Former Chicago White Sox pitcher and 2005 World Series champion Bobby Jenks<\/strong> died<\/a> from cancer at age 44 on July 4.<\/p>\n Major League Baseball<\/a> confirmed that Jenks passed away in Sintra, Portugal, where he was undergoing treatment for an advanced form of adenocarcinoma, a type of stomach cancer. He is survived by his second wife, Eleni Tzitzivacos<\/strong>, and their children, Zeno and Kate, as well as four children \u2014 Cuma, Nolan, Rylan and Jackson \u2014 from his previous marriage to Adele Romkee<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201c\u200b\u200bFormer Chicago White Sox All-Star pitcher and 2005 World Series Champion Bobby Jenks passed away yesterday, July 4, in Sintra, Portugal, where he had been battling adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer. He was 44 years old,\u201d the White Sox confirmed via X<\/a> on Saturday, July 4.<\/p>\n White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf<\/strong> also mourned the loss of \u201can iconic member of the White Sox family.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNone of us will ever forget that ninth inning of Game 4 in Houston, all that Bobby did for the 2005 World Series champions and for the entire Sox organization during his time in Chicago,\u201d Reinsdorf, 89, added. \u201cHe and his family knew cancer would be his toughest battle, and he will be missed as a husband, father, friend, and teammate. He will forever hold a special place in all our hearts.\u201d<\/p>\n Jenks helped end the White Sox\u2019 88-year World Series championship drought by delivering a scoreless ninth ending against the Houston Astros in Game Four in 2005. (Prior to their World Series win in 2005, the White Sox had not won the league\u2019s championship since 1917.)<\/p>\n Former White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen<\/strong> referred to Jenks as \u201cone of [his] all-time favorite players\u201d following the announcement of the pitcher\u2019s death.<\/p>\n \u201cI loved that man,\u201d Guillen said. \u201cThis is a very sad day for everyone involved with the White Sox. Everyone remembers the moment when I called for the big fella in the World Series, so the bobblehead of that moment will be a great way to keep that moment alive for White Sox fans.\u201d<\/p>\n The former White Sox manager went on, \u201cEveryone has a favorite story about Bobby, so the 2005 reunion [from July 11-13<\/a>] will be a great opportunity to get together with all his teammates and coaches and relive some of our greatest memories of him.\u201d<\/p>\n Jenks\u2019 historic MLB career included holding the league\u2019s record for retiring consecutive batters, at 41, and he was also a two-time All-Star. He pitched for the White Sox from 2005 to 2010 and then finished out his career with the Boston Red Sox in 2011.<\/p>\n He later worked as pitching coach and general manager for the Grand Junction Rockies, as part of MLB\u2019s Pioneer developmental league. He coached for the Princeton WhistlePigs and the Windy City ThunderBolts as well.<\/p>\n Jenks announced his stomach cancer diagnosis in February during an interview with MLB.com<\/a><\/em> from his hospital bed in Portugal. He confirmed that doctors discovered a tumor in his chest after a CT scan, with cancer ultimately spreading to his stomach lining, lower back, hips and bones.<\/p>\n \u201cNow it\u2019s time to do what I got to do to get myself better and get myself more time, however you want to look at it,\u201d Jenks said at the time. \u201cI\u2019ll tell you one thing: I\u2019m not going to die here in Portugal.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"GettyImages-109307892](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-109307892-Former-World-Series-Champion-Bobby-Jenks-is-Dead-at-Age-44-e1751763649489.jpg?w=1000&quality=86&strip=all\")
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\n Bobby Jenks in 2011.<\/span> Elsa\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n