Ozzie Guillén’s number retirement ceremony had all the right details in place before he ever stepped to the microphone. “OZZIE 13” stretched across the center-field pinwheels, the number 13 was marked in the infield dirt at shortstop, and chairs were lined up in front of the White Sox dugout down the third-base line for a packed celebration at the ballpark.
Chuck Garfien kicked things off by welcoming former teammates and players Guillén had managed to take the open seats, then held back the final introduction for Guillén and his wife, Ibis Cárdenas. By then, the scene already matched the moment: a sold-out stadium full of Sox fans, White Sox legends spread across the field, and current players watching from the dugout.
The scoreboard show set the tone with a highlight reel of Guillén’s biggest moments as both a player and a manager, including a montage that leaned into the fiery passion that defined him. A.J. Pierzynski and Paul Konerko then took the microphone to share stories and remember the 2005 World Championship season.
After that, Guillén had the stage to himself.
When his speech wrapped up, Garfien returned with Harold Baines to present a painting of Guillén and two plane tickets from Chicago to Tokyo on behalf of the White Sox. Then came the final reveal, introduced by Gene Honda: No. 13 joining the retired numbers, placed between No.
11 Aparicio and No. 14 Konerko.
Guillén, tearful, made the sign of the cross and slowly turned in a circle, waving to fans all around the stadium.
In a statement honoring No. 13, Jerry Reinsdorf said, “from the moment he joined this organization in Spring Training 1985, Ozzie Guillén has been one of a kind.”
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