Monday 17 October 2005

Iraqis Pause Vote Count To Celebrate Chisox Pennant

Many Remember '59 Disappointment; Believe This Is The Year; Will Bring Team To Baghdad With Series Win

There are many important things facing the Iraqi people. Forming a new government, and the historic vote count on a new Iraq Constitution are, perhaps, at the top of the list.

However, there are, in fact, really important things to take into account.

Last night, all business fell to the wayside as hundreds-of-thousands of Iraqis poured out into the streets across the country to celebrate the Chicago White Sox victory over the Los Angeles Angels, of Anaheim and Orange County, California, United States of America that gave them the American League pennant for the first time since 1959.

The historic vote on the new Iraqi Constitution was temporarily suspended, as election officials joined the revelry taking place on the streets.

"This is truly remarkable," gushed Iraqi President Jalal Talabani. "I was only a young boy but I was so crushed when they lost the World Series in 1959. When they went back to Comisky Park, for Game Six, I really thought they would do it."

The Los Angeles Dodgers, behind pitchers Don Drysdale and Johnny Podres, and the hitting of Duke Snider, beat Chicago, 4-games-to-2.

The longer streak is that the White Sox have not won the World Series since 1917.

Talabani said that if the Chicago White Sox win the World Series this year, he'll "bring the team to Baghdad" for a special ceremony.

"We've seen this done by many American Presidents," said Talabani. 'It must be an important feature of democracy, to celebrate with championship teams and we want to be as democratic as we can be."

Neither team owner Jerry Reinsdorf, or White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen, who saw four of his pitchers throw complete games, the first time that has happened since the 1956 Yankees, had any immediate comment on the Iraqi support of the Chicago team.

A spokesperson for the team said that "there are some sections of Chicago I wouldn't want to go in to" and that the team would wait and see and consider the offer after the World Series.

While the Bush Administration is eager to see the final vote count on the constitution, which is being reported as being overwhelmingly accepted and approved by the Iraqi voters, they were also pleased to see the impromptu celebration for the White Sox.

"The President believes," offered White House Spokesperson Scott McClellan, 'that this is a significant step and endorsement of the new democracy. The President sent a message to President Talabani, congratulating him and, even suggested that the new Iraqi government considered making baseball Iraqi's national pastime."

When reached for comment, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfield was also pleased to see the Iraqis celebrating baseball.

'Goodness, who doesn't love baseball," said Rumsfield. "I mean, heavens, it has so much to offer a young democracy. The strategy, the determination … Working throught tough situations … And who's in the Iraqi's bullpen? Who's going to come in and get the save, or get the win? Only the best team in the world - the fighting forces of the U.S. Military …Is that hype? Is that overstating the case? … I don't think so … Not in my ballpark, anyway."

Rumsfield deferred questions as to if the Iraqi's had the proper equipment to play baseball and if the United States Army would compensate them if the purchased the needed equipment on their own.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said that "it was a good sign" the Iraqi's were embracing American baseball.

"We'll have to work on introducing them to English soccer and cricket."

Senator Rick Santorum weighed in on the Iraqi celebration and White Sox victory.

Santorum, earlier this year, blamed the Boston Red Sox and Boston's liberalism for the Catholic priest scandal of abusing children and his office said that "the Senator is happy to see democracy taking hold in Iraq."

"As to the Chicago White Sox," said Santorum, "We'll just have to look into them to see if they helped cause the abuse as well."

Two Iraqi woman cry for joy after hearing the news that the Chicago White Sox beat the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Orange County, California, United States of America to win the American League Championship and enter the World Series for the first time since 1959.