It might be very difficult to believe in 2019, but during most of the 1960s the White Sox were often thought of as the No. 1 team in Chicago. They had outdrawn the Cubs every year since 1951 (save one oddity, 1958, likely because Ernie Banks’ first MVP season was a draw and the Sox were out of contention that year by June) and had a better record than their North Side rivals every one of the 17 seasons from 1951-67.
The White Sox had grown tired of being “second banana” on WGN-TV to the Cubs.