Chicago White Sox

U.S. Cellular Field, formerly Comiskey Park, is the home of the Chicago White Sox of the American League. The park opened for the 1991 season, after the White Sox had spent 81 years at old Comiskey Park. The new park, completed at a cost of $167 million, also opened with the Comiskey Park name, but became U.S. Cellular Field in 2003 after U.S. Cellular bought the naming rights at $68 million over 20 years. It hosted the MLB All-Star Game that same year.

Many sportscasters and fans continue to use the name Comiskey Park. Prior to its demolition, the old Comiskey Park was the oldest in-use ballpark in Major League Baseball, a title now held by Fenway Park in Boston.

The stadium is situated just to the west of the Dan Ryan Expressway in Chicago's Armour Square neighborhood. It was built directly across 35th Street from old Comiskey Park, which was demolished to make room for a parking lot that serves the venue. Old Comiskey's home plate is a marble plaque on the sidewalk next to U.S. Cellular Field and the foul lines are painted in the parking lot. Also, the spectator ramp across 35th Street is designed in such a way (partly curved, partly straight but angling east-northeast) that it echoes the contour of the old first-base grandstand.

The stadium was the first new major sporting facility built in Chicago since Chicago Stadium in 1929. It was also the last one built before the wave of new "retro-classic" ballparks in the 1990s and '00s. However, a few design features from the old park were retained. Most notable is the "exploding scoreboard" which pays homage to the original installed by Bill Veeck at the old park in 1960. The original field dimensions and seating configuration were very similar to those of Royals Stadium (now Kauffman Stadium) in Kansas City--which ironically had been the last baseball-only park built in the majors, in 1973.

The stadium houses 84 luxury suites located on two levels, as well as thousands of "club seats" on 300-level mezzanine between the lower deck and upper deck. The club seats receive in-seat wait-staff and benefit from an enclosed concourse with multiple television viewing areas and bar-style concessions. The Stadium has 400 wheelchair-accessible seats, 38 public restrooms, 12 escalators and 15 elevators.

Nellie Fox flips a baseball to his teammate Luis Aparicio (wearing number 11) for a force out at second base. Nellie Fox and Luis Aparicio from the opposite side.Fan Deck: A panoramic view of the playing field on the two-tiered Fan Deck atop the center field concession stands. Fan Deck packages include catered food and beverage service consisting of chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, potato chips, popcorn, beer, soda, and water (featuring Miller and Pepsi products). Fan deck can accommodate around 150 people.

Miller Lite Bullpen Sports Bar: Located in right field next to the visitor's bullpen. Food, drinks and, for a nominal charge, sit in the two-tiered, open-air section, also used for group outings.

Rain Room: Near section 107 & 537.

Comcast Fundamentals Deck: Located in left field. This 15,000-square-foot (1,400 m2) Comcast Fundamentals area is devoted to young White Sox fans, providing them with the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of baseball from Chicago White Sox Training Academy coaches. It features a youth-sized whiffle ball diamond for coaching clinics, batting and pitching cages, batting "swing" boxes for proper batting techniques and areas for base running and skills instruction.

Mighty Bites Speed Pitch Machines: Near Section 164 and in the Fundamentals Deck.

Majestic Custom T-Shirt Shop: The Majestic Custom T-Shirt Shop stocks various White Sox items from t-shirts and hooded sweatshirts to memorabilia and souvenirs. Customers have their choice of design, size and item to customize and make your own, printed while you wait.

Chicagoland Plumbing Council Shower: A carry-over from old Comiskey Park. Near Section 160.

United Scout Seats: Located directly behind home plate. Contains 314 leather seats.

The Patio: Located just behind the right center field fence at field level. The patio serves for group outings such as the Bullpen Sports Bar and can accommodate from 50 to 100 people.

White Sox Champions Brick Plaza: Located at the main entrance to the park, (Gate 4). The plaza is dedicated to the 2005 World Series Champion White Sox and their fans.

Diamond Suites: Accommodates 20 to 60 people. Diamond Suite menus include pan-seared chicken with roasted potatoes, roast beef and turkey sandwiches, mixed green salad, hot dogs, dry roasted peanuts, a fresh fruit assortment, beer and soft drinks (featuring Miller and Pepsi products).

