White Sox distribute 40,000 papal mitre hats at Pope Leo XIV celebration

The Chicago White Sox celebrated their most prominent fan, Pope Leo XIV, on Tuesday night, distributing approximately 40,000 commemorative papal mitre hats to attendees at Rate Field during their game against the Cincinnati Reds. The event, which began as a limited promotion, expanded into a full-stadium giveaway due to overwhelming fan interest, marking a unique intersection of sports and faith for the city.

The celebration honored the lifelong White Sox fandom of Pope Leo, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago. His allegiance became widely known after his elevation to the papacy in 2025, with archived footage showing he attended Game 1 of the 2005 World Series. The White Sox organization conceived the promotion in April, aiming to give fans a way to showcase their pride in the homegrown pontiff. Initially, the team planned to offer the hats as a paid voucher for a designated section, but strong demand led them to make the mitre, featuring the team logo, a free giveaway for all ticket holders.

"We couldnt remember anything where we had to put it to 40,000," said White Sox marketing chief Brooks Boyer. "I know Ive certainly never sat in this seat to talk about a promo item...