Ultimate Baseball Road Trip (77 page)

Wrigley was the last ballpark in the Majors to welcome night baseball, adding lights in 1988. But it wasn’t always meant to be that way. The Cubs were set to install lights in 1942, but owner Philip K. Wrigley donated the steel light towers to the World War II effort after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. In the decades following, Wrigley Field would wait and wait for night baseball, then it would wait one more day. The first scheduled night game was rained out, making the team’s first official evening affair an August 9, 1988, Cubs’ win over the Mets. The day before, the Cubs and Phillies had played three innings before the heavens opened.

Wrigley has always been a home run hitter’s paradise thanks to several factors. First, there is the steady breeze that blows out toward left in the summertime. Second, Chicago is a hot city and the ball travels farther when it’s warm. Third, the park is more than six hundred feet above sea level. Lower air pressure allows the ball to fly longer (See the chapter on Coors Field for the physics-in-baseball lesson). And fourth, the greater-than-usual number of day games gives hitters an edge. Batters from the low minors to the Majors always hit for a higher average before sunset. Even on bright and sunny days, they see the ball better out of the pitcher’s hand than they do under the lights.

As for some of the more interesting “other uses” Wrigley has seen through the years, we are always impressed by the long list of movies that have been filmed, at least in part, at the old park. Its appearances on the silver screen include cameos in
The Blues Brothers, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Break-Up, Rookie of the Year,
and
It Happens Every Spring.
And who can forget Punky Brewster’s trip to Wrigley Field for a National League Championship Series game in 1984?

Kevin:
Seriously, if even
one
of our readers remembers that, I’d be shocked.

Josh:
Wherever my old gang is today, those founding members of the Jenning’s Drive Punky Club, they remember.

Kevin:
What have I told you about the Charlton, Massachusetts, coming-of-age stories?

Josh:
Keep them to myself?

Kevin:
There you go.

There has been one other unusual Wrigley event we’d be remiss not to mention. On New Year’s Day 2009 the Chicago Blackhawks hosted the Detroit Red Wings for the NHL’s Winter Classic at Wrigley. Unfortunately for locals, Detroit won 6-4, but the 40,818 who turned out on a chilly day still got to experience the ballpark in a whole new way.

This is one park for which you’d be wise to order tickets well in advance, unless you don’t mind paying a mark-up on the secondary market. Many games sell out before the season even begins. This is easy to understand when you consider that more than 115,000 fans are currently on the waiting list for season tickets. Counterintuitively, the bleachers, which accommodate about five thousand fans per game, sell out first. That’s because the quintessential “Wrigley experience” is to be had in the narrow rim of general admission lining the sun-soaked outfield.

Don’t ask us why they call the sections “Aisles” throughout the park; they just do.

The hardest tickets to get are usually ones for series against the archrival Cardinals and crosstown White Sox. But any summer afternoon game presents a high probability of being sold out. Depending upon the opponent and time of year, the Cubs slot each home game into one of five ticket pricing tiers. From highest to lowest, they are: Marquee, Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze.

Josh:
Which one of the five doesn’t fit the theme?

Kevin:
Marquee.

Josh:
All the rest are precious metals.

Kevin:
So what’s more “precious” than Platinum?

Josh:
Maybe we should visit the Chicago Commodity Exchange to find out.

Kevin:
You can do that while I finish sampling the Chicago dog stands.

Be sure to spend at least one game in the bleachers. We speculate that the frat-house atmosphere may have something to do with the many graduates of Big Ten schools who settle in Chicago. So arrive early to stake out a spot, treat yourself to a few Old Styles, roll up your sleeve to catch some rays and embrace the madness and pleasure of it all.

As stated, the bleacher sections are general admission, with the exception of three small sections (316–318) out by the right-field foul pole. These Bleacher Boxes are comfortable green chairs, unlike the rest of the Bleachers, which are green benches. The park opens two hours before first pitch and usually there is a line outside the left-field entrance for those hoping to get in early to claim a spot. The first row isn’t necessarily the best, as the rather high retaining wall blocks the view and front-row fans aren’t allowed to stand once the game starts. So, aim for a spot in the third or fourth row in left-center and you’ll have one of the best seats in the house.

A downside to the bleachers is that Wrigley policy prohibits bleacher patrons from entering other sections of the park. Also, when the bleachers are full, it is difficult to
find your way to the exit ramps to buy a brew or visit the latrine because of the narrow walkways. On the other hand, if you’re looking to get lucky, start in the bleachers and work your way to the bars. Ballpark scoring has never been easier.

