Tim Anderson famously delivered a pivotal moment for the Chicago White Sox nearly five years ago. The scene unfolded in Dyersville, Iowa, where Anderson stepped up as the potential game-winner. A large audience watched as he hit a two-run homer into the cornfields, securing a 9-8 victory over the New York Yankees in the inaugural Field of Dreams game on August 12, 2021.
Recalling the event, Anderson said, “Just as I round second, I see the team, everybody is just going crazy. I look up in the stands and everybody is just going crazy. You hear the fireworks. Just a moment of happiness. We were really happy in that moment. That moment made everyone happy.”
Anderson played a significant role in leading the White Sox to the playoffs in 2020 and 2021. However, during an emotional videoconference, he announced his retirement. Reflecting on his career, Anderson explained, “The game brought a lot of good moments but also a lot of pain. It gives me anxiety just stepping into talking about baseball.” He continued, “I want to be as open as I can. A lot of great moments. But throughout playing, it definitely was a lot of dark moments. I lost a lot of people. It got to the point where I really couldn’t enjoy being in that setting.”
A central figure in the team’s “change the game” era, Anderson won a batting title in 2019 with a .335 average and earned All-Star honors in both 2021 and 2022. He was also chosen as a starting shortstop for the 2022 All-Star Game.
Anderson expressed gratitude for the positive aspects of his career but acknowledged anxiety’s toll on him. “Definitely were great moments,” he said. “But just overall, the anxiety is just something I would rather not step into. I fought to try to get back. I fought for the last two, three years. I trained. I just couldn’t get the body to operate like it used to.”
Loving his post-baseball life, Anderson stated, “I’m happy in real life, happy in the real world. I get to enjoy my kids. I get to wake up and do whatever I want to. That makes me happy. As far as thinking about baseball, it’s a lot of moments. A lot of cool moments, but for me overall it brought a lot of pain, a lot of anxiety.”
The White Sox plan to honor Anderson, who is 33, before a game against the Detroit Tigers at Rate Field on September 17. He will throw the first pitch while the team wears the “Southside” city connect uniforms that became popular during his tenure.
Anderson’s baseball journey included 10 seasons with the White Sox, Miami Marlins, and Los Angeles Angels. He played 991 career games, maintaining a .276 average with 98 home runs and 350 RBIs, among other stats. In eight seasons with the Sox, his stats included .282/.312/.422, 179 doubles, 18 triples, 338 RBIs, and 117 stolen bases over 895 games.
“I’m getting emotional now because we’re talking about something that I worked my whole life to get there,”
Anderson said, reflecting on his career. He emphasized the dedication and sacrifices made throughout his career, stating, “Nobody knows what I sacrificed and what the body felt every day.”
Choosing happiness over the pressures of baseball, Anderson noted, “Life is bigger than trying to make people happier with a bat and a ball, you know what I mean? Now I get to step outside of that and see what life is and really enjoying it.”
Looking back fondly on his journey with the White Sox, he concluded, “I’m definitely happy for my moments. But I get sad talking about it because this is the first team that gave me my opportunity.” Expressing gratitude, he said, “They gave me a shot and they stuck by my side, so I think it’s only right that I get to come back, come back and retire as a White Sox for sure.”
Among the cherished memories, Anderson recalled the memorable Field of Dreams game. “I think everyone in the baseball world was happy, it don’t matter which team you was really going for — well, I mean, besides if you were for the Yankees,” Anderson said. “But just being in that moment, definitely it struck the baseball community. I think the ultimate goal is to be happy, and that was a really happy moment.”
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