CHICAGO -- The game between the Chicago White Sox and Texas Rangers Sunday was postponed after a 7 hour and 23 minute wait, the longest rain delay in baseball history and the most aggravating.
The two teams will play a doubleheader Friday in Texas, despite the White Sox objections.
'It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how it could've been avoided,' White Sox catcher Carlton Fisk said. 'It's been raining since 11 o'clock.'
One option was to reschedule the game for Thursday, an off day for both teams. The Rangers have a three-game series in Kansas City starting Monday, while the White Sox are home, playing host to Toronto.
'The Rangers voted it down,' White Sox general manager Larry Himes said of that option.
'They have a right to do that,' Chicago Manager Jeff Torborg said.
What upset Torborg is the rule which forces the White Sox to make up the game in the next series, and not at the end of the season.
'It's not right that we have to play on the road,' Torborg said. 'The alternative is to play at the end of the season.
'I just don't think it's right for a pennant contending team to have to play on the other team's field,' he said. 'Suppose it came down to that: one game. And we had to play a twi-night double-header.'
The White Sox are five games behind Oakland in the American League West.
'It seems kind of stupid, waiting all that time,' Chicago reliever Bobby Thigpen said.
And what did he do during the delay?
'Go crazy,' Thigpen said.
'I've never seen a 7 1-2 hour rain delay,' Texas' Rafael Palmeiro said. 'I think everybody in here is upset.'
'It's a long wait,' Rangers Manager Bobby Valentine said. 'I think that speaks for itself.'
Sunday's game was to start at 1:35 p.m. CDT, and after a 2 1-2 hour delay, the White Sox announced both teams would wait until at least 8 p.m. CDT Sunday to play. But in an announcement at 7 p.m. CDT, Himes said they expected a break in the weather within two hours and would still try to play Sunday, no matter what time.
At 8:15 p.m., Torborg and trainer Herm Schneider surveyed the field to the chants of 'Let's play ball' from the few hundred fans still waiting.
'The field's playable. In my opinion,' Torborg said.
An announcement was made shortly before 9 p.m., much to the dismay of the few fans remaining, who were treated to free hot dogs and coffee at the concession stands.
'My feeling, Jeff's feeling is we don't like double headers,' said Himes, although the White Sox have swept two twinbills in the last week against Milwaukee and Texas.
The White Sox have only three off days remaining: Aug. 16, Sept. 6 and Sept. 24.
'We are in a pennant race with Oakland. We feel it would be to our advantage to play in Chicago,' Himes said. 'If we don't play here, we have to play a double-header in Texas.'
The White Sox did announce rain checks from Sunday's game would be honored for another game.
Vicki Freudinger said she would wait forever to see the White Sox play the Rangers. She almost did Sunday.
Freudinger, her husband Paul and her two children were among the soggy hundred or so fans still at Comiskey Park six hours after the White Sox-Rangers game was supposed to start.
'They're playing Texas. Harold Baines is in town,' Vicki Freudinger said of the Rangers' designated hitter and former White Sox player. 'I'll wait until they call the game. If they want to play in the morning, I'll wait.'
The Freudingers, who drove from Joliet, sat in the bleachers until 4 p.m., then decided to seek shelter. They'll have to drive home without seeing Baines take a swing.
'My husband would stay no matter what,' she said.
Scott Weas, 19, of Sioux City, Iowa, stayed for the food and a souvenir of Comiskey Park, which will be demolished after this season, its 80th.
In his pocket was a list of all the goodies consumed, including a bratwurst, two Pepsi's, three beers, one taco, one burrito, one hamburger, one roast beef sandwich, one bag of potato chips, one kosher dill pickle, one egg roll and one ice cream cone.
In his other pocket, was a plastic bag with dirt from the edge of the ballpark and some chips of paint.
'I really came for the food,' he said.
Some of the 32,000 who passed through the gates before the scheduled starting time were treated to two hours of autograph signing by White Sox pitcher Donn Pall. Teammates Jack McDowell and Adam Peterson also signed, but much later and for a shorter amount of time.
