Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts and players Randy Wells (rear) and Marlon Byrd talk about the new BP Crosstown Cup. (Michael Tercha/Tribune)
Forget the "Crosstown Classic," the "City Series" or whatever else Cubs vs. White Sox games have been called in the past.
Early-rising Cubs and White Sox officials and marketing executives got
together Monday morning to announce what will be called the BP
Crosstown Cup. Henceforth, the team with the most wins in the annual interleague series will be formally awarded the rivalry's namesake trophy.
But there was no Cup at the announcement news conference -- not even a rendering -- and there was no Mayor Daley. The three-foot tall Cup supposedly is in production, but will be ready before the Cubs and Sox meet for the first time June 11-13 at Wrigley Field.
By the time the last of the six all-Chicago games are finished June
27 at U.S. Cellular Field, the Cup will be presented to the winner, with the last team to win
holding the tiebreaker.
For those keeping score, the Cubs came out the early winners at the news conference held in front of The Bean, which is, after all, on the north side of Madison Street.
The Cubs were represented by new owner Tom Ricketts, president Crane
Kenney, manager Lou Piniella and players Marlon Byrd and Randy Wells. The Sox had none of the ownership group, which was represented by
marketing director Brooks Boyer. And while manager Ozzie Guillen was a
no-show, players A. J. Pierzynski and Gordon Beckham did attend.
"I haven't seen it, I've heard it's awesome," Pierzynski said of the new trophy.
For other Cubs-Sox trophy options, check out our Smack page.
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The only trophy that matters is the Commissioner's trophy handed out at the end of the year.
"Stating the Obvious" still has his Pride Parade.
This makes the WNBA seem positively inspired.
What a joke this whole thing is.
Ever since the White Sox won the World Series all of this "bragging rights" nonsense is a non-issue.
Maybe winning this trophy is better than winning a World Series. They need to take this one step further. The city should celebrate by scheduling a parade, too. Actually, since both teams suck, they probably will always split the series and no trophy will ever be awarded.
The part I find dumbfounding is how inept baseball is at making it's own rules.
Example: team to win the last game of the series wins the cup in case of a tie.
I would think it should be like other sports where the defending champion retains the cup. Go back several seasons if necessary to determine who that is. If the Sox win 4-2 this year, they get the cup. If the teams tie 3-3 next year, Sox keep the cup because the Cubs haven't done anything to earn it back. Basically, win the cup outright or the defender keeps the cup.
How about the winning team gets to knock large spikes into a life size voodoo doll of Sammy Sosa (Milton Bradley would be a good second choice)?
south side mike on April 26, 2010 3:02 PM
2 teams one cup......
I loled...
Is this like the participant ribbon of the MLB?
When MLB announced that the winner of the All Star game would get home field advantage, they made the dumbest decision in baseball. This is just an entertaining gimmick. Get over it.
One team one a Worls Series but is still reviled by most of the city and ignored by most of the nation. The other hasn't proven much but is beloved by the globe. Cubs fans may not have much to cheer about but at least they have a team people like. Attendance means little as competition goes but it speaks volumes about the way people embrace the team. The Cubs outdraw home teams when they are on the road! In some places they have more fans than the White Sox have total attendance. Hmmmmmm???
Will the winners get rings?
Sir Dragon of Mulberry
STICK WITH THE SOX
I wish cubs fans would stop constatnly bring up attendance in every baseball discussion. Remember that as recently as the 1980's the cubs couldn't get anyone to the ballpark. There were years where they were averaging between 11,000 - 15,000 a game. Also, as recently as the early 1990's the white sox held the record for highest season attendance in the city. Quit acting like you've sold out every game since 1908. It's a recent phenomena that has conicided with the growth in popularity of the area around the stadium. Besides, no intelligent baseball fan would continually bring up attendance figures from the last 15-20 years in every baseball discussion as a way to prove some sort of perceived superiority in the city. Get over yourselves and have a look at those attendance figures from before you moved to lakeview in your 20's.
GoCubsGo on April 26, 2010 3:03 PM
"This is the only way the stupid Sox will ever win a trophy"
Really?
"Jordaner" is a spammer who posts using an array of ever-changing user names. When is the Tribune going to block his/her IP address and stop him/her from posting that junk?
Just what the teams need: more pressure to win series that don't count for much in the standings. I wish they'd cut back to one series against each other every season, and alternate the venue.
" the last team to win holding the tiebreaker."
I may be wrong but my impression was that means the last team to win the season series. Meaning last year, or before that if it is was a tie. Know what I mean?
I am a Cubs fan living in Texas. They have a lame "Silver Boot" trophy for the annual Astros/Rangers series. I think they use runs socred as the tie-breaker. The whole concept is just dumb but I guess somebody must be making some money off it.
The tallest midget contest continue's.
