Soxfest 2013

[SoxThunder]

Here's a few other tidbits I remember from being at SoxFest all weekend:

• Aaron Rowand was "devastated" when he was traded to the Phillies and said that both he and Kenny Williams cried when it happened. He said the White Sox were the team he came up with and they still feel like "family".
• For a 7 pm game, most players arrive at the ballpark around 1:30. Konerko usually arrives before anyone else to get extra work in, and his teammates have a lot of respect for him
• Thornton "knows his body" and likes to do a lot of off-season conditioning (mostly core, legs, and long toss)
• Nate Jones is a Kentucky boy and self-described hick and Hahn/Ventura said he will be considered for the closer's role
• Hahn and Stone discussed how a pitcher is evaluated to determine if he'd be a better starter or reliever. They have some charting technology that shows if a pitcher still has a lot of movement late in the game. If yes, they push to make him a starter. If no (ie - there's a drastic drop in pitch movement after a couple innings), they push to make him a reliever.
• Kittle made fun of Fisk's DUI and said they should make a "middle of the cornfield bobblehead"
• Paciorek does a pretty good Vin Scully impression
• Joe Crede hasn't been missing any meals
• Rowand said his favorite Joe Crede story is when he had to take a crap in the clubhouse bathroom and was late coming back onto the field. The umpire almost made them put in a replacement fielder, but Joe finally came running out of the dugout fastening his belt.
• Rowand said Jermaine Dye was the "whitest black guy ever"
• Dye said he'd share his World Series MVP car with Crede, but Joe laughed that he's never seen it
• Ed Farmer is the weirdest and most awkward interviewer ever (it's even worse than his broadcasting)

[spawn]

Originally Posted by SoxThunder

Here's a few other tidbits I remember from being at SoxFest all weekend:

• Aaron Rowand was "devastated" when he was traded to the Phillies and said that both he and Kenny Williams cried when it happened. He said the White Sox were the team he came up with and they still feel like "family".
• For a 7 pm game, most players arrive at the ballpark around 1:30. Konerko usually arrives before anyone else to get extra work in, and his teammates have a lot of respect for him
• Thornton "knows his body" and likes to do a lot of off-season conditioning (mostly core, legs, and long toss)
• Nate Jones is a Kentucky boy and self-described hick and Hahn/Ventura said he will be considered for the closer's role
• Hahn and Stone discussed how a pitcher is evaluated to determine if he'd be a better starter or reliever. They have some charting technology that shows if a pitcher still has a lot of movement late in the game. If yes, they push to make him a starter. If no (ie - there's a drastic drop in pitch movement after a couple innings), they push to make him a reliever.
• Kittle made fun of Fisk's DUI and said they should make a "middle of the cornfield bobblehead"
• Paciorek does a pretty good Vin Scully impression
• Joe Crede hasn't been missing any meals
• Rowand said his favorite Joe Crede story is when he had to take a crap in the clubhouse bathroom and was late coming back onto the field. The umpire almost made them put in a replacement fielder, but Joe finally came running out of the dugout fastening his belt.
  
• Rowand said Jermaine Dye was the "whitest black guy ever"
• Dye said he'd share his World Series MVP car with Crede, but Joe laughed that he's never seen it
• Ed Farmer is the weirdest and most awkward interviewer ever (it's even worse than his broadcasting)

While we appreciate your posting of these tidbits, remarks like the one bolded shouldn't be posted.

[SoxThunder]

Originally Posted by spawn

While we appreciate your posting of these tidbits, remarks like the one bolded shouldn't be posted.

I don't see any problem with posting something Rowand said behind a mic at SoxFest. Jermaine Dye thought it was funny and so did the crowd.

[spawn]

Originally Posted by SoxThunder

I don't see any problem with posting something Rowand said behind a mic at SoxFest. Jermaine Dye thought it was funny and so did the crowd.

It doesn't matter if Aaron Rowand said it behind a mic, nor does it matter if Jermaine Dye found it funny. There may be African American members of WSI that may not find it so amusing and could lead to a discussion that is not allowed here.

[palehosepub]

Good summary By Crains Chicago Business on Soxfest, -encouraging ticket numbers on the 7 game and 14 game plans. 7300 people attended Soxfest up 11% from last year.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/artic...by-the-numbers

[palehosepub]

The garage sale prices reported by Crain's seem staggering. $1200 for a GU Konerko jersey? $1000 for a GU Sale jersey? Wow -but garage sales were up 40%. Maybe the economy is coming back.

