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Pope Leo XIV Receives Nellie Fox’s Heirloom White Sox Bat During Papal Flight to Turkey

10:53 PM, 11/27/2025
Pope Leo XIV Receives Nellie Fox’s Heirloom White Sox Bat During Papal Flight to Turkey

Pope Leo XIV surprised journalists by making an unplanned cabin visit on his flight to Turkey, where reporter Chris Livesay presented him with a Louisville Slugger that once belonged to White Sox great Nellie Fox. The pope joked about getting the bat through security and thanked the reporter, and he greeted Americans aboard with a "Happy Thanksgiving." After arriving in Ankara and participating in official ceremonies, the pope will continue to Istanbul for events tied to the Council of Nicaea anniversary, then travel to Lebanon to emphasize solidarity with Christian communities amid regional tensions.

In a lighthearted moment aboard the papal plane to Turkey, Pope Leo XIV made an unscheduled walk through the cabin and accepted a personal gift from a reporter: a Louisville Slugger once owned by Chicago White Sox legend Nellie Fox.

Reporter Chris Livesay, one of the journalists traveling with the pontiff, presented the bat — a family heirloom he received from his cousin Jim Hayes (not the Cardinals announcer). When Livesay pointed out the initials and number stenciled on the bat's end, the pope’s eyes lit up. "How did you get this through security?" the pope quipped, prompting laughter before he thanked Livesay for the gift. The pontiff, a noted White Sox fan, also greeted Americans on board with a warm "Happy Thanksgiving!"

Other U.S. journalists marked the occasion by offering pumpkin and pecan pies. The pope used the informal moment to underscore the importance of truthful journalism and to reiterate that his trip to Turkey and Lebanon is rooted in unity and the pursuit of peace across religious divides.

Diplomacy in Ankara

On arrival in Ankara, the tone shifted from informal encounters to official ceremony. After a formal welcome at Esenboğa International Airport, Pope Leo traveled to the Atatürk Mausoleum, where he participated in a wreath-laying and signed the Book of Honor inside the Misak-ı Millî Tower. He also visited a museum dedicated to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the modern Turkish Republic.

Istanbul, the Council of Nicaea anniversary, and Lebanon

The Ankara stop was brief. The pope was scheduled to continue to Istanbul, where key events tied to the anniversary of the Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.) are planned — a historical moment that helped shape early Christian practice, including the dating of Easter. From Istanbul, Pope Leo will travel on to Lebanon, a country grappling with severe political and economic challenges.

Security concerns have been raised in the lead-up to the Lebanon visit: a senior Hezbollah commander was killed in Beirut in a strike attributed to Israel, underscoring regional tensions. During his time in Lebanon, the pope is expected to emphasize solidarity with the country's Christian communities and to press for peace, coexistence and support for vulnerable populations across religious lines.

The bat-gifting moment on the plane offered a rare, humanizing glimpse into the pope's journey — a reminder that even amid high-level diplomacy, small gestures can resonate deeply.

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