Wrigley Field
Chicago, IL
Review by Joel
(Senior Wrigleyville Correspondent)
Wrigley Field is the home of the Chicago Cubs of the National League. I have been to Wrigley many times and grow to love it more with each visit. It suddenly appears out of nowhere while driving through the North Side neighborhoods. Once you reach it, though, the festive atmosphere and optimism of Cub fans for the day's battle surprise you even more.
One must go through the front gate at Wrigley, under the big sign that welcomes you to the "Home of the Cubs" (unless you have bleacher seats). This isn't a stadium rule, merely a suggestion. The walkways beneath the stadium are not wide, but they aren't a maze, either. In fact, there is very little navigating to do at Wrigley. You do not have to climb many escalators or ramps.
There is only one section of bad seats at Wrigley. If you have a lower deck ticket on either the first or third base side, make sure you are not more than 30 rows from the field. Any deeper finds you under the upper deck, and visibility of the scoreboard and pop flies drops to zero. I recommend getting tickets in the upper deck if you can not get into the first 30 rows.
Cub fans help create the Wrigley Experience. They can make an 8-0 first inning deficit into an exciting game. They have constant optimism and hope and a non-violent attitude toward losing. I have often heard, "Maybe next game." This game featured a cross-town matchup against the Chicago White Sox. The crowd was lively and the place was absolutely packed. Sosa hit a grand slam and the Cubs won. You'd think they'd won the World Series.
Wrigley can never be replaced. It is timeless and part of the team. It's clean and fun and stands for baseball. I will cease to be a baseball fan the day they tear this one down.
2021
165
2000
44
Mike says...
"I visited Wrigley in 2000 and again in 2021, between which Wrigley has undergone a major renovation. I understand that care was taken to try to modernize while keeping the essential "Wrigley-ness" of the ballpark intact. I would say that there efforts have been very successful. The bleachers were rebuilt, but to my eye look unchanged and, except for a few tasteful digital scoreboards and an expanded press box, the stadium looks and feels the same; a cozy, neighborhood ballpark from another era. Well done, I say."
Gary says...
"Seeing a game at Wrigley Field was at the top of my Baseball Bucket List. I finally made it to The Friendly Confines with Mike in 2021. We took the train from the suburbs with dozens of other fans of both the Cubs and White Sox, as they would play each other on this August day.
The atmosphere once we arrived in Wrigleyville was electric as we walked around the ballpark before the game. Once inside, I was struck by the friendliness of the ushers and fans as they were there mostly to support their Cubbies (Yes, there were some Pale Hose fans there, too). Our upper deck seats on the first base side were perfect. I loved wondering how many fans had sat in my seat every season for the past 100+ years to see the Cubs.
The experience was everything I was expecting and more.
Where They Played Before
Wrigley Field (Pre-Renovation)
