The most powerful man in the Catholic Church loves baseball. Before he became the pontiff, Pope Leo XIV was spotted in the crowd during Game 1 of the 2005 World Series between the Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros.
Pope Leo XIV Caught On Camera At World Series
Pope Leo XIV made the broadcast while at Game 1 of the 2005 World Series
— Joe Binder (@JoeBinder) May 9, 2025
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For the first time ever, the pope is from America.
Robert Prevost, who will now go by Pope Leo XIV, is the first American pope in the Catholic Church’s 2,000-year history.
Pope Leo XIV, 69, was born in Chicago, so naturally, he became a fan of the city’s rich sports tradition.
In one of those “the internet is great” moments, the current pope was spotted in the crowd at Game 1 of the World Series. Pope Leo XIV is seen in the crowd rooting for the White Sox in the ninth inning of Game 1.
Joe Binder caught the brief moment on camera and posted it on X.
Perhaps God was a White Sox that year because the Chicago-based team went on to win their only World Series in franchise history.
The pope’s brother, John Prevost, confirmed the World Series appearance and cleared up any confusion about his baseball allegiances.
“He was never ever a Cubs fan, so I don’t know where that came from,” John said in an interview with WGN. “He was always a Sox fan.”
Well, would you look at that… Congratulations to Chicago’s own Pope Leo XIV pic.twitter.com/U5DJ7TOyDr
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) May 8, 2025
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Pope Leo XIV Roots For Villanova
Pope Leo XIV loves hoops, especially Villanova hoops. He’s also taken an interest in the “Nova Knicks.”
And it’s likely that he’ll still follow his teams while he serves as the pope. pic.twitter.com/wxZxEePd1v
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) May 9, 2025
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Baseball is not the only sport the pope likes.
Pope Leo XIV graduated from Villanova University, where he developed a love for the Wildcats basketball team.
The Athletic spoke with Father Hagan, a senior associate athletic director and a team chaplain for Villanova football and men’s basketball programs.
Hagan said the pope loves basketball, especially when it involves players from Villanova. Unsurprisingly, the pope is a fan of the “Nova Knicks,” which includes Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges.
“We’ve had a lot of fun watching the Knicks because Jalen [Brunson] and Josh [Hart] and Donte [DiVincenzo] was there and now Mikal [Bridges] is there,” Hagan said. “I think that Pope Leo will still keep an eye on the Nova Knicks. I think he’ll still keep an eye on the Wildcats, and I think he’ll be very proud of not just who they are but the way that they play with a certain spirit and unselfishness.”
The first order of business for the pope will be streaming Game 3 between the Knicks and Celtics.
The post Yes, That Was Pope Leo XIV Cheering On The White Sox At The 2005 World Series appeared first on The Sports Daily.