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Mark Buehrle gets the best gifts as White Sox retire No. 56

mark townsend
Yahoo Sports Contributor
Mark Buehrle takes in the moment as the Chicago White Sox officially retired his No. 56. (White Sox on Twitter)
Mark Buehrle takes in the moment as the Chicago White Sox officially retired his No. 56. (White Sox on Twitter)

The Chicago White Sox always do it big when it comes to jersey retirement ceremonies. Saturday was no different as the club lavished Mark Buehrle with the best possible gifts before adding his No. 56 to the list of numbers no other White Sox player will wear.

Basically, it was baseball’s version of the “Price is Right” with White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf playing the role of Bob Barker — or Drew Carey if you’re from Cody Bellinger’s generation.

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Buehrle’s popularity and perfect game were the primary focus, with Reinsdorf drawing laughs for mentioning that the White Sox don’t often draw 40,000 fans these days.

The gifts started with a simple but fitting art piece put together by former White Sox player Ron Kittle.

Mark Buehrle is presented with a cool piece of art put together by Ron Kittle. (Comcast SportsNet Chicago)
Mark Buehrle is presented with a cool piece of art put together by Ron Kittle. (Comcast SportsNet Chicago)

Then Reinsdorf rolled out a souped up and family-sized ATV named Perf56t Game.

(Comcast SportsNet Chicago)
(Comcast SportsNet Chicago)

It’s no secret Buehrle loves his ATVs. Remember the time he took one for a little joyride at Tropicana Field?

Then came out the Toyota Tundra “27 up, 27 down,” also in honor of his perfect game.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, the White Sox reunited Buehrle with the baseball from his most famous defensive play.

On opening day 2010, Buehrle went between the legs to complete one of the best plays we’ve ever seen from a pitcher. At the time, the autographed baseball was given away to an eight-year-old named Tommy Maloney. But on Saturday, a now grown up Tommy Maloney returned to the ballpark to give the baseball back.

Tommy Maloney presented Mark Buehrle with the baseball from his famous between-the-legs defensive play. (Comcast SportsNet Chicago)
Tommy Maloney presented Mark Buehrle with the baseball from his famous between-the-legs defensive play. (Comcast SportsNet Chicago)

Does it get any cooler than that?

Actually, it does. Buehrle’s children, Braden and Brooklyn, were on hand for the ceremony and the White Sox had pretty cool assignments for each of them.

Bravo, White Sox. Bravo.

Simply being the 12th player in White Sox history to have his number retired would have been enough of an honor for Buehrle.

Mark Buehrle and daughter Brooklyn pose moments before her first pitch prior to Saturday's A's-White Sox game. (White Sox on Twitter)
Mark Buehrle and daughter Brooklyn pose moments before her first pitch prior to Saturday’s A’s-White Sox game. (White Sox on Twitter)

But with smiles like that, it’s clear they turned it into a day Buehrle and his entire family will never forget.

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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!