For the 125th anniversary season of the Chicago White Sox, Guaranteed Rate Field has been hosting special games with the tagline “Imprinted in History.” Over the weekend of July 11 to 13, 2025, Guaranteed Rate Field hosted the 2005 World Series remembrance games to mark the 20th anniversary of their victory.
In the 2005 Major League Baseball (MLB) season, the Chicago White Sox won their third World Series since their move to Chicago in 1900. The White Sox swept the Houston Astros in four games to their first World Series since 1917, causing many large celebrations after their victory in the Chicagoland area.
To celebrate that win, on July 12, 2025 Guaranteed Rate Field hosted the ‘05 reunion ceremony before the current White Sox team started their game against the Cleveland Guardians.
While the field was named US Cellar Field from 2003 to 2016, the physical stadium has been home of the White Sox team since it finished construction in 1991.
But the ceremony on July 12 was bittersweet for many people, fans included. From the 2005 coach Ozzie Guillen to Japanese player Tadahito Iguchi, the majority of the 2005 team was there. But one important player was missing: relief pitcher Bobby Jenks.
Jenks, who recorded the final out of the 2005 World Series, died on July 4 from stomach cancer at the age of 44. In his place, his children and wife took a seat alongside the rest of the 2005 team.
During the ceremony, three members of the 2005 White Sox team spoke. Jermaine Dye, the 2005 World Series MVP; Geoff Blum, who hit a home run in the third game of the championship series resulting in a win; and finally, the first Latino coach to help lead a team to win a world championship, Ozzie Guillen, spoke.
Both Dye and Blum stressed the importance of the White Sox fans to their careers. Dye said, “Thank you for giving us a reason to fight, a reason to believe, and a reason to bring it home for the Southside.”
Meanwhile, Guillen talked about how much a sense of family mattered to him. Guillen said, “And to this day, when people talk about family, whether it is a teammate taking care of each other day in and day out, to care about family [is] the most important thing to me.”
The sentiment that echoed throughout the speakers was how important the team members were to each other. Which is why, after the speeches, every member of the 2005 team was handed a beer, and they cheered in remembrance of Bobby Jenks.
For the rest of the 2025 season, Bobby Jenks’ number, 45, will be on the team’s jerseys. NEIU students, faculty, staff and alumni can see the game on August 23 against the Minnesota Twins for NEIU Night at Guaranteed Rate Field.
