On Monday I was in Chicago for a work visit, and I was able to go to Wrigley Field to catch my first Cubs game. It was an interesting experience, but I am glad I was able to check another stadium off the list.
The beginning of the night started with terrible traffic and a rush to get to the stadium. Since Wrigley is in the middle of a neighborhood, the streets are not made for the game crowd. It took us almost 2 hours to go 4 miles, but we finally got to 1060 West Addison 5 minutes before the first pitch. But the view from our seats was pretty cool.
It was a blast from the past as soon as our ticket was scanned. There were no Ferris wheels, batting cages, hot tubs, restaurants, etc. Wrigley Field offered Old Style Beer and baseball. It was refreshing. While Comerica is still my favorite because I know everything about the park, the nostalgia of the Friendly Confines cannot be denied. After grabbing a brew and a stadium dog, we settled into our seats to watch the Cubs take on the Braves.
The game featured a great start by converted receiver Jeff Samardzija, back-to-back home runs by the Cubs, Chipper Jones still producing at 40 years old, “Take me out to the ball game” led by Pat Fitzgerald, a rough 8th inning from Marmol, and ultimately a Cubs win.
The park might not have had the most up to date technologies (no LCD screens or scoreboard) or been the cleanest place I have ever been, but it was special. Watching a game played on the same field since 1916 was pretty cool. I can see why there are more Cubs fans than Sox in Chicago, there is more flavor and tradition with the stadium alone.
I will continue to update you guys on my stadium explorations as I will add Fenway to the list at the end of the month, and then hopefully Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati and PNC Park in Pittsburgh in June.
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