The Chicago Cubs and White Sox will renew acquaintances this weekend, and the history of the Crosstown Classic has been a vivid one.

The two teams have played each other more than 140 times since the series began in 1997, and they’ll play six more times this year in a three-game series at both Wrigley Field and Rate Field.

Wrigley is where things will get started on Friday, and as the two teams prepare to resume their rivalry, here’s a look back at the history of the series.

Where do the teams currently stand?

The teams’ fortunes couldn’t be more different, as the Cubs currently sit atop the National League Central with a one-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals. They have the third-best run differential in the National League, and are aiming to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2020.

As for the White Sox, they sit in last place in the American League Central with a 12-29 record, including an abysmal 3-17 record on the road. They have the second-worst record in baseball, ahead of only the Colorado Rockies.

When did they play for the first time?

With the advent of interleague play, the Cubs and White Sox played in regular season games against one another for the first time in 1997. The mid-June series saw the White Sox collect wins in two out of the three games, though the Cubs captured the first-ever contest by a score of 8-3.

The two teams played against one another at Wrigley Field for the first time in 1998, with the Cubs sweeping that series as they scored 26 runs in the three contests.

Which team currently holds the advantage in the all-time series?

The White Sox still hold a narrow lead over the Cubs in the all-time series between the two teams, dating back to 1997.

The Sox have a 74-72 record against the Cubs, even with the Cubs winning their last five games and seven of their last eight against the South Siders.

For those curious, the teams have met just once in the playoffs, and the White Sox were triumphant as they won the 1906 World Series four games to two.

Who has the most home runs in the history of the Crosstown Classic?

Aramis Ramírez hit 13 home runs in his career against the White Sox, driving in 33 runs and slashing an impressive .302/.371/.662 against the South Siders.

Sammy Sosa hit 11 home runs against the White Sox in his Cubs career, with Willson Contreras and Alfonso Soriano each hitting eight long balls in the Crosstown Classic.

Despite Ramírez’s prowess at the plate, the Crosstown Classic home run champion is Paul Konerko, who clubbed 20 home runs in 73 career games against the Cubs.

José Abreu hit 12 home runs in 40 career games against the Cubs, with Jermaine Dye hammering 11 long balls in the series.

How many players have played on both sides of the rivalry?

According to Baseball Reference, a total of 182 players have appeared in games for both the Cubs and the White Sox, including players like Sosa, Ron Santo and Phil Cavarretta.

One player could potentially join the list of players to have appeared in Crosstown Classic games on both sides of the rivalry, as Nicky Lopez  is still on the Cubs’ active roster heading into the weekend series.

Mike Tauchman, who played for the Cubs for two seasons and hit a walk-off home run against the White Sox last season, is now on the South Side squad, but is currently on the injured list with a hamstring strain.

Other players who had notable careers on both sides of town include Jose Quintana, who pitched four times against the Cubs in the series, posting a 3.76 ERA and an 0-3 record in those outings.

After he was traded to the Cubs in 2017, Quintana would face the White Sox twice, with a 6.43 ERA in seven innings.

Neal Cotts also pitched in both sides of the rivalry, with catchers Geovany Soto and Robert Machado both participating in the rivalry on both sides.