It was Homewood-Flossmoor day at White Sox stadium on Sunday, July 30. Community members filled the stands after purchasing tickets from the village of Homewood at reduced prices.
Before the Chicago White Sox took on the Cleveland Guardians, Flossmoor Mayor Michelle Nelson and Homewood Village Trustee Jay Heiferman were introduced to the stadium audience. During the pre-game ceremony, Nelson and Heiferman stood near home base and announced “Play ball!” to the crowd.
“It was surreal to be down there in the field,” Nelson said. “I’ve been a White Sox fan all my life. Even though I grew up in Kansas City, I’ve been going to games for over 40 years. And to be there with neighbors and friends and with some of my family, it was so much fun.”
Homewood events manager Marla Youngblood said the village sold about 200 reduced-priced tickets to the game. Prior to game day, the villages of Homewood and Flossmoor alerted the community to the event on Facebook and village websites. No proof of residency was required to purchase the tickets at the reduced price.
“We have some people who obviously subscribe to our village (website) page who aren’t residents. But we just promote it to all of our outlets that we have to speak to our residents,” Youngblood said. “If other people read it from other towns and participate, they weren’t restricted.”
Homewood and Flossmoor fans entered Gate 3 and sat near left field. There were enough available seats for Homewood and Flossmoor fans to be able to choose their seats, normally in the $40 to $60 range, for the reduced rate of $20 to $40.
Homewood resident Michael Simmons and his wife, Daleesia Simmons, attended with their 4-year-old daughter. While walking around the stadium, they bought her a balloon. Because it was their daughter’s first game, she was given a First Game Certificate at one of the booths. It came with a White Sox folder and a button that read: My First Game.
“What’s great about these seats is it’s right by the garage and the parking. We can literally walk out and go straight to our car,” Michael Simmons said, as he ate Italian ice sitting in the sunshine on a 76-degree day. “It’s baking. It’s toasty. […] But it’s baseball weather, so you can’t complain.”
Flossmoor resident Will Banks and his wife Cicely were at the game with their daughter Zoi, a Homewood-Flossmoor High School student. The tickets were a Father’s Day gift from Cicely to Will. She said that Will is very “mellow” but was excited when he received the gift.
Incoming Homewood-Flossmoor High School junior Damare Tucker was celebrating his 16th birthday with his parents, Jarwaun and Havenell Tucker, and his sister, Samantha.
“I love that Homewood gives us the opportunity to come out to the game with families and neighbors – and then get to enjoy America’s best pastime,” Havenell Tucker said, as she and her family ate hot dogs.
Youngblood said the village plans on being part of this White Sox event in future years.
