Darrin Jackson remembers Ed Farmer: ‘He bled White Sox, simple as that'

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Listening to the remembrances of Ed Farmer on Thursday, one thing was abundantly clear: He was a meaningful member of the White Sox family.

And every day and every night, he did everything he could to add to that family.

“He brought people in,” said Darrin Jackson, Farmer’s broadcast partner for more than a decade, during a Thursday conference call. “I always said there was nobody in Chicago or anywhere else that would bring in more new fans to that organization than Ed Farmer. You could be a Cardinal fan, you could be a fan of anybody and he would have you up in our booth and you would be converted instantly.

“He had a way of making sure to make you a part of the White Sox family. It was something special to be around.”

By the time he started his three decades as one of the signature voices of White Sox baseball, he had long been a part of the South Side baseball tradition. Farmer was born on the South Side and grew up a White Sox fan. He got to pitch for his hometown team for three seasons from 1979 to 1981, establishing himself as one of the best relief arms in team history.

To any of the hundreds of players who came to the White Sox during Farmer’s tenure in the broadcast booth, they learned what made him a unique part of the organization. Paul Konerko put Farmer on his “Mount Rushmore” of White Sox characters.

Everyone who talked of Farmer on Thursday, be it to reporters or in social media posts, remembered what he meant to them and the White Sox organization. The feeling, Jackson said, was mutual.

“He bled White Sox. Simple as that,” Jackson said. “He grew up loving the White Sox. He was fortunate enough to pitch for the White Sox, broadcast for the White Sox. Jerry Reinsdorf treated him like a younger brother. And Ed felt that he was part of a special family.

“Ed Farmer will always be remembered as a Chicago guy that absolutely loved being in the White Sox organization and in a White Sox uniform. … There was nothing more important than being part of the South Side and the White Sox.”

At times, Jackson was overcome by emotion while discussing his partner and friend. The two sat next to each other in the radio booth for the last 11 seasons. Their broadcast was often a talking point among White Sox fans, and A.J. Pierzynski even referenced Farmer’s tendencies Thursday: “It's a sad day for the White Sox organization and family that Farmio won't be there in the radio booth, talking about golf instead of baseball.”

But what everyone talking about Farmer on Thursday remembered was not the specifics of his broadcasting or the specifics of his pitching career. It was the interactions they had with him, the things he did for them and the love he showed them.

The way he brought them into the White Sox family. His family.

“No matter what you thought of him as a play-by-play (announcer), you’ll never forget what he brought into your home, into your car,” Jackson said. “And the times he was broadcasting, he’s just such a memorable guy that there’s absolutely no way he didn’t make a difference in your life.

“Ed Farmer will never be forgotten.”

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