CP Crawford’s day follows a familiar and comforting pattern: A breakfast of scrambled eggs, wheat toast and sausages; hanging out in the lobby all day in his wheelchair.
That’s how he likes it. The 112-year-old’s routine was thrown into exhilarating chaos Thursday when an exceptionally long, black limo pulled up outside the Tri-State Village Nursing & Rehab Center in south suburban Lansing to take him to see his beloved White Sox.
In his century-plus of living, he said he’s never seen the boys in black and white in person. Never had the time, he said.
But thanks to the Sox organization and community activist Andrew Holmes, Crawford can check that off his bucket list.
“See, I told you I was going to take you to see the White Sox. Guess what? You’re here at the White Sox,” Holmes said, as Crawford’s fragile frame was eased into a wheelchair outside Guaranteed Rate Field.
The sounds of Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” boomed from some nearby speakers. Hard to know exactly what Crawford thought. He’s a man of few words.
“Chicago is my hometown,” was all he would say.
But there was no mistaking his delight a few minutes later, when he was wheeled out onto the field just before the game, while the grounds crew swept the bases and fanned water on the drying dirt.
The lattice of deep lines wrinkled a little bit more as a huge grin spread across his face. And there was White Sox legend Harold Baines to hand him his “112 Crawford” jersey.
“How you doing, sir?” Baines said.
“I feel pretty good.”
Baines signed the jersey. A short while later, Crawford, the White Sox guest of honor, sat back and prepared to enjoy his first game.
