In March 1914, construction began on what is now known as Wrigley Field. At a cost of $250,000, Wrigley Field remains one of the oldest parks in the history of baseball. Located in Chicago, this facility is home to the Chicago Cubs. In the beginning, 10 investors purchased the team. In later years, however, each owner sold their remaining shares to William Wrigley Jr., who was first known for Wrigley chewing gum. In 1926, the ballpark was renamed from Cubs Park to Wrigley Field in honor of it's owner.
Many firsts were started at Wrigley Field, including permanent concession stands and permission for fans to keep foul balls that are hit into the stands. The bleachers and scoreboard were both constructed in 1937 and are still manually operated. Incidentally, the scoreboard has yet to be struck with a ball in play. Ironically enough, however, it was hit by a golf ball teed off by Sam Snead inside the stadium. Bill Veek, who built the bleachers and scoreboard, is also responsible for the landscaping throughout Wrigley Field.
In August 1988, the lights were lit for the first night game to be held at Wrigley Field. After more than 5,000 afternoon games, the Chicago Cubs were scheduled to meet under the lights for the first time on their home turf against Philadelphia. While the game was initially rained out, the New York Mets arrived the following night and were defeated as the Chicago Cubs were victorious in a 6-4 win.
Many of baseball's great historic moments occurred at Wrigley Field, including Ernie Banks batting his 500th homerun in 1970, Babe Ruth's "called shot" in the 1932 Game 3 of the World Series, Pete Rose tied Ty Cobb's record 4,191 hits in baseball history in 1985, Sammy Sosa's 60th homeruns in 1998, 1999 and 2001. In addition, fans witnessed Gabby Hartnett's famous "Homer in the Gloamin" against the Pirates' Mace Brown in 1938.
Wrigley Field, which is the last Federal League park in existence, also remains to be one of the most traditional venues in the sport of baseball. The majority of the facility has remained free of advertisements with only a few lingering throughout the park. Flags, located on the grounds of Wrigley Field, continue to remind fans whether or not the Chicago Cubs are winning or losing in the standings. Although it is the current home of the Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field has hosted more professional football games than any other stadium in America. In 2005, Wrigley Field celebrated 92 seasons of hosting Major League Baseball and 90 years as home to the Chicago Cubs.
Collectors who wish to request an autograph from any one of the players on the Chicago Cubs roster should send their letter and a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope) to:
Player's Name c/o Chicago Cubs Wrigley Field 1060 West Addison St. Chicago, IL 60613-4397
Fans requesting an autograph should limit their request to two items per letter. Popular items to have signed include photos, index or trading cards, baseballs, etc. Patience is key when requesting autographs through the mail, but the best time to reach an athlete is often during the off-season.
Wrigley Field is the home of the Chicago Cubs, one of the most popular and beloved franchises in all of Major League Baseball. If you've tried to get tickets to see this team but struck out, there may be another avenue to watch the Cubbies live, the outfield rooftops. There are several rooftops to choose from spanning from left field to right field. I was recently perched high atop one of the right field rooftops, and I must say that it was a fun experience. I was lucky enough to be invited by a friend who had an extra ticket so my rooftop experience was basically free of charge. The doors opened a half hour before the game and we were let in promptly. We were directed up the staircase which opened up into a large room adorned with hardwood floors, aesthetic lighting, and of course Cubs paraphernalia. There was a concierge desk where the host of the outing greeted my friend, and which I was introduced. As I panned around the room I noticed a gorgeous fish tank, a pool table and a sweet table with cookies and brownies as well. I soon walked towards the front windows so I could get a glimpse of Wrigley Field. Because we were on the second floor, the view was okay. I had a clear view of home plate, but the rest of the park was obstructed by the bleachers. Anyway, I grabbed a drink at the bar and headed up stairs to the rooftop.
Finally the moment had come, I was on top of a Wrigley Field roof top. Once up on top, I observed a large surround grill where several cooks were attending to hungry fans. Portillo's hot dogs and beef sandwiches were the main attractions. Bratwursts, hamburgers and grilled chicken sandwiches were available as well, so I grabbed a simple dog and headed towards the front of the roof to get a view of the field. Opposite of the 2nd floor, the view was great! We were still inside the right field foul pole, and actually the view made me feel like I was in the park. I tried to get up to the bleacher seating but it was just about packed, so I grabbed a spot underneath, just in front of the railing. In turned out to be the best spot to stand, in that the temperature was 92 degrees and the sun was beating down...It was Hot! Also, there was a 20 MPH head wind blowing right at us which kept us cool. I could have used a barstool to sit on, but the all inclusive beer and waist high railing provided enough lean on relief. If there were any negatives about the experience, it most likely had to be the lack of sounds to the game. Obviously there were no vendors yelling out "Beer Man Here!", but the lack of cheering fans was missing as well. Even though the view was great, you still felt like you were a spectator looking in to see what all the fuss inside Wrigley Filed was about?
All in all, the Wrigley Field roof tops proved to be a great time! If I ever wanted to throw a bachelor party or have a corporate event, the rooftops would have to be a serious choice!
Gary Ketchum CEO TicketAmerica.com
Gary Ketchum is the CEO of TicketAmerica which has provided hundreds of thousands of event tickets to satisfied customers since 1998 @ http://www.ticketamerica.com Click on the TicketAmerica Blog link in the upper right hand corner at TicketAmerica.com to learn about more ticket news.
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Catsup71 has sinced written about articles on various topics from Baseball, Recreation and Sports and Entertainment Guide. Gary Ketchum is the CEO of TicketAmerica which has provided hundreds of thousands of event tickets to satisfied customers since 1998 @ http://www.ticketamerica.comClick on the TicketAmerica Blog link in the upper right hand corner at TicketAmerica.com to. Catsup71's top article generates over 1900 views. to your Favourites.