The sports loyalties of Pope Leo XIV became a topic of conversation almost as soon as the white smoke emerged from the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel.Elected on Thursday, Robert Prevost is the first pope from the United States in the history of the Catholic Church. The Chicago-born missionary, who took the name Leo XIV, also attended Villanova University near Philadelphia, where he received a Bachelor of Science in 1977.Chicago’s two baseball teams were front and center as sports fans reacted to the news.It was initially reported that the new pope was a Cubs fan. The team congratulated Pope Leo XIV in a post on X that had a picture of Wrigley Field’s iconic marquee with the message: HEY, CHICAGO. HE’S A CUBS FAN!But his brother, John Prevost, set the record straight in an interview with WGN-TV. The pope is a White Sox fan.“He was never ever a Cubs fan, so I don’t know where that came from. He was always a Sox fan,” John said, adding that the confusion might stem from the fact their mother’s side of the family were North Siders and Cubs fans.The TV interview had White Sox fans wondering about the pope’s ability to convince owner Jerry Reinsdorf to sell the last-place team.The organization welcomed the clarification from the pope’s brother.“Family always knows best, and it sounds like Pope Leo XIV’s lifelong fandom falls a little closer to 35th and Shields,” the White Sox said in a statement. “Some things are bigger than baseball, and in this case, we’re glad to have a White Sox fan represented at the Vatican. A pinstripes White Sox jersey with his name on it and a hat already are on the way to Rome, and of course, the Pontiff always is welcome at his ballpark.”Long-suffering Bears fans weighed in, too.One remarked on X that Chicago developed a pope before the Bears developed a quarterback. Another said the Bears now have a direct line to God. And another said the Bears no longer will be on the wrong side of Hail Marys, a reference to Washington Commanders quarterback Jay …
