The City Series is back, and Chicago baseball fans have every reason to be excited—even if the Crosstown Cup itself seems to have gone missing. As the Cubs and White Sox squared off Friday at Guaranteed Rate Field, the energy in the air was electric, but the whereabouts of the trophy that's supposed to go to the winner? A complete mystery.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell, now in his third season leading the team in this crosstown rivalry, admitted he didn't even know a trophy was awarded. "I'll be honest with you, the players don't care about the standings when the game starts," he said with a shrug. When pressed, he joked the trophy must be the head of a reporter—a lighthearted moment that sums up the relaxed vibe around this year's series.

And what a series it is. For the first time since 2008—and in a non-pandemic year, no less—both Chicago teams enter the matchup with winning records. The Cubs sit at 28-16, leading the NL Central, while the White Sox are 22-21, just one game out of first in the AL Central. It's the kind of showdown that brings back memories of the old Crosstown days, like when Cubs outfielder Brian McRae and White Sox first baseman Frank Thomas famously argued in 1997 over whose fans were the drunkest.

The trophy itself has a colorful—and slightly troubled—history. The original Crosstown Cup debuted in 2010, sponsored by BP. Yes, that BP. The same company that had a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico just before the series kicked off. "We hope that in the coming years, the BP Crosstown Cup will be part of the social fabric of Chicago," White Sox marketing director Brooks Boyer said at the time. Fans at Wrigley Field had other ideas, booing loudly when the cup was introduced. After that sponsorship mercifully ended, Wintrust took over, but the trophy's legacy has been anything but smooth.

Winning teams have been known to leave the cup on the field or do unspeakable things to it. Suffice it to say, it never quite became the cherished local tradition it was meant to be. Counsell even suggested a more fitting sponsor: a hot dog joint. "The Wieners Circle Cup would've worked perfectly," he said, imagining Poochie handing it out with a few choice words. Now that would be a Chicago-esque tradition worth celebrating.

Whether or not the cup turns up, one thing is clear: the passion for this city's baseball rivalry is as strong as ever. And for fans looking to show their team pride, there's no better time to gear up in your favorite Cubs or White Sox apparel. After all, the City Series is about more than a trophy—it's about the love of the game and the city that breathes it.