2 losers for 100 years, 1 town, what are the odds?
this is dumb. no one will care about having the trophy.
but worst of all is that the tiebreaker goes to the team winning the last game.
wat?! this is the worst idea in sports i have EVER heard of. i'd be happy with run differential, or combo of ERA/BA, or something intelligent that can be measured throughout the course of the series and not in the last game that EVENS THE SERIES!
in the words of the best analyst on tv, "its turrrible, jus turrrible"
I'm sure this was Tom Ricketts dumb idea, what does BP have to do with Chicago? This Ricketts is a fraud along with his Bison Burgers, Toyota signs and whatever other garbage he's got up his sleave.
How about you hire a legit GM, build a contending baseball team and win a championship for your long suffering fan base.
this is stupid, both reinsdorf and ricketts trying to put more cash in their pockets by getting their respective meathead fans to dish out more cash.
@ GOCUBSGO....the Sox already have a trophy, you know from winning the world series in this century something you guys can't seem to do to date.
Maybe the Scrubs can finally dust off their trophy case and add this one....that if they can win it.....LMAO!
I focus on real baseball that is why I watch the White Sox.....period!
GO SOX!
Nvyflyer09 on April 26, 2010 2:05 PM
And don't forget to support ' don't ask, don't tell'
it keeps me and my "partner" Bruce employed.
Oh look...the Trib's resident lunatic is also an immature homophobe. Will wonders never cease?
This is as stupid an idea as interleague play is.
I think it's funny watching fans from the two worst franchises in the history of sports calling the others losers.
Here's a clue idiots, both teams suck and have for 100 years.
This is the only way the stupid Sox will ever win a trophy
ThisBudz4Me on April 26, 2010 2:10 PM
"This is the dumbest thing I've ever heard of. This was definitely Crane Kenney's idea. What an idiot. Ricketts needs to can that guy."
Laughing my a*s off because I totally agree!
2 teams one cup......
The tie breaker should be based on beer sales, the team with the highest amount of beer sold wins. Isn't beer revenue what's it all about anyway?
This is the dumbest thing I've ever heard of. This was definitely Crane Kenney's idea. What an idiot. Ricketts needs to can that guy.
Wow, almost everyone posting comments on this story need to chill out and have a little fun. Baseball - a lot less serious than most of you people apparently believe it to be. This is a fun, throw-away idea designed to make things a little more interesting.
Well well, it takes a company British owned "BP" British Petrolatum NOT "BEYOND PERFORMANCE" who's corporate office not even here in Chicago "AON BUILDING was the AMOCO building" is giving us a cup!
Well a removed Amoco employee says OH THANK YOU! .. Where is closest Mobile station?
IS this what happens when a team can't win the world series in 100+ years? Hey, lets make up our own trophy...
This is about as stupid as stupid gets. It's just downright insulting to both cubs and sox fans as an attempt to generate further interest in this crosstown seies between two mediocre teams. Boo on Ricketts as a new owner for participating in such a bufoonish idea. Regardless what fan you are of either team, you should feel embarrassed at the fact that either team would place so much emphasis on such a trite and meaningless trophy. and I agree with the guy who said the trophy should look like a toilet bowl because all this is just a big load of crap. Today it's called the BP cup and tomorrow it'll be the Mc Donalds cup, Bank of America cup etc. etc. etc. What a B.S way to score a few extra bucks. To shame!!!
i am a sox fan and like most REAL sox fans, don't spend a moment thinking about the cubs outside of those six days we play each other. i don't root for the cubs, i don't root against the cubs, they're not in our division or our league so i just pay them no mind. i get much more into a good sox-twins series (not this year mind you...) than i do the crosstown thing.
for all those constantly throwing attendance statistics around, please. if lane tech played 81 games a year at wrigley all you lakeview wannabe transplants would be running around in green and gold shouting "go warriors".
This might be the dumbest idea ever. I wish they would play these games every other year. Or never. The real jerks come out of the woodwork during this series.
Yep, only a meatball fan cares about the Cubs-Sox series. At most they should just play 3 games each year at alternating parks....I agree that inter-league has run its course though...get rid of it entirely!
Southside- I always think its funny when Sox fans claim they don't go to games because they have jobs. Sox fans did attend games when their team was winning. Did they suddenly all find jobs? Yeah, that must be it.
I always think it's funny when Cubs fans point out that they can always fill Wrigley. It has taught me that if you want to make money in business you should market your product to twenty somethings who live off of their daddy's trust funds.
corporate move by reinsdorf and ricketts
I'm a sox fan and do not care for this whatsoever.
They're just pandering to the meatheads who dish out money at the ballpark every summer.
Dont seem to be a good idea at all unless they name it after me ! just kidding - but who really cares - If it wasnt for the people of Chicago where the hell would either of the Cubs or The Sox be - This should be a Fans trophy - Not for the teams who upset the Fans year after year causing so much heart break - Well not the Sox cuz we have our recent Series ring but poor Cubs fans ! My grandpa is rolling in his grave right now cuz of this - Go Chicago Fans ! Braggin rights to all !
The crosstown series is so played out. It brings out the worst in the city, the worst of the two sets of fans and worst serves as amateur hour for dumb (mostly young) drunk punks. It was nice when they never played each other. At the risk of pointing out the obvious, Bud Selig is a moron and this trophy idea is moronic. The only reason for it is to get some money out of BP.
bhawks71- Sox fans do not hold their team accountable, Sox fans are just cheap and lazy. Even when the Sox are in first place they can't fill the park. The only games that sell out at The Cell are against the Cubs.
