Last year, about this time and in October, the South Siders, the Chicago White Sox, were enjoying a trip to the World Series and a championship, after that.
Across town, the Cubs were living out more of their wretched days without a trip to the Series in what could turn out to be a hundred years, when all is said and done.
The Cubs, like the Red Sox before them, seem cursed.
The Red Sox had the Curse of the Bambino, because they traded away the great Babe Ruth, The White Sox are facing their own affliction: The Curse of The Big Hurt.
If anyone didn't know about this one, after last night's ripping of the White Sox by the A's, they should know it now.
Trading away Frank Thomas, The Big Hurt, hurts a lot, and it's going to hurt more.
His homer yesterday may have sunk the Sox's hopes for postseason play.
In fact, all year Thomas has been plaguing his former team, in their faces directly, and indirectly by having a great year for the first place A's.
Chicago headlines that read, "Frank Who?" after Jim Thome's arrival, were like reports of certain people's deaths: premature, to say the least.
Thomas, a sure entry into the Hall of Fame, might be forgotten, but it will take a long, long time for that to happen.
The Sox mistreated him, pushing him out of Chicago's door, but not from the locals' hearts.
The ovation he got when he returned to Cellular Field this year is how people in the know, fans, value this 16 year slugger for the home team.
Though the Sox may not make it to the postseason, Chicagoans and others will have someone to cheer for in a few weeks.