Meet the Players: Hannah LaMotta

Hannah LaMotta is new to South Side Sox, coming on as our Sunday recapper. This past Sunday, she wrote about her return to the ballpark for the home opener. She also put together a nice bio here, so I’ll let that speak for itself.

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I am a 20-year-old college student who plans on returning to Illinois State University next year as a junior, after staying close to home this year due to COVID-19. My love for sports, and specifically the White Sox, goes way back. I knew that I wanted to be a sports journalist by the age of 11, and have stuck with it since then. At that same age, I really started to get into the White Sox. I used to memorize the starting lineup, even for the rough years of 2013 to 2016. I got made fun of at school a lot for being a girl who loves baseball, but that only motivated me more.

My goal has always been to change the world and how women are looked at in sports. I used to write essays for my school projects about the inequality women receive in sports and present them to large audiences because I was so passionate about it. I started playing softball at age six and continued all through high school, but it wasn’t until my freshman year of high school that I started playing baseball as well. I was a pitcher/first baseman/outfielder, and there were many instances where I got judged for playing. I remember one time the pitcher slowed down about 20 mph when he pitched to me and the outfield moved in, but it didn’t matter cause I got a base hit anyways.

I am so excited to be able to write stories for so many people to see and to be able to follow my dreams at such a young age.

My Twitter and Instagram handles are both @hannahlamotta, and I’m always talking White Sox baseball on social media!

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Hometown McHenry

White Sox fan since As long as I can remember, so probably birth. I was the first child to a huge sports dad, so he made sure that I would be locked in from a young age. I have plenty of family pictures from when I was little in Sox gear, so nobody can ever call me a bandwagoner.

First White Sox memory I remember going to the Fundamentals Kid’s Zone every single game as a kid from the ages of probably four to 13. Of course being the competitive person I am, I always took it super seriously. I guess people used to be shocked that a little girl was acting like she was playing in the MLB game herself.

Favorite White Sox memory I have too many to count. If I had to choose, it would be between going to Paul Konerko’s final game ever in 2014, or his jersey retirement game. Also, I was a huge Gordon Beckham fan and I remember he hit a walk-off home run against the Texas Rangers while I was at the game. I got it on film, and you could actually hear me hysterically crying in the background.

Favorite White Sox player Paul Konerko is my all-time favorite, but Gordon Beckham was up there, too. I used to record every time he came up to bat when I was at the game, and his walk-up song “Your Love” is one of the most iconic walk-up songs ever.

I also used to love Alexei Ramírez, and I got my hat signed by him. Well, on Opening Day of 2019, I was in France. To show my support, I wore that hat, and next thing I knew I was on a bus and realized I left it behind. So, a nice French person got a signed Alexei Ramírez hat that day. Still mad about it. My current favorite player is either José Abreu or Tim Anderson.

Next White Sox statue Mark Buehrle

Next White Sox retired number José Abreu. I was so sad when Paulie retired, but I couldn’t have asked for a better guy than Abreu to take his spot and excel at the level he does.

Go-to concession food at Sox Park Hot dog with ketchup and EXTRA relish. In the summer when it's too hot to handle, I always enjoy an Italian ice or ice cream in a White Sox helmet.

Favorite baseball movie This might get some comments, but I actually don’t watch movies, so I don’t have a favorite. I haven’t really seen many. I feel like I should start watching some though, it only feels right.

Hall of Fame, yes or no?

Mark Buehrle Yes
Joe Jackson No
Paul Konerko Yes
Minnie Miñoso Yes
Omar Vizquel No
Chris Sale No

South Side Sox on the diamond First baseman. I’m not the fastest, and I was a first basemen in high school, so it’s my favorite place to be on the field.

True or false: Every jumbled pile of person has a thinking part that wonders what the part that isn’t thinking isn’t thinking of. Totally true, duh.