CryptoSoxery No. 2
Yes, it's back - another attempt to provide verbally-inclined White Sox fans an opportunity to demonstrate (to themselves, at least) their ability to decrypt a quotation by or about or somehow related to the White Sox.
But first, last week's answer, from radio legend, Christmas Story author and lifelong Sox fan Jean Shepherd:
Being a White Sox fan meant measuring victory in terms of defeat. A six-five defeat was a good day. A big rally was Wally Moses doubling down the right-field line. — Jean Shepherd
The date of the quote isn't available, but Shepherd was born in 1921 and died in 1999, so he had plenty of years to moan about. Moses played for the Sox from 1942-46, so the quote was probably from that period, and, while '43 was a good year, '44 began a string of seven seasons worse than .500. The good news is that after those seven years in the wilderness, the Sox ran off 17 straight winning seasons, which we can only hope is an indicator of what could happen after this current seven-year streak of infamy.
So much for CryptoSoxery No. 1.
CryptoSoxery No. 2 is from a White Sox fan even more famous than Shepherd, in fact the most famous of all Sox fans.
Noted South Side southpaw.
Getty Images
President Barack Obama knew how to pick a team to root for. And he knew about those who shared his enthusiasm. Which is why, in an interview, he said:
HGB UG EG ANJUKIH OJIKF, HGB PLSI L CIIN, CILBEJOBK QIGQKI BQ EPINI.
QIGQKI LNID'E ALERPJDU EPI ULZI. JE'W DGE WINJGBW. APJEI WGV, EPLE'W
CLWICLKK.
To solve the puzzle and reveal the quote, simply make a letter-for-letter substitution. For example, an E might stand for G, and X for D, and so on (those aren't the case in this one). This encryption is thanks to the excellent system devised by the fine folks at wordles.com.
The answer to CryptoSoxery No. 2 will be provided next week, along with a new cryptoquote to give you something to do besides stare at the ceiling and wish for real baseball.