What are you talking about bhawks71??? The Cubs have the third highest payroll in baseball which means they are trying to win a World Series. They haven't won because they have made some mistakes (Soriano, Bradley), but at least they are spending a lot of money and are trying to win. Sox fans don't show up because they are not true fans. They are actually hurting their team because players feed off of a good crowd which the Sox do not have.
The trophy should be shaped like a toilet bowl ?
As a Cubs fan I commend the White Sox fans not selling out the stadium. They demand a winner and hold ownership accountable and as a result have a 2005 WS title. What have we Cub fans earned with attendance titles? Not a world championship and that trumps all. Maybe one day Cubs fans will figure this out.
It's pretty obvious the only reason that the Cubs / Sox are doing this is because it's a money maker. If the teams can make a few extra bucks to put back in their payrolls then why not? With the Sox selling naming rights to their start times (7-11) and the Cubs selling naming rights to the bleachers (Bud Light), I'm shocked it took them this long.
It would be interesting to give the winning team 60% of the BP money with the losing team taking home the remaining 40%.
trophy - how about a piece of the CTA red line electrified third rail .......since they are connected by the red line more than a trail of BP gas stations.....
hey sox fans - you all so great that you don't need to fill the stands...nice fans...go away
What is the point of this? Why do they need a trophy?
It's time to put interleague to rest.
What a stupid pile of crap.Gee, will it cause more hostility between the Cubs fans and Sox fans ?
inter-league play is fine as long as the cubs and sox play in iowa and nashville. this series is tiring as it only provides braqgging rights as to is the better non division winning team in chicago.
the sox suck? hard to argue with the many world series of the northside over the last 65 years. Completely Useless By September. hard to argue with 65 years of futility, right? the cubs need a new ballpark since weeghman field is a carryover from a distant extinct league.
What a joke. Bringing more undue hype to the worn out, tired, only in place so the bottom feeders can get a couple decent gates, interleague play.
And let me guess, the oh so clever Chicago sports writers will ask Ozzie Guillen what he thinks about Wrigley Field. Then the dorks will giggle at his as worn out and tired as interleague play response.
Is it shaped like a gas can?
How dumb can this get? Who cares? It's like with all the trophy games in the Big Ten football season. I don't think anyone could care any less about the "Old Oaken Bucket" or that tomahawk trophy. Certainly professional athletes aren't going to care about any trophy other than a league championship or World Series.
Hey, maybe they can have Mrs. Reinsdorf design it since she did all those rings for the Bulls and Sox?
I guess what they really need to do is have radical realignment in MLB so the Cubs and Sox can be in the same division. Ugh!
This is absolutely awful.
why not just make it with the year represented as a big question mark on top indicating when the Cubs will win a World Series and give it to them right now?
Vgr99, awesome dude!
That was best comment post ever!
And it is still there 70 minutes later! Tribune, you rock!
How about the Madison Trophy? After Madison St. the traditional dividing line between North and South sides.
Yawn,
baseball keeps forcing this worn out equivalent of amateur night on baseball fans and we are tired of it. Between this and the AllStar game having so much unnecessary significance, I don't know which does mare harm, but both need to go.
Apparently, the Cubs realized they have no chance at winning a World Series Trophy, so perhaps this may do. What a joke.
The CTA did something with this in the 90s. They called it the "Rights to the Red Line".
The Cubs/Sox series gets this town revved up. (Especially when the regular races don't include our teams, which is, well, all too frequently.) So why not a trophy to further egg on the generally way too intense, but fun rivalry?
And Jim, share your deep expertise of baseball knowledge with us, why has inter-league run its course? I find it's always fun to see other parks and players you're not normally exposed to.
What a joke!!!
Guess this proves what a great sports town Chicago is?
The tie breaker should be the team with the highest beer sales wins. Isn't this really the case?
Really? This is what it's come to in Chicago?
Just get rid of the Sox already, no one cares about them and then everyone can unite behind the Cubs.
I'm just gonna become a Yankees fan, at least they have a winning history and continue to win.
Sox blow
It time to get rid of inter-league play altogether, it's run it's course.
Here's what you do...you make a trophy of that stupid bumper sticker where Calvin is peeing on something else and you just switch out what hat calvin is wearing based on who won
I agree with DJ. The Veeck Trophy. Bill Sr. was indeed the Cubs president. Bill Jr. planted the ivy and was the Sox ownwer (pre-Einhorn/Reinsdorf). Steve's skyline idea is good too.
The crosstown trophy should be about 2 feet tall with marble buildings depicting the skyline, with a gold colored Sears Tower coming from the center with a hotdog at the top.
They might call it the Crosstown Classic Trophy or something. Anothe possibilty would be to name it after the Veeck family -- Bill Sr. was the president of the Cubs, Bill Jr. was the president of the White Sox.
pretty cool idea, and they should name the trophy after Harry Carry since he did announce for both teams and plus its Harry
Yea! The Cubs may finally win something.