An interview with the winning skipper, Al Lopez.
🎙️ Field Reporter:
“Al, congratulations on winning the Excellence Project championship for the American League — and beating the ’72 White Sox in the World Series. What’s your first thought when you see your team lift this crown?”
🧢 Al López:
“Well, thank you — it means an awful lot. You know, managing this group reminded me why I loved this game all those years ago. I’ve seen a lot of good clubs come and go, but this team — they just kept showing up, every day, hungry to win. They didn’t care who they were playing — the ’72 club, the ’06 A’s, the big bats out East — they just wanted to outplay ‘em.”
🎙️ Field Reporter:
“You managed a few special players in your time — what made this team so special? Was it the lineup, the arms, the defense?”
🧢 Al López:
“It was everything — you can’t win a championship in this league with one piece missing. Look at Pete Ward — that young man was the heartbeat. He hit .340 with pop, drove in runs, kept the dugout loose. Al Simmons? A hall-of-famer’s hall-of-famer, you give him 37 home runs and 125 RBI and you’ll sleep easy at night.
But then you got guys like Gary Peters on the mound — 23 wins, 2.81 ERA — he was as dependable as they come. The pitching staff kept us in every ballgame. And we played the kind of defense you can set your watch by. I don’t think folks appreciate how many games good gloves win you.”
🎙️ Field Reporter:
“Speaking of gloves — the club picked up hardware everywhere: MVP for Ward, Platinum Stick for Ted Lyons, Gold Gloves, you name it. How does that reflect on the culture you built?”
🧢 Al López:
“Well, I’ve always told my boys — you can’t take days off. You can’t cheat the fundamentals. I’ve seen too many teams with big bats and no leather. We wanted to be the club that didn’t beat itself. Good glove work, smart baserunning, pitchers who field their position — those little things show up in October.”
🎙️ Field Reporter:
“Last one, Al — what does this mean for the legacy of the ’63 White Sox? People will see your name on the Excellence Project trophy forever.”
🧢 Al López:
“You know, I managed a lot of clubs that came close, so this feels like a gift. For me, it’s a testament to Chicago baseball — our fans have always deserved this. And I’ll tell you, if you put that big ol’ trophy on display down on the South Side, I think those fans will keep believing for a long, long time.
I’m proud of these fellas — they earned it, every inning, every at-bat, every out. That’s the White Sox way.”