Established in 1901, the Chicago White Sox made their debut in the American League just one year after arriving in Chi-town. The Sox are considered to be one of Major League Baseball’s oldest teams; they are also apart of the original eight franchises in the league.
Since their inception into the league, the Sox have found a place to call home in a total of three different stadiums residing in the South Side of Chicago. A few blocks south of the current Comiskey Park lies 39th street and Princeton – the team’s initial playing grounds. Charles Comiskey, team manager, built a wooden grandstand allowing a capacity of 7,500 to root for the Sox at home. A decade later, the “Baseball Palace of the World” would serve as the team’s new stomping grounds, and would do so for the next eighty years. Fast-forward to present day and the Sox currently reside in U.S. Cellular Park – built across from the old Comiskey Park, and features over forty thousand unobstructed-view seats.
Up until the current season, the Sox have brought home the Commissioner’s Trophy a total of three times. The first championship was won in 1906 – defeating their crosstown rivals, the National League’s Chicago Cubs. The two subsequent victories were achieved during their 1917 and 2005 seasons. The team celebrated the 1917 championship by introducing an intricate new logo that would reign as the team’s emblem for the following thirteen years.
Read on to see how the White Sox have transformed their logo throughout their journey in the MLB.
Notable Logo Changes
Entering the Major League in 1901– the Chicago White Sox have transitioned through many primary logos. The Sox utilized three different versions of their classic logo that features the letters “O” and “X” entangled in a large “S” – serving as the focal point for the piece. The team’s current primary colors are black, white and silver – versions of their logo have been seen utilizing a red, white and blue colorway over the years.
1901–1902:
For their inaugural logo, Chicago uses a simple red block-style “C.”
1903:
Modifications are made to the font of the “C” – deviating from their original logo. The color changes to a navy blue.
1904:
The color remains the same, but the “C” becomes elongated. A triangle shape protrudes from the center of the letter.
1905:
Changes are made to the bottom of the letter – making the edge round. The design now features an open diamond in the center of the “C.”
1906–1907:
Reverting back to an earlier font style, the “C” shortens in length – becoming more wide.
1908–1909:
Similar to the previous years fonts, the triangles make their return on the center of the letter.
1910–1911:
The team removes the triangles, but maintains the navy blue color used for the past several seasons. This is the last time the team makes use of a simple “C” for their logo.
1912–1916:
For the first time since their inception into the league, Chicago’s logo undergoes major changes. Ditching the “C” logo, the team features the word “Sox.” The “S” serves as the the focal point with “O” and “X” tangled within.
1917:
Maintaining their new logo, the team modifies the font to become thinner. Slight changes are made to the “S.”
1918–1931:
To celebrate the team’s world championship – the Sox opt for an intricate logo. A white sock is placed over a blue and gold globe with an eagle perched at the top and two bats crossed at the bottom. The words “Worlds Champions” appear around the globe, and the entire image sits on a patriotic-themed badge.
1932–1935:
The team abandons their intricate logo, and reverts back to the word “Sox.” This logo comes in a red format with the letters sloping diagonally over a yellow bat. A minimalist-styled baseball sits inside the letter “O.”
1936–1938:
The Sox revisit an earlier logo, featuring the letter “S” with an “O” and “X” entangled within.
1939–1948:
To switch things up a bit – the team uses a cartoon boy holding a bat over his shoulder that hosts the team name on it. An outline of a red baseball is utilized as the background.
1949–1959:
The team sticks with the cartoon theme, and features a winged-white sock outlined in blue as their new logo. The city name appears in red, and is placed over the flying sock.
1960–1975:
The Sox offer a simplistic logo – placing a transparent baseball player over the outline of a sock centered in a red bubble.
1976–1981:
Displaying loyalty to their red, white and blue colorway – a new cartoon baseball player is depicted on top of the team’s name.
1982–1986:
Sticking to their guns, the team maintains the same logo as the previous year and changes the shade of blue for the 1982 season.
1987–1990:
A slight modification is made once again to the shade of blue – opting for a darker hue for the 1987 season.
1991–Present:
The team goes for a classic design by featuring “Sox” calligraphed in black on a slant with white and silver outlines.
Preparing for the next #WhiteSoxGameDay? Make sure you’re decked out in the latest White Sox gear and apparel – look no further than Fanatics for all your Sox essentials!
