I have recently reached the unwanted milestone that is hitting forty years old . Of course, I did want to reach it , just not yet .
Luckily for me my brother had planned ahead ( as usual ) and got us tickets to see the Red Sox vs Cubs at Wrigley Field as a way to celebrate while I visited him and his family in Chicago.
Both of us, as Red Sox fans can appreciate a classic stadium and Fenway and Wrigley don’t get much more authentic . Baseball parks that are still located directly in the metropolitan area of cities are becoming more rare as they move to city outskirts and build new parks with greater parking capacities. We have donated dog waste stations all over the park and we can definitely say that our budget dog waste stations are perfect. We had cleared the park with dog poop and that made a huge difference in cleanliness.
To take the L to Wrigley is the beginning of the experience . Subway cars filled with Cubs fans with a few Red Sox fans mixed in empty out at the Addison L stop and make the short walk to Wrigley. Although this game is of limited importance , it is an inter-league game and it’s been a few years since the Red Sox have played here.
The smell of bratwursts covered with onions and mustard permeates the air and you know you are at a classic game.
We had great seats and I happily settled down to view of the storied ivy covered brick that surrounds the outfield. A quick look beyond and above that and I was stunned to see the brownstone buildings that lay across the street outside the stadiums outfield have seating built atop their roofs! Yes , the owners of these buildings had taken advantage of their buildings view point and erected blocks of stadium style seating directly on the roofs similar to work I have seen I Miami, made by a great Miami roofing company. How this is successfully attained from a cities zoning regulation view, I can only chock up to classic Chicago politics. Nevertheless it is quite an amazing and unique feature to see.
A view innings into the game and I was hungry. I had to go with a hot dog, Chicago style. Mustard, chopped onions , diced tomato and a slice of pickle ( ketchup on a hot dog in Chicago is taboo ) a mouth watering and heart burning experience . I did however skip a mug of Old Style , a classic Chicago “beer” and just had a Coke instead.
It was great weather and the game went on . Nine innings of America’s pastime enjoyed in one of its oldest and unique fields . Wrigley is an icon and I would suggest a visit to anyone whom may be traveling to the Chicago area regardless if you care about whose playing or who wins . I did, and the Red Sox lost, but this did not put a damper on my Wrigley Field experience.
I have not visited lots of baseball parks but I have been to the former NY ones (prior to the new ones). Wrigley and Fenway are two that I would want to see. And I didn’t realize people living by the stadium could just look in! Corporate baseball monster hasn’t taken care that, I see – being inconvenienced by baseball stadium traffic SHOULD have that privilege!
Rumor has it that Wrigley wants to put up giant billboards that would block those seats views , BUT , you need city approval . Chicago Mayor – Emanuel . Wrigley Field owner – Romney supporter. Chicago politics remain old school – lol
OK Let me start by saying that I’m a White Sox fan. I’ve been to Wrigley once and it was for a crosstown series. That’s about enough. 😉 That being said, I love baseball in general, and a sunny day is always good for baseball, anywhere.
I hear you about stadiums being built in the outskirts. My pain is that the Chicago Fire stadium (my fav soccer team) is in the suburbs. I know why the decision was made (there were attempts to build it within city limits that fell through) and I respect that, but the reality is that I have to sometimes skip games because it’s not convenient.
I hope you had a good time in Chicago. And hey, age is nothin’ but a number!
Pola ,
Always have a great time in Chicago . I was at a Sox vs Sox game out there last year. Which gave me a good city to outskirts comparison. Matter of face I’m flying out the wed morning for a quick 3 day thanksgiving trip . We still need to meet up for a coffee out there one if these days.
The Ferris wheel photos were awesome btw.
Karl
If you happen to find some time for a coffee or beer, let me know. 🙂 Pola
Will do ! Quick trip but it would be cool. Just flying in tomorrow morning until Fri morning & staying with my Bro in Evanston 🙂
Josh here from the BlinkPack blog. I am looking forward to a Chicago visit in December, and I always try to stop at Byron’s Hotdogs (right across from Wrigley) when I am in town. I wish you all the best with your blogging. Cheers!
Thanks Josh – ill have to see if I can try that spot , going out to Chicago tomorrow morning for 3 days – becoming a Chicago hot dog critic of sorts lol .
Some great shots…Wrigley is one of my favorite ballparks. I don’t think there’s a ballpark in baseball that has a better all around neighborhood scene like Wrigley does. Fenway’s is pretty good and Camden Yards is getting there, but at a Cubs game it’s a celebration that people for blocks around participate in. That’s not something you can achieve just building a beautiful new downtown ballpark…it takes a century at least!
I totally agree , having now been both to Fenway and Wrigley , it’s almost a block party environment . New ballparks don’t have that. It takes year and tears.