Where were you 11 years ago? That’s the question we’re asking Sox fans tonight on this special anniversary of the unforgettable “Blackout Game.” Below is a running blog of people’s experiences from September 30, 2008. We will be updating this throughout the night as we receive new submissions so check back often!
Have a memory you would like to share? Send an email to SoxOn35th@gmail.com, message us on social media, or comment below to be featured.
@JoeyDoughnuts_ (Twitter): I was 18 years old, sitting in a skybox behind home plate with my camera ready. I always brought my camera to skybox games and have been lucky enough to anticipate big moments and capture them, even with my crappy Nikon Coolpix point-and-shoot camera. My dad, who is a Cubs fan, used to take me, the only Sox fan in the family, to a handful of games per year, many of them in the corporate skybox from his job. I was always the youngest one in the room by 30+ years. His work associates knew if it was a skybox at the Sox game, Mike would be bringing his baseball obsessed son to sit in the front row of the skybox eating hot dogs and pointing that camera at the action all game long.
The atmosphere at that game was amazing. The sea of black in the ground from everyone who got the memo to wear black jerseys and took one of the black rally towels at the gates was unlike anything I have experienced at a sport event before. I can’t wait for the Sox to be good enough again soon to replicate these kind of games when the crowd is living and dying by every strike and ball.
Good guys wear black. Let’s go Sox!
Matt Reeves: “I was at the game the day before when Alexei busted the tie game open against Detroit with a grand slam. Immediately exiting the stadium, I went to the ticket window and bought two very top level obstructed view seats for myself and my buddy. The next day was the most electric I’ve ever felt any stadium in my life. The blackout was unlike anything I’ll ever see again and the way the stadium erupted with Brian Anderson’s diving catch was unreal. Everyone in my section was suddenly my best friend and I don’t think anyone left the park that night without their hand throbbing from all the hard high fives! Unreal experience!”
Andrea Thome: “With this guy…celebrating.”
Albert Tovar: “I was at the game, and the one before that and the one before that. I think they played the Indians and then the makeup with the Tigers which tied them with Twins and then lead to the Blackout. Freddy pitched in the Tiger game. I remember Gene Honda saying over the PA, ‘There will be a White Sox game tomorrow’ after the Tiger game and then everyone running to the box office. Good times.”
Tommy Cialoni: “I was 6 years old at the game. I remember the game before against Detroit where Alexis Ramirez hit a grand slam to force a game 163. The day of Game 163, I remember my family made hot dogs and were barbecuing before the game. My brother and I were very nervous. I was very upset for some reason that the TV scoreboard said CWS instead of Sox because I was only 6 years old and did not understand. I remember after Thome hit the home run, my dad picked me up in excitement. I am 17 now and have not seen us in the playoffs since I was in kindergarten and I will get to see a repeat of 2005 before I am 21.”
Kevin Lenkart: “I was working as a union concrete laborer the day before. Driving home, I was passing Comiskey and decided to go to the game against Detroit that they needed to win to force the Blackout Game. I arrived about third inning that game. The parking lot attendant let me in without charging me for parking. Picked up a ticket and moved up to front row along first baseline. As soon as we won, I ran outside to the box office to purchase as many tickets as I could. I was able to purchase 10 tickets upper deck in pairs of two. I gave these tickets out to my friends, and took my Dad with me. The whole park was electric! I’ve never been to an event that was so charged with energy. Everyone you could see wore black. It was a beautiful moment that I cherish with my Dad!”
Tom Lusk and Carrie Lonis: “After the excitement of Alexei’s grand slam in the win against Detroit and the announcement of the 1 game playoff, my sister came into my room and we made the impulse decision to get tickets to the game. Just reading about the ‘everyone wear black’ promotion, had us pumped up. Best decision we could have made, what an experience! It was the loudest we had heard the stadium. Sitting in the upper deck was perfect for seeing the throw by Griffey and the catch by Anderson. I yelled that Thome’s home run hit the popcorn stand. Couldn’t believe how far he hit that with two strikes. The hum and vibe of the crowd was electric and we need more of it back on the south side! Amazing to experience it with my sister and last minute decisions can be the best! Goosebumps and all the feels reliving it with these videos today. Can’t wait for more meaningful games in the years to come!”
Frederick J. Nachman: “My cousin, Dr. Jim Nachman, split season tickets with one of the many Sox investors. He had four seats for every other game, starting with game 2. His sister Cathy is a big fan; his younger brother Bob to a lesser extent. Next year will mark 100 seasons since our family has come out to the ballparks on the South Side.
Normally Jim would have two tickets for the Blackout Game and the investor the other two tickets. However, being that they are Conservative Jews and we are Reform Jews, they were celebrating the second night of Rosh Hashanah that day and allowed Jim to have the other two tickets. This not only solved the dilemma about which sibling to invite but also gave me the option for the ticket. Having attended a number of games that season – including the last two Sox games at the old Yankee Stadium – I gladly took the offer.
