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Column: Mystery of the missing Crosstown Cup doesnât damper enthusiasm for the City Series
TL;DR
The Crosstown Cup's location remains unknown ahead of the City Series opener at White Sox Park. Despite this, excitement is high as the Cubs and Sox face off with both teams above .500 for the first time since 2008.
Key points
- Crosstown Cup's location is unknown before the City Series opener
- Both teams are above .500 for the first time since 2008
- Cubs are 28-16, leading the National League Central
- Sox are 22-21, one game out in the American League Central
- Craig Counsell unaware of trophy's existence
Mentioned in this story
Chicago
CubsSox
It pains me to report that no one seemed to know the whereabouts of the Crosstown Cup before Fridayâs opener of the City Series at White Sox Park.
Craig Counsell, in his third year of managing the Cubs in the series, claimed ignorance that a trophy was even handed out to the winner. This yearâs matchup, the first between two Chicago teams above .500 in a nonpandemic year since 2008, has been touted as a return to the good old days of the old Crosstown, when Cubs outfielder Brian McRae and Sox first baseman Frank Thomas argued in 1997 over which teamâs fans were the drunkest.
The Cubs were 28-16 and in first-place in the National League Central, while the Sox were 22-21 and one game out of first in the American League Central.
âIâll be honest with you, the players donât care about the standings when the game starts,â Counsell said.
But do they care about the trophy?
âYouâre asking the wrong guy,â he said, joking that the trophy would be the head of a reporter.
Humor was never Counsellâs strong suit.
As most Chicago baseball fans know, the original Crosstown Cup in 2010 was sponsored by BP, an oil company that had an explosion and a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico before the City Series.
âWe hope that in the coming years, the BP Crosstown Cup will be part of the social fabric of Chicago,â Sox marketing director Brooks Boyer said at the time.
Fans of both teams booed loudly at Wrigley Field when the BP Cup was introduced before the game. After that sponsorship mercifully ended, they later turned it into the Wintrust Crosstown Cup.
Winning teams have been known to leave the Cup on the field, or do unspeakable things to it. Suffice to say it did not become part of the social fabric of Chicago.
Counsell argued it shouldâve been sponsored by a hot dog joint to make it more Chicago-esque, and then perhaps it couldâve become part of a great local tradition. The Wieners Circle Cup wouldâve worked perfectly, with Poochie handing it out to the winner with some choice profanities for the losers.
The Cubs came into this series with a 77-75 all-time record, and as someone who has somehow covered every one of those 152 games since 1997, I honestly can say this feels more electric than the last few, which seemed to be running on AA batteries.
Q&A
What happened to the Crosstown Cup before the City Series?
No one seemed to know the whereabouts of the Crosstown Cup before the City Series opener.
Why is this year's City Series significant?
This year's matchup is notable as it's the first time since 2008 that both Chicago teams are above .500 in a non-pandemic year.
What are the current standings of the Cubs and Sox?
The Cubs are 28-16 and in first place in the National League Central, while the Sox are 22-21, one game out of first in the American League Central.
What did Cubs manager Craig Counsell say about the trophy?
Craig Counsell claimed ignorance about the existence of a trophy being awarded to the winner of the series.