[Nelfox02]

Overall I had a great time at Sox Fest this year. There are so many people I only get a chance to see at this event, its like a weird family reunion, very fun. Some of my highlights

-I walked out with a lot of autographs, but the getting Goose Gossage out of nowhere in the lobby was wild. He had just finished checking in on Saturday and my friend and I were the only ones who noticed him, he walked up to us and offered to sign our baseballs, really nice guy. It was great because I ve never met him before, and going into this weekend was not planning on seeing him there at all

-Watching Addison Reed hang out with a ton of kids in the lobby on Saturday night and talk baseball and take pictures. To me, this is what Sox Fest is really about, and what makes the event special. The unofficial interaction that you see with players and fans at Sox Fest is great, and a lot of other team's fan fests have nothing like it. Kudos to the players that took extra time to hang out in the lobby and interact with fans of all ages, Reed and TCM won my top honors in that category this year.

[Brian26]

Originally Posted by SoxThunder

• Rowand said Jermaine Dye was the "whitest black guy ever"

Originally Posted by spawn

While we appreciate your posting of these tidbits, remarks like the one bolded shouldn't be posted.

Originally Posted by SoxThunder

I don't see any problem with posting something Rowand said behind a mic at SoxFest. Jermaine Dye thought it was funny and so did the crowd.

Originally Posted by spawn

It doesn't matter if Aaron Rowand said it behind a mic, nor does it matter if Jermaine Dye found it funny. There may be African American members of WSI that may not find it so amusing and could lead to a discussion that is not allowed here.

If the context of Rowand's comment was given in the original post, there would be no need for any discussion about it. Rowand was talking about the 2005 team and how everyone hung out together after games. He said there were no cliques like you see on most teams where the veterans hang out together, the rookies hang out together, the carribean guys hang out, and the black guys hang out. In 2005, all of the guys would have dinner and go on fishing trips together. As an example, Jermaine Dye would go golfing and fishing with AJ, Rowand and Crede.

In context, Rowand said it with benevolence and respect towards Dye and the rest of his teammates.

[tebman]

Originally Posted by Nelfox02

-I walked out with a lot of autographs, but the getting Goose Gossage out of nowhere in the lobby was wild. He had just finished checking in on Saturday and my friend and I were the only ones who noticed him, he walked up to us and offered to sign our baseballs, really nice guy. It was great because I ve never met him before, and going into this weekend was not planning on seeing him there at all

-Watching Addison Reed hang out with a ton of kids in the lobby on Saturday night and talk baseball and take pictures. To me, this is what Sox Fest is really about, and what makes the event special. The unofficial interaction that you see with players and fans at Sox Fest is great, and a lot of other team's fan fests have nothing like it. Kudos to the players that took extra time to hang out in the lobby and interact with fans of all ages, Reed and TCM won my top honors in that category this year.

We spent some time late Saturday night loitering in the hotel lobby and saw Reed and Ramirez mixing with the crowd, though we didn't talk with them; they were surrounded by plenty of others who were. We talked briefly with Roland Hemond, but if Goose Gossage was there we missed him.

This was only my third SoxFest. ChiSoxGirl is the champ, having attended the last 20, and I've always deferred to her judgment in SoxFest logistics. Her advice was to hang around the lobby to see Sox players outside their natural habitat. Had I been a keener observer I might have seen Gossage.

SoxFest really is total immersion therapy when hot-stove talk is at a low ebb. Autographs are great for collectors, but for me that process it more about getting a chance, however brief, to tell the player (or former player) that I appreciate his work. Pete Ward was there this year, and I was able to talk with him long enough to let him know that I was glad to see him after 45 years and that I appreciated his work too. He genuinely thanked me and told me how much he enjoyed being there.

Love the seminars. It's to the organization's credit that players, as well as Ventura and Hahn, take unrehearsed questions from the floor. In my experience the questions have been insightful and interesting and I think the players appreciate that. These folks know their baseball and they know their White Sox history, and it shows in the quality of the questions and the thoughtful responses given by the players and staff. I learn something at every session.

The best example was Aaron Rowand's sincerity when he was asked about his reaction to being traded after the 2005 season. He didn't fall back on bromides and clichés, but said without hesitation that he was devastated. He spoke of coming up through the Sox organization, his experience in the city, of being a Bears fan, and how he was moved when someone in the autograph session said to him, "welcome home."

As a fan I understood exactly what he was talking about and I understood how he felt. Between the quality of the seminars, the hilarious anecdotes among the current and former players, and the chance to thank them all, it's a great weekend. And all the while surrounded by hundreds of others who share my zeal. For my money, all of that is the best part of SoxFest.

[ChiSoxGirl]

Originally Posted by tebman

We spent some time late Saturday night loitering in the hotel lobby and saw Reed and Ramirez mixing with the crowd, though we didn't talk with them; they were surrounded by plenty of others who were. We talked briefly with Roland Hemond, but if Goose Gossage was there we missed him.

