Paul Konerko will become the tenth member of the Chicago White Sox to have his number retired.
The White Sox will retire Konerko’s No. 14 on May 23 when they host the Minnesota Twins.
“Paul Konerko is one of the greatest players in White Sox history, not only for his strength and performance on the field, but also for his heart and leadership off the field,” White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. “Paul was a humble leader whose passion for the game earned the respect and love of the entire clubhouse and fans all over the country. We honor Paul by retiring his number and welcoming him to the ranks of White Sox legends.”
The White sox will hand out replica Konerko statues – to the one in left-center field – to the first 20,000 fans who enter U.S. Cellular Field on that Saturday.
Konerko spent 16 of his 18 major league seasons with the White Sox. In terms of franchise records Konerko is first in total bases (4,010), second in home runs (432) behind Frank Thomas, and third in hits (2,292) behind Luke Appling and Nellie Fox. Of course the highlight of his career may have been the 2005 season when he led the White Sox to a World Series championship.
Konerko joins Thomas, Appling, Fox, Harold Baines, Minnie Minoso, Luis Aparicio, Ted Lyons, Billy Pierce, and Carlton Fisk as players that have had their numbers retired by the White Sox.
