When the White Sox had to win games, they did. The got out to that fantastic lead, and then played a little over .500 ball. When Cleveland went on a red-hot tear, the press called it "a collapse," and handing the division to the Indians. Chicago never even surrendered the division lead. And then, they went 11-1 in the post-season. They won the games that mattered. Good for them.
The whole 88-year thing seems a little ginned up, mostly because the White Sox weren't around the Series often enough to remind us of it. But it's a big deal in Chicago.
When you see the replay of Jose Uribe following that foul ball into the stands, watch how the Houston fans react. Sure, Uribe's a big guy, but they're all standing above him, and most of them have gloves. If any of them wanted to, they could have caught the ball a la Bartman. With the World Series arguably on the line, they didn't.