This was only my third SoxFest. ChiSoxGirl is the champ, having attended the last 20, and I've always deferred to her judgment in SoxFest logistics. Her advice was to hang around the lobby to see Sox players outside their natural habitat. Had I been a keener observer I might have seen Gossage.

SoxFest really is total immersion therapy when hot-stove talk is at a low ebb. Autographs are great for collectors, but for me that process it more about getting a chance, however brief, to tell the player (or former player) that I appreciate his work. Pete Ward was there this year, and I was able to talk with him long enough to let him know that I was glad to see him after 45 years and that I appreciated his work too. He genuinely thanked me and told me how much he enjoyed being there.

Love the seminars. It's to the organization's credit that players, as well as Ventura and Hahn, take unrehearsed questions from the floor. In my experience the questions have been insightful and interesting and I think the players appreciate that. These folks know their baseball and they know their White Sox history, and it shows in the quality of the questions and the thoughtful responses given by the players and staff. I learn something at every session.

The best example was Aaron Rowand's sincerity when he was asked about his reaction to being traded after the 2005 season. He didn't fall back on bromides and clichés, but said without hesitation that he was devastated. He spoke of coming up through the Sox organization, his experience in the city, of being a Bears fan, and how he was moved when someone in the autograph session said to him, "welcome home."

As a fan I understood exactly what he was talking about and I understood how he felt. Between the quality of the seminars, the hilarious anecdotes among the current and former players, and the chance to thank them all, it's a great weekend. And all the while surrounded by hundreds of others who share my zeal. For my money, all of that is the best part of SoxFest.

You never cease to sing my praises in regards to my SoxFest attendance. What did you name me this weekend, the "Queen of SoxFest?" I take a lot of pride in my 20th anniversary as a SoxFest attendee. I've gone to that event for more years than some of those guest service representatives who work the autograph lines!

Some of my SoxFest highlights:

~ The Hahn/Ventura seminar was informative, as the GM/manager seminars always are. The funniest moment of this year's occurred at the end of the Friday session. There were two people lined up at the mic to ask a question. Robin quipped that, "This would be the last question" when he looked behind the fan at the mic and saw Kenny Williams! The former GM did get to ask his question, which was directed to Rick Hahn and simply, "My question only requires a one-word answer. Will you be better or worse than your predecessor?" The audience laughed and Hahn said, "Well, the previous GM had a better support staff than me, so we'll see."

~ The "First Game Memories" seminar was the funniest of the three I attended. Tom Paciorek does a great Vin Scully and Harry Caray. Beckham told a great story about when the team was in Detroit early last season and Brent Morel didn't know who Ty Cobb was. He and Beckham were looking at the names on the outfield wall at Comerica and Morel was like, "Who's Cobb?" Beckham replied, "Uh, Mo, Ty Cobb...." Morel then said, "I think his number fell off" and Beckham reminded the injured third baseman that Cobb played before ball players wore numbers on their jerseys.

~ Got my picture taken with Gavin Floyd and Aaron Rowand on Saturday, both of whom were awesome and extremely personable.

~ My Friday autographs were Chris Sale and Tyler Flowers and my Saturday signings were Konerko and Ventura. I had Paulie sign a page his picture was on from a newspaper clipping in the scrapbook I made after the 2005 season. I had Robin sign the pictures of me & him and me, him & my boyfriend from when we had our on-field meeting with him last June. Getting those pictures signed made the best fan experience of my life officially complete.

Even though I met Robin last summer, I was still so anxious and excited when I walked up to that table on Saturday afternoon. I first put the picture of me, him and my boyfriend down on the table, since that one is framed in my living room, and said to Robin, "I don't know if you remember this day or not..." and after a few seconds, he said he did. He signed the picture and I thanked him. I had the one of me & him in my hand and even though the SoxFest people are usually nazis about only getting one item signed, I figured maybe I'd have a chance since Robin isn't a player and I had the whole on-field experience working in my favor. I put the other picture down and said, "...And it would mean the world to me if you would sign this one, too." "Sure," he said and signed it for me. I was so excited!!!

Though SoxFest has changed so much in the 20 years I've attended, and not in a good way, I always enjoy the weekend. It's so great to be in the company of people who love the Sox as much as I do and it's fun to hang out with friends I don't get to see as frequently during the off-season. The seminars are both informative and entertaining, and getting the opportunity to interact with the players, either while getting his autograph or in the hotel bar after hours, is always a fun experience. I love the event and plan on going again in 2014 for #21.