Miller Lite Extra Base/Upper Terrace Suite: Accommodates from 70 to 400 people in either of the White Sox party rooms. Both areas offer climate-controlled interior space with banquet-style seating, flat-screen televisions, private restrooms, and an outside seating area. Packages include game tickets and catering.

Jim Beam Club: Located behind home plate. Features include a restaurant buffet, open bar, in-seat menu and wait service, concierge service, access to private lounge, open air seating in padded, extra-wide 22" seats, private restrooms, flat-screen televisions throughout the club and seating area, private elevator entrance behind home plate at Gate 4, invitations to private on-field events and member parties, early admittance into the ballpark for select games to watch White Sox batting practice from the outfield, priority presale opportunities and former player appearances in the Jim Beam Club lounge.

On April 11, 2008 the White Sox paid tribute to the 2005 World Series championship squad by unveiling a new plaza and monument detailing the title run.

In 2008 the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority unveiled the first environmentally friendly permeable paving parking lot to be used by a Major League sports facility on April 8. The new lot (Lot L) saves taxpayer money by substantially reducing the amount of water entering Chicago's stormwater system, improving overall water quality and help reduce the urban heat island effect.

The White Sox Legacy Brick Program unveiled its brick plaza outside U.S. Cellular Field (Gate 4) on April 11. Each Legacy Brick is inscribed with a personalized message and has become part of a new baseball diamond-shaped plaza outside the main entrance to the ballpark. A life-sized white bronze and granite sculpture weighing over 25 tons that celebrates the 2005 White Sox World Series Championship stands at the center of the plaza, with a historical timeline of the franchise along the diamond's base paths. Players on the sculpture from the 2005 team is Paul Konerko, Joe Crede, Orlando Hernández, Geoff Blum and Juan Uribe.

Plasma flat screen television sets throughout the outfield concourse and at the top of its beer concession stands.

A life size bronze statue of Harold Baines that was placed on July 20 on the right field concourse behind Section 105.

There are nine retired numbers on the outfield wall at the park, eight on the left-center field wall and one on the right field wall. The one in right field is Jackie Robinson (42) which is retired throughout Major League Baseball. The ones in left center field are retired by the White Sox.

White Sox Retired Numbers

Number Player Position White Sox Years Date Retired Notes

2 Nellie Fox 2B 1950–63 1976 Hall of Fame (1997)

3 Harold Baines RF, DH 1980–89, 96–97, 00–01 8-20-1989

4 Luke Appling SS 1930–50 1975 Hall of Fame (1964)

9 Minnie Miñoso OF 1951–57, 60–61, 76, 80 1983 "Mr. White Sox"

11 Luis Aparicio SS 1956–62, 68–70 8-14-1984 Hall of Fame (1984)

16 Ted Lyons P 1923–46 1987 Hall of Fame (1955)

19 Billy Pierce P 1949–61 1987

42 Jackie Robinson 2B Brooklyn Dodgers, 1947-1956, Retired by Major League Baseball 4-15-1997

72 Carlton Fisk C 1981–93 9-14-1997 Hall of Fame (2000)

U.S. Cellular Field can be reached by using the CTA's "L" Rapid Transit system. The stadium's station stops are Sox–35th for the Red-Line and 35-Bronzeville-IIT for the Green-Line. The Red-Line is also used by Cubs fans to reach Wrigley Field (Addison Station) on the North side of Chicago. When the White Sox take on the Cubs every year, usually in June, fans will call the series the Cross-Town Classic, the Windy City Showdown or the Red-Line Series. A new Metra station will open on the Rock Island line in the Fall of 2010 which will help fans with more accessibility.

Further information: White Sox–Cubs rivalry.

U.S. Cellular Field has appeared in many films such as Rookie of the Year (1993), Major League II (1994), Little Big League (1994), and My Best Friend's Wedding (1997). In Rookie of the Year the stadium played the role of Dodger Stadium and in Little Big League the stadium played the role of all opposing ballparks except for Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park. Commercials for the PGA Tour, Nike, Reebok and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America have been filmed at the park.