One night in 1988, Jim Thompson twisted arms to keep the Sox in Chicago
Time didn't just stand still for the White Sox in 1988. It went backward.
The clock on the wall of the Illinois House of Representatives chamber read 12:03 a.m. when the final vote came through, three minutes past the deadline for legislation to build a new stadium to replace the aging Comiskey Park and keep the White Sox in Chicago.
Not so fast.
The bill was approved 60-55 at 11:59 p.m., came the ruling from the speaker's chair. Still June, just in time to pass the measure without a super majority. The state Senate had voted in favor earlier in the night.
Gov. James Thompson's efforts to keep the team from going to Tampa had been rewarded, and it took a night of arm-twisting right there on the floor of the House from the governor himself.
It is one of his most remembered accomplishments of his 14 years as governor.
Thompson died Friday night in Chicago at age 84.
"When he walked on the floor of the House, of course all eyes turned to him," former House Republican leader Lee Daniels of Elmhurst recalled Saturday. "They knew why he was there. He was a very powerful and imposing figure at 6-foot-6. He was one that every member of the House, Republican or Democrat, respected because of his abilities. And if he had not gone to the floor of the House, that bill would not have passed."
Many Chicago Democrats sang "Nah, Nah, Hey, Hey Goodbye" as the clock ticked toward midnight. They wanted the money for a new Comiskey Park to go to education reform instead.
"(Thompson) was very active in supporting the White Sox to stay in Illinois because he saw that as a very important feature for Chicagoland and the state of Illinois as a whole," Daniels said.
"If it wasn't for him it never would have passed, because the White Sox were able to negotiate a very strong deal in the state of Florida but made a promise to the governor if he were to pass the bill that they negotiated that they would stay in Illinois. As a result of the governor's hands-on action with the White Sox, they stayed in Illinois, and the rest is history now."
The stadium now is known as Guaranteed Rate Field.
Pate" Philip of Wood Dale, opposed it, former Addison Twp. Republican Party chairman Pat Durante recalled Saturday. ">The White Sox also looked to build a new stadium in the suburbs. The Elmhurst Quarry was one possibility.
A proposal to build a new White Sox stadium near Lake Street and Swift Road in Addison failed by one vote in a referendum because the Republican leader in the state Senate, James "Pate" Philip of Wood Dale, opposed it, former Addison Twp. Republican Party Chair Pat Durante recalled Saturday.