[StillMissOzzie]

Originally Posted by BainesHOF

On the negative side, Jermaine Dye jagged me once again when signing a bat, purposely signing it way off center. It's too bad he feels the need to be like that. But Dye pales in comparison to Steve Stone, who belongs in his own Jag Hall of Fame. He singlehandedly ruined hundreds of dollars of baseballs by signing every ball on its side panel. Whenever a fan asked him to sign on the sweet spot as is the standard practice, his stock answer was, "No, you're just going to sell it on eBay." Really? If you wanted a picture signed, he'd personalize it, as if there's a big market to sell Steve Stone photos.

I wish Steve Stone would check eBay to see what the market is for anything he has signed. Not that it would change his lofty opinion of himself, but we can dream. He was making an appearance at the Harry Caray's in Lombard a few years ago, and he insisted on personalizing his autograph with a ballpoint pen. Thanks, Steve.

SMO

[Nelfox02]

Originally Posted by tebman

We spent some time late Saturday night loitering in the hotel lobby and saw Reed and Ramirez mixing with the crowd, though we didn't talk with them; they were surrounded by plenty of others who were. We talked briefly with Roland Hemond, but if Goose Gossage was there we missed him.

This was only my third SoxFest. ChiSoxGirl is the champ, having attended the last 20, and I've always deferred to her judgment in SoxFest logistics. Her advice was to hang around the lobby to see Sox players outside their natural habitat. Had I been a keener observer I might have seen Gossage.

SoxFest really is total immersion therapy when hot-stove talk is at a low ebb. Autographs are great for collectors, but for me that process it more about getting a chance, however brief, to tell the player (or former player) that I appreciate his work. Pete Ward was there this year, and I was able to talk with him long enough to let him know that I was glad to see him after 45 years and that I appreciated his work too. He genuinely thanked me and told me how much he enjoyed being there.

Love the seminars. It's to the organization's credit that players, as well as Ventura and Hahn, take unrehearsed questions from the floor. In my experience the questions have been insightful and interesting and I think the players appreciate that. These folks know their baseball and they know their White Sox history, and it shows in the quality of the questions and the thoughtful responses given by the players and staff. I learn something at every session.

The best example was Aaron Rowand's sincerity when he was asked about his reaction to being traded after the 2005 season. He didn't fall back on bromides and clichés, but said without hesitation that he was devastated. He spoke of coming up through the Sox organization, his experience in the city, of being a Bears fan, and how he was moved when someone in the autograph session said to him, "welcome home."

As a fan I understood exactly what he was talking about and I understood how he felt. Between the quality of the seminars, the hilarious anecdotes among the current and former players, and the chance to thank them all, it's a great weekend. And all the while surrounded by hundreds of others who share my zeal. For my money, all of that is the best part of SoxFest.

It was totally by chance for Gossage---my friend and I came off the elevator bank and as we headed toward the lobby I saw him at the check in desk, he was the only person there and at first I wasnt even sure it was him....we stood there waiting for him to finish checking out and he noticed us and walked over and asked what we had. I heard he signed later when getting back to the hotel but that was a rumor. I found out from someone in the know that the reason he was there was due to the fact he had to be in town Sunday to be honored at a dinner with LaRussa so he elected to stay at the same hotel the night before to see him and a few other old friends

[TheVulture]

As far as Rowand's comment, even if some might be offended, considering he said it at Soxfest, they have the right to know to be offended. Not allowing the posting of his comments would be more offensive because you'd basically be hiding the fact he said it to begin with.

[BainesHOF]

Originally Posted by My_Sox_Summer

On Friday, there was a guy in front of me that had 3 MVP passes and one was for his 5 year old just so he could get 3 autos each time he was up there. I guess I don't understand having multiple autographs of the same player on assorted items unless you are selling it, which he assured me he doesn't. Any insight BainesHOF?

That seems a bit weird. I wonder who the third pass was for? Maybe his wife didn't feel like chasing autographs.

I've attended nearly every SoxFest and I've never met an attendee who was obtaining autographs to sell. Even if you wanted to, it wouldn't make any sense financially by the time you factor in all of the costs associated with attending.

As far as obtaining multiple autographs of the same player on assorted items, I guess to each their own. Believe it or not, some people still try to collect autograph sets so they need multiple cards if they're working on completing more than one different set. I've gotten players to sign multiple things over time. I have a lot of items in my collection. Why not get them signed when you have a chance?

[shenk16]

It was definitely not a rumor that Gossage signed when he returned to the hotel. He signed for myself and about 10-12 other people when he walked in with Roland Hemond and a couple of other older guys I did not recognize. He was very pleasant and even asked me if Fisk was there.