When the world's Catholics welcomed Pope Leo XIV Thursday—a Chicago native—citizens of his home city quickly had one question: Is the Supreme Pontiff a Chicago Cubs fan or a Chicago White Sox fan?
In an interview with WGN, Leo's brother John Prevost put rumors of his Cubs fandom to rest.
"He was never, ever a Cubs fan. I don't know where that came from. He was always a Sox fan," Prevost said. "Our mother was a Cubs fan... and our dad was a Cardinals fan. I don't know where that all came from. And all the aunts, our mom's family, came from the North Side, so they were Cubs fans."
Obviously the biggest question surrounding Chicago native Robert Prevost now that he is Pope Leo XIV: Cubs or White Sox? His brother gave the definitive answer to @WGNNews' @DanaRebikWGN pic.twitter.com/DvMiGZ0qHY
— Josh Frydman (@Josh_Frydman) May 8, 2025
But Leo, John insisted, always rooted for the White Sox. The pope was born Robert Prevost in 1955 and raised in Dolton, Ill., just south of the Chicago city limits.
Following on avid soccer fan Pope Francis, the athletic world appears to have received another sports-loving pope.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as White Sox, Cubs Fans Got a Quick Answer to New Pope's Baseball Allegiance .
