Rate Field is about to get its first White Sox playoff game since 2021, and the old voices are coming out of the woodwork to match the moment. Chicago heads into Game 3 with a 2-0 series lead, one win away from clinching its first playoff series at home since 1906, and former longtime announcer Hawk Harrelson gave fans a simple message Wednesday morning that fits the stage.
Harrelson appeared on ESPN 1000’s Waddle and Silvy and was asked what he wanted to tell White Sox fans before Game 3. His presence alone carries weight for longtime followers of the team, especially with the White Sox in the middle of a remarkable 2026 run.
Hawk Harrelson has one message for the Chicago White Sox fans.... #mlb #mlbplayoffs #chicago #whitesox pic.twitter.com/PsXkLQ90Id
- ESPN Chicago (@ESPN1000) October 7, 2026
Harrelson hasn’t been a regular public presence in years, but he remains one of the most recognizable figures in White Sox history. He joined the broadcast booth in 1981 after six seasons calling games for the Red Sox.
He stepped away from broadcasting for the 1986 season to serve as the team’s general manager, a year in which he fired Tony La Russa and Dave Dombrowski. After a brief stint as the Yankees’ announcer in 1987 and 1988, he returned to the White Sox booth in 1990.
From there, Harrelson spent 28 years behind the mic, building a reputation for his signature phrases and unmistakable pro-White Sox energy. He announced his retirement after the 2018 season, won the Ford C. Frick Award in 2019, and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2021.
Now 85, Harrelson celebrated his birthday in September and still backs the White Sox from afar. His decision to speak up before Game 3 adds another jolt to a day already set up for a loud scene at Rate Field.
The ballpark is expected to be full, with fans dressed in all black and the White Sox wearing their black uniforms at home for the first time in five years. A “big name” is expected to handle the first pitch, though that hasn’t been revealed yet.
If Chicago doesn’t close things out Wednesday, the plan is to be back at Rate Field for Game 4. For now, though, the focus is squarely on Game 3, with the atmosphere expected to be electric and the eyes of the baseball world on Chicago.
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