CHICAGO – During the bottom of the third inning in a 22-1 White Sox shellacking of the Royals Friday night at Rate Field, Ron Kittle and his now wife Barbara were married by White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf.
The White Sox also scored 10 runs in that bottom of the third, with home runs from Miguel Vargas and Jacob Gonzalez.
“He’s so superstitious,” said a smiling Kittle of Reinsdorf. “He might marry somebody today in the bottom of the third.”
Friday night’s ceremony took place in Reinsdorf’s suite, which was the perfect time to tie the knot for the couple who have known each other for 18 years, as it’s a reunion weekend for the 1983 American League West champions. Kittle, who at 68 remains a popular ambassador for the organization, was AL Rookie of the Year for that 99-win team with 35 home runs and 100 RBIs.
Kittle also had become ordained like Reinsdorf to perform wedding ceremonies, presiding over the 60-second weddings last year on Bill Veeck Night at Rate Field. So the former slugger became the first person to marry people and get married at the ballpark.
“Years ago, Jerry married people at the ballpark and he walked up to me and he goes, ‘You know, I’m tired of getting blamed for divorces, so you are going to start doing it at the park,’” Kittle said. “I’ve been doing it for years also.
“I asked him a year and a half ago if we would ever be interested in [presiding over Kittle’s wedding]. This is before the reunion and he thought it was important he did this. The right time.”
As Reinsdorf pointed out in his speech to the soon-to-be-married couple, Kittle also became the first person to get married while the game was going on. In fact, cheers from that third-inning excitement could be heard in the background after Reinsdorf told Kittle he could kiss the bride.
But the White Sox chairman didn’t let his longtime friend off the hook without having a little fun during his wedding speech. He mentioned the reasons why the ceremony made sense, but followed up with a few humorous questions.
“Barbara is a successful and sophisticated lawyer. Kitty is a woodworker from Gary, Indiana, who could hit a baseball but couldn’t catch one,” said Reinsdorf during the ceremony. “So something was wrong.”
Then, the answer clicked in for Reinsdorf, who continued the wedding fun.
“All lawyers are required by the bar association to do some things to help people who need help,” Reinsdorf said. “They call that Pro Bono. Barbara is here getting married, Pro Bono.”
Reinsdorf passed over the ceremony section concerning if anyone objected to this union, adding, “I’m afraid of the number of answers.”
“Ronny, do you wish to marry over your skis and take Barbara to be your wife?” Reinsdorf continued. “Barbara, do you for some reason no one can fathom want to take Ronny as your husband?”
They both said “I do.” By the power invested in Reinsdorf by the state of Illinois, the commissioner of baseball, Harold Baines, Moose Skowron and Jack Gould, he pronounced them husband and wife.
“I have so much respect for him,” said Kittle of Reinsdorf. “He’s a very giving person out there.
“My better half doesn’t want any notoriety, recognition. She wants to keep it to herself. But I invited Harold Baines and his wife and Greg Walker and his wife, and we did it and I was pretty excited. I think Jerry is excited. We’ve become a family over the years.”