CHICAGO – In celebration of the start to the 2021 season, the White Sox will hold the third annual Speed Pitch Challenge, presented by Beggars Pizza, on Friday, March 31. Entry for the contest, which will be physically distanced, begins today, Friday, March 19 at whitesox.com/speedpitch. The event will be held in a parking lot outside Guaranteed Rate Field.

Building on excitement for the White Sox home opener on April 8, 100 lucky fans will be chosen at random to compete for a grand prize that includes a jersey signed by All-Star ace Lucas Giolito and a year’s worth of the largest size of pizza – a 16-inch family size pizza – courtesy of Beggars Pizza.

Runner-up winners also will be awarded prizes, including autographed items and free pizzas of varying sizes for a year, courtesy of Beggars Pizza. The Top 10 fastest pitchers will take home signed baseballs autographed by White Sox stars, including shortstop Tim Anderson, pitcher Michael Kopech or third baseman Yoán Moncada.

Weather permitting, the contest, which last season featured an 84-mph winning pitch from Tom Higgins of Darien, Illinois, provides each contestant with the opportunity to throw two pitches in front of the radar gun.

Following city and state public health and safety protocols, competitors will be assigned specific timeslots and must adhere to safety guidelines, including wearing face masks (ages 2 and older) and social distancing. Official rules and details are available at whitesox.com/speedpitch.