Remembering Wrigley

Chicago Cub fans have flocked to spring training in Arizona for decades.  Last year to handle the growing demand the Cubs opened a new stadium in Mesa called Sloan Park with an average attendance of 14,200 in a stadium with a capacity of 15,000 which includes three different party areas ---  my type of ball park.  If I ever have the chance to return to spring training I would want to put Sloan Park on my list.



1954 - Wrigley Field

The Cubs are also making news on the stadium front in Chicago.  Over the next four fall and winter years they will be rebuilding Wrigley Field.  Wrigley Field was the first major league baseball park that I got to see a game and years later was the site of one of the most exciting baseball games I ever witnessed.

In 1954 I was on a troop train from Fort Bliss, TX to Camp Kilmer, NJ on my way to Europe to do my part to prevent the Communists from taking over Western Europe.  It was the last Sunday of spring training and the Cubs always played the White Sox on that day so I had a wonderful opportunity to see my first major league park when we had a six hour lay over in Chicago which allowed me time to catch an 'El' to Wrigley.



The above 1954 picture shows Wrigley field looking from left field to  center field.  Since there were only 16 major league teams at that time the scored board is much smaller.  Notice that the buildings across from the park do not have stands on top of the roofs which didn't become popular until the 1980s.  This picture was taken in April and the football field home of the Chicago Bears is still very visible which is not like  today when new turf is added when they spot a weed.

At the right is a brief part of an article about the 1952 game one of a number of great battles the 49ers and Bears played during that decade at Wrigley.

It was 1978 and the Giants and Cubs played the most exciting baseball game I can remember because we  never knew when the game would end.  It started very sunny but then dark black clouds came right over home plate headed to center field and it poured.  I thought at the time there was no way they would continue this game.  We waited under the grandstand and the Giant players were on a walk way over looking the crowd and Vida Blue spotted my daughter Jane's Giants hat and tossed her a baseball.  Thank you, Vida!

Wrigley Field 1978 rain

The game eventually continued and the Cubs had the lead and then those same black clouds as if saying 'you didn't get enough take this' came back over center field towards home plate and dumped another ton of rain on us  .  The game was again delayed and I thought the Cubs had won and then to my complete surprise it continued.  In the top of the 8th inning Jack Clark of the Giants got a single off  Hall of Fame pitcher Bruce Sutter to tie the game at 7. Then in the bottom of the eighth it started to rain again and the umpires said, "that's enough". If that's the case then the top of the 8th inning would not count and Clark's tying hit would go for nothing.  Then came the big surprise.  They called the game because of darkness not rain.  In those days Wrigley did not have lights.  Under rules for darkness the game is finished the next time the teams meet.  Since this was the last day for the Giants in Wrigley for the year the game was completed with the Giants winning ten days later at Candlestick.

Wrigley Field 2015

After the game we drove back to Grand Rapids where we were visiting my wife's family.  The drive usually takes under 3 hours but all we did was follow trucks in pouring rain and lightening bolts the entire way.  There was not one motel room available.  We finally arrived back at 1:30 am. What a great day!

The first phase of the destruction of Wrigley is behind schedule because it snowed in Chicago this past winter.  That surprised everyone.  You can see in the picture at the right the bleachers in right and left field  have been demolished. 

I have read that it is very doubtful that the Cubs can open the season at Wrigley. There has been discussions that the Cubs opening the season at Miller Park in Milwaukee.  I would suggest they open at Sloan Field in Mesa.  Why not?  They would have a sell out!