The post Meet the White Sox fan who sat next to Pope Leo XIV at the 2005 World Series appeared first on Sox On 35th.
The past few days have been anything but normal for White Sox fans. For one in particular, it’s also become incredibly personal.
Eddie Schmit was just five years old when he attended Game 1 of the 2005 World Series with his grandfather, Ed. Along with them came Rev. Robert Prevost, a close friend of the family and fellow diehard Sox fan. It was nothing unusual at the time, as Eddie’s grandfather and Prevost often attended games together after meeting through their connection at St. Rita High School in Chicago.
“They became really good friends over the past two decades,” Eddie explained. “I mean, they would go to Sox games whenever he was in town. They would go to dinner. They were always really good friends. And later on, he just became a friend of our entire families, which was kind of cool.”
Things took a pretty dramatic turn when that same family friend became Pope Leo XIV of the Catholic Church on May 8, 2025. Now, Eddie could say he attended a baseball game with the most influential person in the Catholic faith. To top it off, there was proof of this as well.
The photo you’ve likely seen by now was taken by Eddie’s mother during the aforementioned Game 1 of the 2005 World Series. Certainly, no one thought this family picture would resurface nearly 20 years later. But the photo went viral in a Chicago Sun-Times article not long after Rev. Prevost was announced as the first American Pope in the history of the Catholic Church. People soon learned that he grew up in the South suburbs of Chicago, creating a connection likely few have felt to someone of the Pope’s influence before.
“I was like, ‘Holy crap, this picture was from 20 years ago,’” Eddie said. “You would’ve never thought something like this would have happened and been this big. And I was like, ‘That’s just crazy to tell that the Pope is a Sox fan. He is a Sox fan. There’s no doubt about it.’”
Then came the video. Not only was Pope Leo XIV at the game, he was shown on FOX’s broadcast, standing nervously with the rest of Sox fans before closer Bobby Jenks recorded the final out.
Outside of Jermaine Dye’s first-inning home run, Schmit doesn’t remember much from the game itself. But, he did know exactly where to find the video proof needed to confirm the newest Pope’s allegiances amidst initial reports that he was a Cubs fan.
“I remember a buddy of mine a few years ago found that clip, and he’s like, ‘Dude, you and your dad are on TV at the World Series,’” Eddie recalled. “I’m like, ‘No s–t. I didn’t even know this.’
“So, when all this transpired, I kind of was like, ‘Wow, what if he’s the one standing next to me at the game?’ I didn’t really think about it because I didn’t really know him like that. I was only five years old, and then sure enough, he was standing right next to me and, you know, that seat … we still have those exact same seats. They’re different now than they were in the World Series. I think that they were the blue seats back then. But he was still sitting right there, same section, same row, everything.”
Now 25 and living in Palos Heights while working in the family business, it’s been a surreal few days for Eddie. He was in Las Vegas when the news of Pope Leo XIV’s election broke, and he was flying home to Chicago when the photos and videos went viral. And while the internet attention is nice, Schmit is happiest about the fact that people are learning about his grandfather – the “best guy” he’s ever met – and the unique relationship that led to the whirlwind happening today.
Both Eddie and his grandfather have spoken highly of Pope Leo XIV as a caring and kind individual – even after Eddie’s grandfather’s passing in 2020, the now-Pope remains a close family friend.
“[Pope Leo XIV] was like family, almost,” Eddie explained. “He was always around, to say the least.”
“I would like to say we still kind of do have that contact, but I don’t know if we’re going to be reaching out to him anytime soon,” joked Eddie. “He’s probably really busy at the moment.”
Despite the current state of the team, Schmit’s family remains longtime season ticket holders who have no desire to do anything other than spend time at Sox games – there’s no chance they’re heading up to the North Side any time soon. And while he may still just be Fr. Bob to Eddie and his family, the rest of White Sox nation is hoping some newfound divine intervention is exactly what can turn things around at 35th and Shields.
You can listen to our full conversation with Eddie Schmit on the latest episode of the Sox On 35th Podcast below!
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Featured Photo: Provided
The post Meet the White Sox fan who sat next to Pope Leo XIV at the 2005 World Series appeared first on Sox On 35th.