Pope Leo XIV recently received a baseball commemorating the final out of Game 1 of the 2005 World Series from former Chicago White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski. Pierzynski shared images of the exchange at the Vatican on social media.
"7 year old me, at my First Communion, would have never thought that I would get to meet The Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV,” Pierzynski wrote on Instagram. “I was honored to give him the last out ball from Game 1 of the 2005 World Series, the game he attended.”
The Pope, who was known as Robert Prevost or Father Bob when he attended the game 21 years ago, is a longtime White Sox fan. The game, a 5-3 White Sox victory, concluded when Bobby Jenks struck out Houston’s Adam Everett with Pierzynski catching.
A graphic installation at Rate Field marks the section where the Pope sat for the game. The White Sox went on to sweep the series in four games for the championship.
Since his election last May, the first U.S.-born pope has received multiple sports-related gifts. He has been presented with a custom Chicago Bears jersey from Vice President JD Vance and a Chicago Bulls jersey bearing his papal name and the number 14, signed by Bulls radio broadcaster Chuck Swirsky.
The White Sox organization plans to honor Pope Leo XIV with a tribute during their Aug. 11 game against the Cincinnati Reds. Fans attending the game will receive pope-themed hats featuring the team's logo.