White Sox to honor Paul Konerko, retire his number on May 23

The White Sox will honor former captain Paul Konerko with a special tribute before the first pitch against the Twins at 3:10 p.m. on May 23 at U.S. Cellular Field.

Konerko’s number will be retired, and the first 20,000 fans who attend the game will receive a replica Konerko statue.

“Paul Konerko is one of the greatest players in White Sox history not only for his strength and performance on the field, but also for his heart and leadership off the field,” White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. “Paul was a humble leader whose passion for the game earned the respect and love of the entire clubhouse and fans all over the country. We honor Paul by retiring his number and welcoming him to the ranks of White Sox legends.”

Konerko will be the 11th player to have his number retired by the White Sox. The six-time All-Star is the franchise leader in total bases (4,010) and ranks among White Sox leaders in virtually every offensive category.

Konerko finished 16 homers (432) behind Hall-of-Famer Frank Thomas (448) for the franchise record and ranked third in hits (2,292) and doubles (406).

He led the Sox to a World Series in 2005 and hit a grand slam in Game 2.