MLB in Chicago's Northwest Suburbs-- Part 4: The Chicago White Sox Come to Town

In the early 1900s, players in both McHenry and Johnsburg (McHenry County) while not making it to the majors, did play against a MLB team.

Well-known in the baseball world as both a player and a team owner, Charles Comiskey (it's still Comiskey Park to me) was just as well known in the Chain of Lakes area, as was his team, the Chicago White Sox.

Thanks to Comiskey, a game was arranged for the McHenry White Sox to play against the Chicago White Sox in McHenry.  Legend has it that the Chicago team arrived by train early in the morning of September 9, 1914, and were taken out to Pistakee Bay by boat.  The Chicago White Sox won the game 13-1  But there may have been various games played on different dates.

The McHenry White Sox were not the only local team to play the Chicago White Sox.  On October 2, 1929, 250 spectators gathered in the Johnsburg Ball Park and paid $1 each to watch the Sox play the McHenry County champions, Johnsburg.  The Sox won this one as well.

--CootSox