How The Pope and the United States Presidency Have Been Intertwined since Game 2 of the 2005 American League Championship Series
United Stated States Senator and future United States President Barack Obama threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 2 of the 2005 American League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Chicago White Sox. But the game is remembered for a controversial call that swung the series and ultimately led to the South Siders first World Series championship in 88 years.
The game was tied 1-1 in the bottom of the 9th inning. After what was thought to be the third out of the inning, White Sox batter A. J. Pierzynski took off for first after taking two steps towards his dugout. The veteran catcher heard a called strike 3 but no out from the umpire and headed to first after Angels catcher Josh Paul rolled the ball to the mound. A.J. was ruled safe.
The ball was caught cleanly, never hitting the ground, and was never a dropped third strike. But Pierzynski, a catcher extremely familiar with the rules of the game, realized there was nothing to lose by essentially stealing first.
Pierzynski was replaced on first by pinch runner Pablo Ozuna, who ultimately scored the winning run.
The White Sox would not lose another game to the Angels.
Father Robert Francis Prevost and future Pope Leo XIV attended Game 1 of the 2005 World Series between the Houston Astros and Chicago White Sox. The Chicago Sun Times found a photo of the pontiff at game, with Bleacher Report later finding footage of him on the Fox Broadcast, donning a Sox jersey, enjoying the win with a longtime friend. The White Sox, with the future leader of the Catholic Church in their corner, swept the Houston Astros.
Does the Pope see his White Sox in the World Series if Pierzynski doesn’t take first base? Was Obama’s presence at Game 2 a good luck talisman? Did a White Sox World Series championship need to happen to lift the psychic weight of a lifetime of losing, finally freeing their fans to hold the highest positions of power?
Ten years after the future Chicago president and future Chicago pope cheered on the Good Guys in Black, Pope Francis visited Washington, D.C. Francis became the first Pope to address a Joint Session of Congress.
The following day House Speaker John Boehner resigned. From that point forward, the GOP had a leadership vacuum ultimately filled by Donald Trump.
Does Trump dare run for the highest office in the land if Obama could have run for a third term? Would Francis have ever come to Washington if he knew the resignation of one of the men that wanted him to visit would lead to future foil Donald Trump winning office twice?
Ten years after a Papal visit changed the American trajectory, Vice President JD Vance stopped by the Vatican to chat with Pope Francis. The following day Pope Francis left this mortal coil.
The 2025 papal conclave chose an American, more importantly a Chicagoan, to become the new pope. Leo XIV has openly opposed Trump and Vance policies on Twitter.
Does Leo become Pope if he doesn’t openly criticize Vance and Trump? Does Vance comment on the new Pope if the new Pope doesn’t get under his skin like a certain catcher for the Chicago White Sox?
A.J. Pierzynski did whatever it took to swing a game. Some may say he cheated. Others argue he played the game the right way. No one can say he didn’t affect the outcome of the 2005 World Series. Without A.J., there’s an incredibly strong likelihood a Chicago President and Chicago Pope wouldn’t have attended the same MLB postseason. 20 years later, it’s still unbelievable, a miracle, that A.J.’s clearly dirty base running worked. Dude deserves a statue in Vatican City.
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