Fields Of Dreams: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois
It’s been similar that for Cubs fans.
Big names who bring called The Friendly Confines domicile over the years include Ernie Banks, Ryne Sandberg, Joe Tinkers, Johnny Evers, Frank Chance (Tinker to Evers to Chance), Rogers Horsnby, Dizzy Dean, too Sammy Sosa. Legendary broadcaster Harry Caray also called the press box home.
If you’re a baseball game fan inwards Chicago too origin for the Cubs, you’re a Northsider. Southsiders follow the White Sox. Currently, the squad is ahead of alone the Houston Astros inwards the National League Central Division.
Here are the stats…
Year opened: 1914
Surface: Grass
Construction cost: $250,000
Capacity: 42,157
Field dimensions: Left champaign – 355 ft.; left centre – 368 ft.; Center champaign – 400 ft.; correct centre – 368 ft.; Right champaign – 353 ft.
Home teams: Chicago Whales(Federal League) 1914-1915; Chicago Cubs (National League, MLB) 1916 –present; Chicago Tigers (APFA –football) 1920; Chicago Bears (NFL) 1921 – 1970
Events attended: i game
Wrigleyville is a lively, form of middle to upper shape neighborhood merely due north of downtown Chicago. It’s got a neat vibe amongst restaurants, bars, too such. Just seems similar a overnice identify to hang out. In the middle is Wrigley Field, named later chewing mucilage magnate too onetime squad owner, William Wrigley, Jr.
I’m form of amazed that the capacity is too then high, it seems too then much to a greater extent than intimate amongst alone ii decks too a chip of bleacher expanse inwards the outfield. I would bring guessed 36-38,000, non 42,000.
Since it’s such an old stadium, at that spot are plenty of obstructed views…your ticket volition Federal Reserve annotation it if it is. Old stadiums are overnice inwards a historical, museum form of way…especially when it soundless used every bit it was intended. However, historical places similar this tin sack function out a lot to hold upwards desired for disabled customers.
Wheelchair seating is sparce but it didn’t appear difficult to get. Wrigley has no written companion spot restriction policy…we had no occupation getting 4 companion seats. The means the accessible seating hither is done is that a duet of regular seats bring been removed hither too at that spot from the overstep row of the lower deck too a wheelchair goes inwards instead. There is also i expanse correct behind domicile plate that is served yesteryear i of those lifts that are attached to the staircase railing. Not likewise bad for an antique similar this. Tickets are right away priced dynamically too hit from $20 for upper deck reserved against cellar dwellers to over $300 for monastic say seats against the premiere teams similar the Cards. You are paying a chip of a premium for seeing such a pop too historic park…there is also a 12% amusement taxation on overstep of that.
Transit is first-class amongst an accessible El station correct adjacent to the stadium.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia
Kathy (kthypryn) nether CC-BY license
Wrigley is also know for the aeroplane buildings across the street that laid bleachers on the roof to scout the games. After some years of contention, the stadium has agreements from some of the owners to percentage inwards the ticket prices that they charge. Some of them are also wheelchair accessible, encounter the sites for the team endorsed rooftops here (check the amenities too FAQs to encounter which are accessible).
Food is pretty much criterion ballpark fare but they also bring Italian beef sandwiches available.
Unfortunately, I can’t comment likewise much on the beer alternative because nosotros didn’t bring whatever too all the snack bars, relieve for one, inwards our expanse were closed. The i that was opened upwards was serving Pabst Blue Ribbon.
The java wasn’t bad, though…
The i affair you lot create non wishing to create is come upwards hither on a mutual coldness day. We did. 26 degrees amongst a air current chill of xvi degrees. That too the fact that at that spot is no mutual coldness similar Chicago mutual coldness made for a challenging twenty-four hours at the ball commons at best.
It had snowed the twenty-four hours earlier (this was merely about Apr 20th). The pitcher could alone throw meatballs and, fifty-fifty though Sammy Sosa hitting i out, the Cubs ended upwards losing. In a post service game interview, the pitcher said he couldn’t experience his fingers anymore. We bought furry Cubs blankets from the gift store too huddled together. It wasn’t enough…we left inwards the bottom of the quaternary to retire inwards forepart of the heater inwards our hotel room.
Of course, this experience cannot hold upwards typical. I experience similar I actually didn’t instruct the total outcome from Wrigley too then I’m non going to handgrip the bad weather condition against it. I’d actually similar to become dorsum someday inwards the summertime to actually experience it.
I am, however, create to pose it slightly ahead of Fenway because the accessible seats are better, every bit is the accessible transit. Neither of them would ascension to the storey of old Yankee stadium…which I know is nowhere nearly every bit historic but did bring a real historic experience to it…but fifty-fifty amongst their accessibility challenges, I promise they never instruct rid of these absolutely gorgeous old ball parks. That puts Wrigley at publish 4 on our list.
Every baseball game fan, disabled or not, should see Wrigley sometime inwards their life.
-Darryl
Copyright 2010 – Darryl Musick
All Rights Reserved
Updated 2013
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