For starter's we'll assume our Sox fan in need already has all the basics; customized jersey of his favorite player, 2005 World Series DVD collection, White Sox hat, etc. You know, the basics (by the way, this is a good time to mention that 2005 stuff is still an acceptable gift. I know it's been a few years, but trust me, it's still a nice, warm memory).OK, with that out of the way, let's start. The first item on the list is for the Sox fan who simply has it all, and for the generous soul that has about $1,000,000 just lying around... I present to you, Black Betsy, Shoeless Joe Jackson's game-used bat that is currently auctioning on eBay. Both Betsy and Jackson hold legendary status in baseball, let alone White Sox, lore. There are few things you can literally say are "one of a kind" but this certainly qualifies. Bid carefully, however, the seller refuses to ship the item anywhere, so you'd to get to Philadelphia and back before Christmas, but hey, your Sox fan gets maybe the most celebrated piece of White Sox memrobilia in existance and you get the satisfaction of knowing 1/2 your bid went to a charitable cause.
Now, supposing that a million bucks is a bit out of your price range, well here's another spectacular gift that probably any Sox fan would love; a 2005 World Champions street banner. These were the banners that hung around Chicago immediately following the Sox's World Series win in 2005. The banners were auctioned off in November or December of '05, but they still make appearances on eBay every now and then. I just chose that first one because it comes with free shipping and again, the proceeds go to charity.
All right, if you're still with me, I think we can shy away now from the incredibly overpriced gift ideas to the more practical. For the White Sox fan who loves to read, there are plenty of good options out there, but two that I will highlight right now are Sox and the City by Richard Roeper and Minnie and the Mick by Bob Vanderberg. Roeper, of course, is the Sun-Times columnist, national movie critic, and die-hard Sox fan. His book is much more contemporary and is mostly about the '05 season. Vanderberg's work is a baseball history, of the White Sox and Yankees constant battles at the top of the AL standings in the 1950s and early 1960s, a time period in White Sox history that sadly, has never recieved proper attention for its excellence.
If your Sox fan's pad is in need of some color on the walls, here are some suggestions. My personal favorite is a skyline panoramic from local Chicago photographer, Bob Horsch. You may remember his studio on Michigan Ave. Unfortunately, he's dropped out of the retail business, but still runs a website and makes appearances at various art shows. His work is stunning, and really any Chicagoan at hear would appreciate a lot of his work, but in this Sox-centric entry, go with the shots of the skyline taken during the play-off run in 2005. They are hard images to find, especially in frameable size and quality. He has a few different shots and other White Sox-inspired works, so give it a long, hard look.
Another very unique gift idea comes from Joe's Sports store; a canvas painting of a ticket to the 1983 All-Star Game played at old Comiskey Park. Kind of a tall price, but terrific artwork and something I had never seen before I start piecing this column together. I don't think you could miss with this one. Finally, if you're buying for someone in the 25-30 range, consider this commerative plaque of the 1993 AL West Champs. The 1993 team still holds a special place in White Sox history, especially for those of us who were just tuning into baseball when the '93 Sox showed up and won the division. Obviously, the 2005 White Sox have displaced them as "favorite" team for all but a few, but this is still a chapter of White Sox history many of us aren't quite ready to give up on.
All right, books and wall art have been covered, but if that's still not quite what your Sox fan is in to, then how about some memrobilia? Nothing quite beats a great, throwback jersey. Mitchell & Ness are still the name when it comes to throwback jerseys, but don't sleep on Grandstand Sports, a local outfit that will do a lot of great work for you. The online catelogues overlap quite a bit, but if you can't get to Philadelphia to check out the Mitchell & Ness flagship store, Grandstand, located a few blocks west of the Cell on 35th is probably just as good, with a wide array of White Sox, other Chicago sports, and general sports apparell.
If jerseys aren't your thing, then check out this Mark Buehrle "No-Hitter" autographed ball. I've shyed away from autographs so far, mostly because I think they're easy to find with Google and eBay, but this is a really special piece of Sox history. The first no-hitter in 16 years done by one of the team's greats (I think we can call Mark that now). Really nice stuff, he even took the time to note the no-hitter in his signature.If eBay is scaring you away, no fear, you can find just as nice as piece of Sox history on the team's MLB shop; a 2005 World Series ball in a very nice case. Again, I haven't linked anything to the White Sox online shop yet because, well, it's easy to find on your own, but this is too good to pass up. Just the World Series ball alone is nice enough, but the specially built case really makes this shine.
Finally, for the older Sox fan, there's also this beautiful replica of Old Comiskey Park. Of course, the old park has been gone for years now, but for many older fans it's still a very special place to them, and these mini-stadiums are absolutely gorgeous. Buyer beware, the replica doesn't come with the protective glass box. They'll add the glass case for about $40, but you can probably find something similar at Hobby Lobby for a fraction of that price.
Lastly, for those of you shopping on an extreme budget and nothing falls into price, there's options out there for you, too. Nothing quite so subtely says "you have way too much Sox crap," like a good old tie. And every fan should probably have one, too. They range from the pretty decent looking to the completely and utterly ugly. And, at prices starting at $12 and change, they could fit in even the tightest of budgets. If a tie is a bit too crappy a Christmas present, then let me also suggest this Southpaw bobblehead doll. Current bid is only $19.99 so the price will hopefully be right, and while you can find bobbleheads all over eBay, few will likely be as timeless as this. I don't foresee Southpaw and the Sox having a nasty divorce over a contract dispute (the reason that my Magglio Ordonez bobblehead has been relegated to the very back of my White Sox display). Sure that
And finally, if the Sox fan on your list is anything like me, then they still relish division championships and play-off appearances. Sure, the World Series run changed a lot of things, but realistically, I'm 25 years old and I can remember the Sox making the postseason 4 times. 4. So let's not get overly confident in our success. With that said, I'm sure some 2008 Division Champions merchandise will go over well and be timely. Unfortunately, not much of the stuff is left, it seems. There's none available at the official shop and the best I could find was this website, offering all three shirts, but at prices that make you believe they won't be around much longer. If not that, then it wouldn't hurt to check out a local sporting goods store, but if the stores in Central Illinois are any sort of barometer, then available sizes and prices will vary widely.
Merry Christmas.
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