Red Sox-Yankees
Cowboys-Redskins
Bears-Packers
UNC-Duke
These are all great rivalries and the Sox-Cubs rivalry doesn’t even come close to those but there is one thing that neither of those four have, a CROSSTOWN Rivalry. For over a decade now the Cubs and Sox have been battling in the Crosstown Classic. Each year during interleague play the teams play one series at Wrigley Field and one series at U.S. Cellular Field. The only time that these teams have met was the 1906 World Series where the White Sox won the series 4-2 to capture the team’s first World Series Championship in Franchise history. The last time these teams played was last year at the Cell. The Sox swept the series in 3 games to give them a 41-37 all time record against the Cubs.
Even though both teams are very much struggling this year there is no doubt this will be an excellent series as always.
I asked a few of my Sox friends and Cubs fan friends to answer some questions about the rivalry?
Sox fan: “I love the rivalry because it one sense it brings the city close together and in another sense it divides the city. We have the Championship and they are stilol waiting on theirs. Any more wins we can get against them makes them even more mad which is hilarious because they are always bragging even know there is nothing to brag about. Cubs fans are so arrogant that any time you can shut them up is always a great thing for the city.”
Cubs fan: “We are Chicago sports. We have the most passionate fans in a great city and any time that we can beat the Sox is great. Obviously we would much rather be concerned about the World Series but since that won’t happen this year we can always look forward to this. It omly happens 6 days out of the year where 2 teams from the same city throwdown so its always a big deal, at least at my house. My mom is a Sox fan and my Dad is a Cubs fa. Should be another great series”.
Some blogs I have read indicate that people just hate the series in general, saying things like “I hate interleague play”, “It’s all for the money” and stuff of that nature.
My freind Melissa Dickson who is an excellent blogger and soon to be Co-Writer for the Sox on this site with me had this to say, “Honestly, I’m neutral about the whole thing- I dont hate the Cubs as a team but I really dislike their fans and the entire series brings out the worst in both sides of town. I think people take it way too seriously especially considering the way both teams are playing.The games are fun to go to if you don’t want to enjoy baseball and are looking to be a part of an “experience”… but I’d take a wednesday sox/royals game over sox/cubs anyday.The entire series just simply doesn’t matter- I get the hype around cubs/cards– they’re in the same division.. and its more than 6 games a year that they play with eachother.. but I just simply don’t thing that cubs/sox is a make or break you 6 games”.
Here is my opinion on the subject. 6 times a year the Sox and Cubs get to play each other. The only time that we have ever seen a Crosstown World Series was 104 years ago. The chances of that happening again any time soon are small so this is a great way to unite a city. Sure some people take it too far but mostly its just a competitive series between the players and fans. It brings divided families close together and in a lot of cases best friends together, mainly for bragging rights.
No matter what it will be a fun, stressful, annoying, heart racing series and I can’t wait!
Go Sox!