Chicago independent baseball team to honor Pope Leo XIV with bobblehead night Thursday
Briefly

Kane County Cougars will distribute a Pope Leo XIV bobblehead to the first 1,500 patrons at Northwestern Medicine Field before the game against the Southshore RailCats in Geneva, Illinois. Promotions director Claire Jacobi said the giveaway commemorates the pope and celebrates his baseball fandom while aiming to attract fan interest. Pope Leo, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, grew up on Chicago's Southside and reportedly rooted for the White Sox; he was seen wearing a White Sox cap at the Vatican earlier this summer. White Sox rookie Grant Taylor said the pope's visibility could help grow baseball's global fanbase. The White Sox sit 48-85 and last in the AL Central, while the Cougars are 45-50, third in the American Association East, 7.5 games behind the Lake County DockHounds.
Chicago native Pope Leo XIV is being honored tonight by the Kane County Cougars, an independent baseball team a couple of hours outside of the city, with his own bobblehead night. The first 1,500 patrons to Northwestern Medicine Field will receive a Pope Leo XIV bobblehead prior to Thursday's game against the Southshore RailCats in Geneva, Illinois. "We wanted to commemorate the pope. It's really exciting for the whole Chicago area," explained Claire Jacobi, the Kane County Cougars promotions director. "He's a large baseball fan, so we wanted to be fun and creative, and we hope the fans will love it. Hopefully, we can make him a Cougars fan someday as well."
Pope Leo, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, was a huge baseball fan growing up on the Southside of Chicago, reportedly rooting for the White Sox. Leo was seen earlier this summer supporting his team by wearing a White Sox cap at the Vatican. "It's pretty cool," White Sox rookie pitcher Grant Taylor expressed. "Worldwide, baseball is growing a lot more. But in Europe, it's not very big. So if he's over there in the Vatican wearing a White Sox hat, maybe all of them will become White Sox fans. Grow the fanbase a little bit."
Read at Yahoo Sports
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