The Sox were riding high with a lot of good luck coming into the series after defeating the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels. The ‘Stros were also hot after dismissing the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals. They met in an evenly matched battle after a long, hot summer, and the series had all the makings of a six or seven game chess match.
However, Houston basically lost this series because their bats went cold, especially with runners in scoring position. Chicago’s staff was able to get the big out whenever they needed it.
The breaks may have gone the White Sox way, but good teams have a way of doing that. They took advantage of all the things that favored them. They played spirited ball and did the little things right. They earned all of their accomplishments this season.
This was a World Series to enjoy and be remembered. Many years from now when we see the results of a four-game sweep, we may forget how tight and well played all of the games were. Any of them could have gone either way.
Here’s to the Chicago White Sox. Exploding scoreboards and Disco Demolition Night forever.