{"id":53361,"date":"2025-08-01T20:39:17","date_gmt":"2025-08-01T20:39:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/53361\/"},"modified":"2025-08-01T20:39:17","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T20:39:17","slug":"photo-essay-chicagos-crosstown-classic-in-polaroids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/53361\/","title":{"rendered":"PHOTO ESSAY: Chicago’s ‘Crosstown Classic’ in Polaroids"},"content":{"rendered":"

CHICAGO (AP) \u2014 A fierce rivalry between Chicago\u2019s North and South Siders comes to life each summer during the \u201cCrosstown Classic<\/a>,\u201d when the Cubs<\/a> and White Sox<\/a> face off in their home stadiums.<\/p>\n

This unique series is loaded with team history and memories for both sets of fans, who hail from the North and South Sides respectively.<\/p>\n

The Associated Press photographed the latest Cubs-White Sox games with a Polaroid Now+ camera and i-Type film, which match the classic Polaroid look and process but offer modern advantages including a USB charger. Each Polaroid image was first exposed to light, then went into a black felt bag.<\/p>\n

Polaroids convey nostalgia, and nothing says nostalgia quite like baseball. The film format requires a level of intimacy not often seen in modern photo coverage of baseball games, when speed and instant images are prioritized. <\/p>\n

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Many people were excited by the camera\u2019s familiar boxy case, the distinctive sound of the photos sliding smoothly out.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that a Polaroid?\u201d they ask. \u201cI haven\u2019t seen one of those in forever.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Chicago<\/p>\n

\n Chicago Cubs’ Dansby Swanson prepares to take the field during a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)\n <\/p>\n

Chicago Cubs’ Dansby Swanson prepares to take the field during a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

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\"Chicago<\/p>\n

\n Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell stands in the dugout during a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)\n <\/p>\n

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell stands in the dugout during a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

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Shooting with a Polaroid requires patience, planning for the right moment. You need the right light and direct interaction with the subject. The result takes several minutes to appear, often with a soft or slightly faded focus. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Players<\/p>\n

Players warm up between innings during a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

Players warm up between innings during a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

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\"Young<\/p>\n

\n Young fans wait for players before a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)\n <\/p>\n

Young fans wait for players before a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

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\"Jeremiah<\/p>\n

\n Jeremiah Avila, 4, top, holds a Puerto Rican flag as friends and family tailgate before a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)\n <\/p>\n

Jeremiah Avila, 4, top, holds a Puerto Rican flag as friends and family tailgate before a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

\"Helmets<\/p>\n

Helmets and bats are kept in a dugout during a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

Helmets and bats are kept in a dugout during a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

\"Hot<\/p>\n

Hot dogs and onions are grilled during a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

Hot dogs and onions are grilled during a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

\"Players<\/p>\n

Players stand for the Star-Spangled Banner during a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

Players stand for the Star-Spangled Banner during a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The city skyline can be seen as fans tailgate in a parking lot before a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

The city skyline can be seen as fans tailgate in a parking lot before a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

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The experience reflects baseball in many ways. Major League Baseball was officially established 149 years ago, but the methodical work it takes to win, team traditions and a personal connection to the game are what keeps many fans engaged season after season. <\/p>\n

Outside the White Sox home stadium, Rate Field<\/a>, fans are allowed to grill, drink, play games and socialize in a sea of parking lots surrounding the park. Over the rivalry weekend, White Sox and Cubs fans mingled under the sometimes brutal July sun.<\/p>\n

Flory Aquino, wearing Sox gear, and Kristina Willer, in Cubs gear, played beer pong together before a game. They said they are \u201cfriends before anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just have a good time, that\u2019s it, you know?\u201d said Aquino. \u201cAnd actually, it doesn\u2019t matter what team it is. They\u2019re both from Chicago, and we just come out here to have a great time.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Flory<\/p>\n

Flory Aquino, left, and Kristina Willer tailgate with friends and family before a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

Flory Aquino, left, and Kristina Willer tailgate with friends and family before a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

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Inside the park, too, Polaroids made a memory tangible \u2014 a single image that can be seen and held instantly. There\u2019s no negative, no possible way to replace it. <\/p>\n

Aylin Servin, 8, and her father Aldo took pictures together behind a giant \u201cChicago\u201d sign inside the ballpark, the city skyline in the background.<\/p>\n

The elder Servin said while he is a long-time Cubs fan, his daughter picked the White Sox. She was attending her first baseball game ever.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Aylin<\/p>\n

Aylin Servin, 8, left, and her father Aldo Servin have their photo taken with the \u201cChicago\u201d sign during a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

Aylin Servin, 8, left, and her father Aldo Servin have their photo taken with the \u201cChicago\u201d sign during a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

\"Veteran<\/p>\n

Veteran groundskeeper Jose Diaz watches the field during a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

Veteran groundskeeper Jose Diaz watches the field during a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

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The images also capture the White Sox fan base\u2019s recent embrace of their most famous member \u2014 Pope Leo XIV<\/a>. Born Robert Prevost on Chicago\u2019s South Side, the new pope attended Game 1 of the 2005 World Series sweep of the Houston Astros. <\/p>\n

A fresh mural memorializes that moment. And there are T-shirts and other merchandise nodding to the famous fan sold everywhere. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A mural of Pope Leo XIV is seen on the concourse during a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

A mural of Pope Leo XIV is seen on the concourse during a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

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Tom Dermody has been a security guard at the park for the last 14 years and remembers many a Crosstown Classic. He\u2019s got a positive view of his job and the fans he interacts with. But he admits the stickier moments are hard to forget. <\/p>\n

\u201cAlmost three years ago today, I broke up a fight out in the left field bleachers on a Sunday and wound up tearing, completely tearing my rotator cuff,\u201d he said. \u201cI found out later on, it was an irate Sox fan that threw a beer on a Cubs fan and the whole section went up for grabs. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt looked like a food fight from one of John Belushi\u2019s movies,\u201d he reminisced. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Veteran<\/p>\n

Veteran security guard Tom Dermody watches fans during a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

Veteran security guard Tom Dermody watches fans during a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

Read More<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A flag is displayed at a tailgate party before a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

A flag is displayed at a tailgate party before a Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox Crosstown Classic series baseball game Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)<\/p>\n

Read More<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"CHICAGO (AP) \u2014 A fierce rivalry between Chicago\u2019s North and South Siders comes to life each summer during…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":53362,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[56],"tags":[228,226,227,40677,1558,157,479,2318,229,88,373,5630,5629,40678,40679,149,363,2008,29938,19431,99,40680],"class_list":["post-53361","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-aylin-servin","tag-baseball","tag-chicago","tag-chicago-cubs","tag-chicago-white-sox","tag-design","tag-entertainment","tag-houston-astros","tag-il-state-wire","tag-illinois","tag-john-belushi","tag-kristina-willer","tag-lifestyle","tag-mlb","tag-mlb-baseball","tag-photo-essays","tag-pope-leo-xiv","tag-sports","tag-tom-dermody"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53361","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53361"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53361\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53362"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53361"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53361"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53361"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}