CHICAGO -- The Park Wood Deli is a home away from home for White Sox catcher Kyle Teel, with a sandwich there known as the “Real Deal Kyle Teel.”
But on Dec. 12, Teel’s visit to the well-known establishment in Midland Park, New Jersey, owned and operated by Roger Schnorrbusch, his godfather, had a special holiday feel. In partnership with the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund, targeted at helping families dealing with childhood cancer, they adopted 45 families in simply trying to make this time of year more special.
“Helping these kids stay positive and helping the families keep a smile on their face is really important,” Teel told MLB.com. “Even if you just help the family a little bit, it can make a world of a difference.”
“Kyle is a special kid,” Schnorrbusch said. “He absolutely always wants to do something for somebody, always very kind, ever since he was a young boy coming to my store with his mom and dad, grabbing something before his Little League games.”
Garrett Teel, Kyle’s father and the owner of Teels Baseball and Softball in Wyckoff, New Jersey, has been friends with Schnorrbusch for more than 30 years, since their 20s. The younger Teel, in turn, credits his godfather with making this special charitable endeavor possible.
According to Schnorrbusch, this connection began when one of Coughlin’s representatives walked into his deli and asked if he could support the Jay Fund. Schnorrbusch, who lost his father to cancer, jumped in immediately with a weekend where all proceeds from the “NJ Giant” sandwich were handed back to the foundation.
On the second Friday of every December, Park Wood does something with Toys for Tots. They added Coughlin’s Foundation last year and “blew it out of the water” for this event, according to Schnorrbusch.
“Santa Claus comes, with a fire truck and cops, firemen, ambulance, brings them here, light the sirens,” Schnorrbusch said. “It’s pretty awesome.”
“We had a parade kind of thing, and we gave them Christmas presents, and I signed balls for everybody, and I gave out a signed jersey,” Teel said. “And they were sitting on Santa’s lap. They got to meet Santa and get presents and it was just a really special event.”
The White Sox sent the custom jersey along with a box of baseballs for Teel to sign. Next year, Teel and Schnorrbusch are hoping to adopt 80 to 100 families, as this event continues to grow.
Giving back is important to Teel, who asserted himself as a force behind the plate over 78 games and 297 plate appearances during his rookie season in 2025. On Sept. 16, Teel and Colson Montgomery visited the Ronald McDonald House located in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago, meeting and greeting the families staying there.
They also played Wiffle ball with the kids on the rooftop White Sox Family Field unveiled in June 2013.
“That was a highlight of my year honestly, just helping those families,” Teel said. “And I know the White Sox are going to continue to do charitable events, and I always tell them I love being a part of it.
“It’s extremely important to me. Whether it’s giving back to kids with needs, giving back to kids with cancer or giving back to the community, I take a lot of pride in that. I enjoy it so much.”
Schnorrbusch has scheduled a baseball clinic for Jan. 23 at Teels Baseball for kids involved in this foundation, with some fundamental drills, a Wiffle ball game, pizza, and plenty of smiles. Teel is getting ready for SoxFest Live on Jan. 30-31 in Chicago, followed by reporting to Spring Training on Feb. 11 and what the White Sox hope is another big step forward during the 2026 season.
He'll first be a fixture at the baseball clinic, ready to give back as he already plans to for the holiday event next year.
“All of this wouldn’t be possible without [Schnorrbusch]. He’s the star of the show,” Teel said. “All the food he cooks and all the little details he sets up for these families and these kids, it’s just unbelievable what he’s doing. It’s just such an honor to be a part of something like that.
“Overall, just brightening their day, their smiles were precious. Seeing how we could make an impact with the Christmas joy and help these families.”