Remembering Bobby Jenks: A World Series Hero Gone Too Soon
It’s hard to believe I’m talking about this, but former MLB star and World Series champion Bobby Jenks has passed away at the age of just 44. Jenks, who was best known for his powerful presence on the mound as the closer for the Chicago White Sox, died following a battle with Stage 4 adenocarcinoma — a particularly aggressive form of stomach cancer.
It’s a name that fans from the South Side of Chicago will never forget. Bobby Jenks was a key piece of that historic 2005 White Sox team that brought home a long-awaited World Series title. He was just 24 at the time, and yet he stood tall in the biggest moments. Game 1 of the Fall Classic? He closed it out with the composure of a veteran — and reportedly, even a future pope was in the crowd that night.
Jenks spent six of his seven MLB seasons with the White Sox. He became a two-time All-Star and stacked up 41 and 40 saves in the 2006 and 2007 seasons, respectively. He was absolutely dominant during that stretch. One stat that still amazes people? In 2007, he retired 47 consecutive batters — tying a major league record at the time.
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In 2011, Jenks had a brief stint with the Boston Red Sox, but injuries and surgical complications unfortunately ended his major league career. However, that wasn’t the end of his time in baseball. He gave back to the game as a coach and manager in the minors — winning Manager of the Year in 2022 and mentoring young players with a passion and knowledge only someone like him could bring.
Even in his final years, Jenks showed incredible strength. After moving to Portugal with his wife Eleni in 2024, he was diagnosed with blood clots and eventually cancer that had spread to his bones, stomach lining, and hips. And as if that wasn’t enough, a devastating fire — the Palisades fire — destroyed his home and belongings. All he had left, he said, was one suitcase and his cherished 2005 World Series ring.
“I’ve got one suitcase left to my name,” Jenks said in an interview earlier this year. “It’s all gone. Everything else I’ve ever done… all those things are irreplaceable.” That quote hits hard. It reminds us that even the strongest people, the ones we idolize in stadiums and on TV, are just human — vulnerable, resilient, and deserving of our respect.
He was a father of six, a husband, a coach, a teammate, and a fighter. Baseball lost more than a former player — it lost a warrior who battled until the very end.
Rest in peace, Bobby Jenks. You’ll never be forgotten.
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