Meet the Players: Nello Rubio

Nello Rubio is a journalist with a great passion for sports and hip-hop. He grew up during the Michael Jordan era and Bulls dynasty of the 90’s, and like most Chicago-area kids was a huge fan of the Bulls growing up, as well as the White Sox and Blackhawks. Studies at St. Joseph High School and Columbia College awakened a love for writing and journalism, and he’s since written for the Forest Park Post The Runner Sports, and The Hip Hop Democrat. Whether in sports or music, Nello has eyes and ears for talent.

With The Runner Sports, Nello wrote profiles on Tim Anderson, Carlos Rodón and Hall-of-Famer Harold Baines. He joined up with us last year, at Sports Illustrated, where he’s proven quite an able swingman, writing community posts, next-day features, and more.

Please welcome Nello to our South Side Sox crew!

Hometown Forest Park

White Sox fan since I was young. Mine is the usual story from most of you, your father being a Sox fan, so you eventually become a White Sox fan. Which is funny, because I was actually a Mariners and Reds fan growing up, due to Ken Griffey Jr. being my favorite player.

First White Sox memory Probably about 1997 or ’98, season when Albert Belle played for the White Sox, and seeing both Frank Thomas and Belle as such a potent 1-2 punch in the middle of the lineup.

Favorite White Sox memory Obviously 2005, winning the World Series and going to the parade downtown later on. I will always remember me and my Dad going crazy, jumping up and high-fiving each other in our living room after the Sox won and hearing people start to set celebratory fireworks off.

Going to the victory parade was one of my favorite memories, too, seeing how many White Sox fans were their to celebrate with the team, and as they went through downtown trying to follow them till they eventually reached the podium. I was in my first semester at Columbia at the time and had a test for class that day, so I went straight from class to the parade.

Favorite White Sox player It changes every so often among José Abreu, Tim Anderson and Yoán Moncada. All-time, it’s a tie between Frank Thomas and Ozzie Guillén. Because of his managing, a lot of people tend to forget how great of a player that Ozzie was. He was always going to give you his all, no matter what. Plus, you can never go wrong with him wearing No. 13, which is a lucky number for me and much of my immediate family.

Next White Sox statue: Hawk. With all he has done for not only the Sox, but baseball and broadcasting in general, you have to figure he gets one sooner rather than later.

Next White Sox retired number No. 79, for José

Go-to concession food at Sox Park Virtually always have to go for the nachos helmet and a lemon icee.

Favorite baseball movie Definitely Sandlot. How can it not bring you memories of playing baseball with your own friends growing up, at all different hours, and the struggle of trying to always find enough players? So many quotables, too, from, “You’re Killing Me, Smalls!” to “Remember kid, there’s heroes and there’s legends. Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.” You can’t just pick one, and it’s not only my favorite baseball movie, but one of my favorite movies, ever.

Hall of Fame: Speed Round

Mark Buehrle Yes
Joe Jackson Yes
Paul Konerko Really great player for very long, and a fan favorite who was fairly good, but just doesn’t have the numbers that really warrant Hall-of-Famer. So, unfortunately, no.
Minnie Miñoso Yes
Omar Vizquel Yes, but because of the amount of great shortstops during his era, it will probably take awhile for him to get in.
Chris Sale But will likely be in the other Sox cap.

South Side Sox on the field Right field, or somewhere in the outfield. I usually always played and felt most comfortable there playing Little League growing up.

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. False, too many people go through life by just going through the motions and not aware of what is going on.