The executive council of Major League Baseball approved interleague play for the 1997 season; for the first time, regular season games between the American and National Leagues would count in the standings. The plan is approved by the MLBPA, granting specific emphasis on “geographic rivalries,” in Chicago’s case meaning crosstown games pitting the White Sox against the Cubs.
The White Sox would begin interleague play on June 13, 1997, with a 3-1 win in Cincinnati over the Reds. Three days later, the White Sox began official play against the Cubs back at Sox Park, suffering an 8-3 loss.