At the top of the 7th inning, I hopped up the steps from Row 9 of Section 126 to the men’s room. There was a short line to get in and I made it out as the bottom of the 7th commenced. While walking down the steps, surveying the broad expanse of the ballpark, I thought how great it would be to see Thome homer from this vantage point. I did, however, make it back to Seat 4 as he settled into the batter’s box. In fact, there’s at least one YouTube video where I can see myself walking down the steps, stepping over my cousins and sitting down. One pitch later, Thome hit the home run.
I knew from the crack of the bat it would be gone, so with the game knotted at 0-0, I watched the reaction of the Sox’s dugout as Thome circled the bases. Only later did I find out it had landed in the camera area.
The ecstasy would be short-lived. I joined Jim in the back of Section 133 for the Sox’s only post-season win, another John Danks gem, but was on hand to see the series end in Game 5.
Sadly, cousin Jim, one of the world’s foremost pediatric oncologists, died of a heart attack while on a rafting trip in the Grand Canyon in 2011. Cathy has since picked up his tickets, and I’m still able to get to 18 to 20 games a year. Five rows behind the visitors’ dugout opposite the pitcher’s mound . . . my idea of heaven.
Christopher Samano: “I was 19 years old when this game happened. This game was just incredible. 40,000 people going crazy. It was a win or go home game and Danks pitched his ass off. When it was 0-0 and Thome came up and hit that bomb the crowd and us just went absolutely crazy. The crowd noise was just unbelievable. Prior to this game in 2005, I was at game one of the ALDS vs. Boston, I was at the game with the A.J. play, and then I was at game two of the World Series game when Scotty Pods hit that walk off. The best thing about all of this is that I got to experience it with my dad. When I was growing up, my dad was a Sox fan, turned me into a Sox fan, and we have been going to game after game together. When that Blackout Game happened and they won it, I just remember hugging my dad and both of us were going crazy! I will never forget this game and I hope my dad and I can enjoy another game like this in the future, and hopefully enjoy another year like 2005! Go Sox!
Adam Sloane: “Watched it from the couch. Shortly after, I ran into Thome at a pizza place. I asked him about his dead center bomb, he said it was one of the best he had ever connected with.”
Anthony L. Bennett: “The Blackout Game was the most memorable game I have ever been to. I got offered 2 tickets to the game from a friend. They were upper deck, last row, behind home plate. I was debating whether or not to go, but the opportunity to see a division title in person was no doubt. I was going to go, I took my best friend Brian. Fellow die hard Sox fan. Seeing Jim’s home run, Griffey’s throw to home, and Anderson’s catch at the end, everyone in black with towels, and afterwards everyone walking around the park yelling and beeping the horns, that would be the memorable time I ever had at a game until next year. 2020 division winners.”
Matt Davis: “I was there for the Blackout Game! I took my niece to the game. It was so crazy to see that much black. I remember being in line to get a beer when Griffey threw the runner out at home. But as soon as Thome hit that homer, that place was rocking!! I was there to see Carlos Lee hit a walk off grand slam and Iguchi hit a homer against Boston in the ALDS and this was the loudest by far!!! I made this framed picture for my niece for her birthday with our black rally towel and the stub along with pictures I took. Definitely one of the most memorable games I ever went to.”
@HalloweenHalpin (Twitter): I was stuck in a Mass Comm class at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and I was trying to get updates on my shitty flip phone, but it would only refresh once every 3-4 mins. I was sitting next to Kyle Rock (a Cubs fan) and he noticed I was distracted. He handed me his superior phone for game updates.
When the game went final, I gave him his phone back and I pretended to take a restroom break so that I could disappear into the hallway to fist pump and. Celebrate. Thanks again, Kyle!
One of the greatest games I’ve ever been too & by far the coolest atmosphere I’ve ever experienced at a Sox game. The Cell was buzzing from about 90 mins before the game & continued throughout the entire night. I can not wait until a Sox game has that feel to it again! @SoxOn35th pic.twitter.com/U68EYQWhfA
— Mike (@MikeSox56) September 30, 2019
@ChiSoxJonda (Twitter): “There, I’ll never forget my dad coming to pick me up from middle school in the middle of the day wearing all Sox stuff. I knew immediately where I was headed.”
Jason Hanis: “Sox fan from Michigan. I remember watching the night before with my laptop open to stubhub when they were playing the Tigers and Ramirez hit the homer to make the game possible. Purchased front row tickets behind the Twins dugout. When I got to my seats, I couldn’t believe the atmosphere. Sent chills all over. The greatest sporting experience I’ve ever had in my life. Electric start to finish. I remember hiding beers under my seat because it was so close I thought we may see a lot of extras!”
Noreen Weimer: “I was there, we sat on the Fan Deck right where Thome hit the homerun. It was electrifying, awesome!!!!!”
Featured Photo: White Sox/Twitter
