Arts & Entertainment
From the Disco Demolition to The Big Hurt, New Book Turns Back Clock to Final Years of Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park. (Photo by Ken Smoller, courtesy of Eckhartz Press)
How can dispirited White Sox fans restore their faith, with 69 losses before the All-Star break and a “wait ‘til next decade” aura around the team?
They might find solace by embracing memories of a beloved ballpark.
“Last Comiskey” is a book-length valentine for a place once called the “Baseball Palace of the World.” An affectionate account of the last season at Comiskey Park, the book also recalls monumental moments from the 1970s and ‘80s.
The book is a companion to a documentary of the same name by Matt Flesch, with new material and vintage photos taken by Ken Smoller. It’s a labor of love for Flesch and Smoller, and their effort shows.
To write the book’s foreword, they tagged Ozzie Guillén — the All-Star shortstop and first Latino manager to win a World Series, leading the White Sox in 2005.
Guillén fondly recalls his sons growing up at the park, and he still reveres his family of teammates over the years. He also said the new stadium that replaced Comiskey “may have been the ugliest park I played at in my life.”
There are pictures and memories of Minnie Miñoso, Carlton Fisk and Jeff Torborg. And Harold Baines, Robin Ventura and Frank Thomas — who hit the last home run at Comiskey and the first one in the new park.
Left: Frank Thomas. Right: Ozzie Guillén. (Photo by Ken Smoller, courtesy of Eckhartz Press)
Many names and faces would be carved in stone on the Sox’ Mount Rushmore, should owner Jerry Reinsdorf move the team to a mountainous state. Others — Sammy Sosa and mascots Ribbie and Roobarb — probably wouldn’t make the cut.
Donn “The Pope” Pall is among those who share anecdotes throughout the book. Pall is the Sox fan from the south suburbs who became a pitcher for the Pale Hose.
As a teenager he attended the Disco Demolition Night doubleheader and was “PO’ed that the Sox had to forfeit Game Two, because they weren’t good enough to afford to lose a game by forfeit.”
Friday marked the 45th anniversary of the infamous Disco Demolition at Comiskey Park — and if you don’t know what happened on that day in 1979, you should probably hand in your Chicago credentials.
Pall still recalls the pall of marijuana smoke “like a rock concert” and seeing people gashed by vinyl records tossed around like Frisbees. On a lighter note, one opportunistic vendor remembers joining the crowd on the field and selling beer to rowdy fans near second base.
Other voices include off-the-field legends such as Nancy Faust. Over 41 seasons as Sox organist, Faust played walk-up songs for each home team player. According to the Baseball Hall of Fame, “some claim that this was the predecessor for modern day walk-up music.” Her song for slugger Dick Allen — whose signing was said to have saved the team — was “Jesus Christ Superstar.” She also introduced “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” as a “see ya” to opposing teams.
Nancy Faust. (Photo by Ken Smoller, courtesy of Eckhartz Press)
“Last Comiskey” covers the Winning Ugly season of 1983 and Michael Jordan’s batting practice in 1990. It tips its cap to clubhouse manager “Chicken” Willie Thompson and groundskeeper Roger Bossard, known as “The Sodfather.” It also pays tribute to everyone from the Veecks to the Andy Frain ushers.
Just 12 years after the Disco Demolition, the ballpark itself was demolished. It was an 80-year-old building with a lot of drawbacks, but it had character and a history that included Babe Ruth and the Beatles. In its final years, Comiskey also boasted the reputation of having the best grass field in baseball.
One surreal moment in the final season happened on July 1, 1990 — the park’s 80th and last birthday. The White Sox were no-hit by the Yankees — and still won the game 4-0 thanks to bungling by the Bronx Bombers. While Sox fans cheered; Yankees starting pitcher Andy Hawkins reportedly wept in the dugout.
Final game at Comiskey Park. (Photo by Ken Smoller, courtesy of Eckhartz Press)
In 1990, the Sox played their hearts out while the new stadium rose next door. They nearly made the playoffs and would have in the Wild Card era — they had the second-best record in the American League — but they lost the division to the Tony La Russa-led Oakland A’s. “A’s” is short for “Athletics,” but the size of players like Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire suggested it might mean “Anabolic.”
“Last Comiskey” isn’t a splashy coffee table book, and that’s part of its charm. It is a scrapbook of snapshots and memories from people who were there, loved it and miss it. There are a handful of superfluous images from other ballparks (author Smoller visits a lot of parks for his Stadium Vagabond blog), but the book still offers a solid lineup of recollections and candid photos. In relishing the past, this colorful volume offers White Sox fans a glimmer of hope for the future.
It might also make them wonder: If the Sox get that new stadium they seek, who will memorialize Guaranteed Rate Field?
