'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQF/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgP/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAKMoFP/EACAQAAICAQMFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQRAAUSISIjgaH/2gAIAQEAAT8Ag2qGnT4V3ig3G0xRPGcInAcUPUhgMfTqarIJnBnqoQx7RVBx7zr/xAAVEQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAf/aAAgBAgEBPwCv/8QAFxEAAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECEf/aAAgBAwEBPwCVp//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Former Chicago White Sox reliever Bobby Jenks passed away on Friday after battling adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer. The White Sox received the heartbreaking news just days before their 20th anniversary, celebrating their drought-ending 2005 World Series victory. Jenks was one of their key figures from the win.
Jenks was one of the pivotal figures coming out of the bullpen for the White Sox in the late 2000s. He earned himself All-Star caps in 2006 and 2007, earning 81 saves in those two years.
During the 2005 championship run, Bobby Jenks made eight saves in the regular season and four more saves in the postseason, including an all-important Game Four win over the Houston Astros in the World Series.
Former manager Ozzie Gullen would develop a unique gesture to call for Jenks from the bullpen. Gullen would spread out his arms far and wide to signal the huge 6'4 ''-framed reliever to come to the mound.
Trending
At the time of his death, Jenks was residing in Portugal, to be closer to his wife, Eleni Tzitzivacos' family. He is survived by their six children, Zeno and Kate with Eleni and Cuma, Nolan, Rylan and Jackson from a previous marriage.
“We have lost an iconic member of the White Sox family today,” said White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. “None of us will ever forget that ninth inning of Game 4 in Houston, all that Bobby did for the 2005 World Series champions and for the entire Sox organization during his time in Chicago."
Bobby Jenks had found a way back into baseball last year, when he started coaching the Windy City ThunderBolts of the Frontier League in Crestwood. Of the current White Sox organization, hitting coach Marcus Thames and first base coach Jason Bourgeois shared a locker room with him.
Bobby Jenks had opened up about his fight with cancer earlier this year
In April, the reliever who would regularly fire fastballs up to 102 mph, opened up about fighting the Stage Four stomach cancer. In a candid interview with The Athletic, he had said:
“I’ve come to the realization that it could be six months, or it could be three years. But I’m ready. And however long it takes, I’m going to be here fighting it.”
Bobby Jenks finished his White Sox career with 173 saves that ranked him second on the club's all-time list. He played out his last season in the major leagues with the Red Sox in 2011, finishing with a 16-20 record, 3.53 ERA and 351 strikeouts in 348 relief appearances.
