Chicago baseball fans know there's nothing quite like the Crosstown Series. As we gear up for the 30th season of interleague play in 2026, let's take a look back at the storied rivalry between the Cubs and White Sox—a matchup that has delivered unforgettable moments since 1997.

Interleague play kicked off in 1997, breaking down the walls between the National and American Leagues. While MLB technically merged into one league in 1999, the historic NL and AL names stuck around, each carrying over a century of tradition. The universal designated hitter in 2022 was the final piece of the puzzle, bringing the leagues even closer together.

For the first six years, teams only faced their opposite league's matching division. That expanded in 2003, and now every team plays every other team each season. But the Cubs and White Sox have been doing it from the start—meeting every year since 1997. The series format has bounced around: three games in '97 and '98, then six games split between Wrigley Field and Guaranteed Rate Field from 1999-2012. It's been a back-and-forth dance ever since, with four or six games each year, settling back to six games starting in 2025.

All those matchups add up to 152 games played. The Cubs hold a slim 77-75 edge, outscoring the Sox 719-693. But here's where it gets interesting: the North Siders have dominated recently, going 13-2 over the last three seasons and outscoring their South Side rivals 83-62 in those 15 games.

Let's relive 10 of the most memorable games from this crosstown rivalry, starting with the very first one.

Game 1: June 16, 1997
The series opener came at a tough time for both teams. The Cubs were stumbling at 27-40, while the White Sox—expected to contend—sat at 30-36. Played on the South Side, Kevin Foster delivered six strong innings, and the Cubs pounced on ex-Cub Jaime Navarro, scoring six runs in the first three innings. Ryne Sandberg went 3-for-5, and the rivalry was born.

Editor's note: More memorable games from the Crosstown Series will continue—stay tuned for the full list, including walk-offs, brawls, and playoff implications that have made this rivalry one of baseball's best.