Former White Sox Reliever Bobby Jenks Dies at 44 After Cancer Battle

Former Major League Baseball pitcher Bobby Jenks, best known for his role in the Chicago White Sox’s 2005 World Series triumph, has passed away at the age of 44 following a battle with a rare form of stomach cancer.

Jenks, a two-time All-Star, played a pivotal role during the White Sox’s historic 2005 season, which ended the franchise’s 88-year championship drought. He famously delivered the final pitch in Game 4 of the World Series, sealing Chicago’s sweep over the Houston Astros.

White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf paid tribute to Jenks, calling him “an iconic member of the White Sox family.”

“None of us will ever forget all that Bobby did for the 2005 World Series champions and for the entire Sox organisation during his time in Chicago,” Reinsdorf said in a statement.

Jenks spent six seasons with the White Sox before moving to the Boston Red Sox in 2011. However, his stint in Boston was cut short due to spinal issues, including bone spurs that impacted nearby nerves and tendons, limiting him to just 19 appearances.

In recent years, Jenks had relocated to Portugal, where he had been undergoing treatment for adenocarcinoma, a rare type of stomach cancer.