Bridgeport Sixth Grader Gets White Sox Playoff Tickets After Sharing His Team Pride

A Chicago sixth grader’s heartfelt support for the White Sox earned him another trip to the playoffs. Donny Vilimas, a student at Bridgeport Catholic Academy, received tickets from the team for Game 4 of the American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday, Oct. 8, after an NBC Chicago interview spread widely online.

Vilimas spoke with reporter Vi Nguyen on Wednesday before Game 3, which he attended with his parents and brother. He became emotional while explaining how much the team meant to him and expressing hope that this postseason could bring a championship like the White Sox’s 2005 title. The interview clip attracted more than 800,000 views in a day.

After the interview gained attention, the White Sox contacted his family with the ticket offer. The invitation also included an opportunity for Vilimas to deliver the traditional “Play Ball!” announcement before Game 4, giving the young fan a role in the evening’s opening festivities rather than simply another seat in the crowd.

The response followed him back to his Bridgeport school. In a follow-up interview Thursday, Vilimas described classmates and others talking with him about the video and said the attention had made for an especially happy school day. He was enthusiastic about returning to see his favorite team after an already memorable family outing to Game 3.

For his father, Eric Vilimas, the experience was also about time spent together. He told NBC Chicago that attending games with his sons was meaningful and that he hoped those outings would create lasting family memories. The team’s invitation connected a neighborhood student’s enthusiasm with the larger excitement of Chicago playoff baseball, giving the family another experience to share during the postseason.