Chicago White Sox

Chicago White Sox Retire Mark Buehrle's Number

In an emotional pregame ceremony at Guaranteed Rate Field, the Chicago White Sox retired Mark Buehrle’s jersey number on Saturday afternoon.

Buehrle, who pitched in 12 seasons for the White Sox, was the star of the day, and his family got to participate as well, as his daughter threw out the first pitch and his son sang the National Anthem before the Sox game against the Oakland A’s.

Broadcaster Ken “Hawk” Harrelson, who will be retiring after the 2018 season, helped guide the ceremony on Saturday, and was on the mic when Buehrle’s number was unveiled:

Naturally, the moment brought out some fond memories for White Sox fans as they reflected on Buehrle’s 12 years on the South Side.

Plenty of fans remembered Buehrle’s perfect game, which featured an insane game-saving catch by DeWayne Wise:

His no-hitter against the Texas Rangers was another memorable moment, as he picked off Sammy Sosa and faced the minimum number of batters in the victory:

Buehrle’s defense, which earned him four Gold Gloves in his big league career, was also mentioned, including his most famous stop as he flipped a ball between his legs to Paul Konerko for an out on Opening Day:

His relationship with Joe West also elicited some chuckles:

Even Mayor Rahm Emanuel, a Cubs fan, issued a statement congratulating Buehrle on having his jersey retired.

“White Sox fans will always remember the 12 seasons Mark Buehrle spent on the south side, and the gritty work ethic that endeared him to so many,” Emanuel said. “Mark Buehrle’s career will now extend beyond the record books alone, and his number 56 will hang above White Sox games from this day forward.”

Buehrle is the 11th White Sox player to have his number retired, joining franchise legends like Minnie Minoso, Luke Appling, Luis Aparicio, and Frank Thomas. 

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