The Infield Club Boxes (8–34) are available almost exclusively to season-ticket holders. They’re great seats, but the atmosphere is a tad tame for our liking. Nothing against the gray hairs and corporate types, but if this is your once-in-a-lifetime trip to Wrigley, you might find yourself looking to rub elbows with the rank-and-file. You’ll have a better chance of finding them farther down the lines in the Outfield Club Boxes. In left field (3–8) or right (35–39), these are still excellent choices.

Located directly behind the Club Boxes these are also prime seats that offer great views of the field, skyline, and rooftop bleachers across Waveland Avenue. They are hard tickets to come by, though.

If given the choice to pay a bit more to sit in the Infield Boxes, instead of the Outfield ones, we trust you’ll do the right thing. If you sit in Boxes 101–105 in left or 139–142 in right, you won’t be able to see a parcel of fair territory in the nearest outfield corner because of the rising brick wall. Even so, we recommend 101, 102, 141, and 142, which are angled nicely toward the infield.

The Terrace Boxes are the first few rows of the 200 Level. These seats are still in the lower bowl, tucked beneath the overhang of the upper deck. But the view of fly balls is not obstructed. These are a good choice on a rainy night.

The Terrace Reserved seats are directly behind the Terrace Boxes and account for the largest portion of seating in the ballpark, offering more than twelve thousand seats. The good news is that many of these seats are close to the action. The bad news is that unless two sinker-ballers are matched-up, you might feel as though you miss much of the game. More than just a few of these seats are obstructed by the overhang. This is more of an issue for fans sitting in the higher-numbered rows and is worst behind home plate (215–219) where a ramp leading to the luxury boxes comes into play. As a rule, try for seats no higher than Row 15. We liked the right-field seats (235–238) where there are no overhanging luxury boxes. In addition, many seats in the Terrace are obstructed by support poles. We counted twenty-six in all. Kevin wasn’t sure why Josh felt the need to count them, but Josh said it was necessary, kind of like counting the TVs in a sports bar. Unfortunately there is no hard-and-fast rule as to what row or seat number will be safe. For example, any row lower than Row 22 is pole-free in left field’s Aisle 202. But you need to be in front of Row 5 to be “safe” behind the plate in Aisle 222. Another thing to keep in mind is that with most games being sellouts, you’ll have few opportunities to seat hop if you don’t like your view.

The press box is not housed between the lower and upper decks as you might expect. Rather, it hangs down from the ballpark roof atop the 500 Level behind home plate. In addition, there is no distinct luxury suite level at Wrigley because the private boxes cling to the underbelly of the upper deck. Consequently, Wrigley’s upper deck keeps fans in both its 400 and 500 Levels relatively low and close to the field. At the same time, there is no underhang to block the view. Beware, however, that if you buy seats in the upper deck you may wind up going home with a stiff neck. These seats are not angled toward the plate. If, for example, you sit in Section 434 in right field, you’ll be looking over your left shoulder all day to see the infield. The best of these sections are 410 to 430 on the infield. Section 420 is right behind the plate.

As with the Terrace downstairs, all you can do is hope you don’t wind up behind one of the support poles that, on this level, brace the roof over the 500 Level. On the plus side, there is no underhang to worry about and the first row is not obstructed by concourse traffic thanks to a steep grade between the 400 and 500 Levels. And its proximity to the field and field level makes this one of the best upper decks
in the bigs. If given the choice, we would rather sit in the Upper Reserved than in any seat behind Row 15 of the Terrace. You can follow the whole flight of the ball, catch a bird’s-eye view of the interesting rooftop parties, and even enjoy a breeze on a hot summer day.

SRO tickets are sold only after all other seats have sold out and only on the day of the game. Because of the overhang, there isn’t much of a view from the standing area, which is located above the Terrace. We don’t recommend this option if it can be in any way avoided.

Be prepared to pay at least double face to sit with the bleacher bums, and a bit less of a markup for most other sections. You shouldn’t have trouble finding a scalper on the streets around the park. Just take a stroll down Waveland and they’ll come to you. Somehow, like Santa Claus, they always seem to know.

While Wrigleyville may not offer much in the way of parking places, there are scores of unique restaurants and bars in the neighborhood. That’s a trade-off we’ll gladly accept. This is easily the most festive ballpark setting in baseball, so plan on spending a few hours sampling the saloons before and/or after the game.

Wrigley is bounded by Sheffield Avenue, Waveland Avenue, Clark Street, and Addison Street. Take Interstate 90 to the Addison Street exit and follow Addison east to Wrigleyville. Or take Interstate 290 east to Route 55 north, to Lake Shore Drive, to Irving Park Road, to Clark Street.

Unless you’re attending a Sunday game, don’t bother looking for a street parking spot nearby. Most spots are marked residential parking, while others have two-hour meters. Chicago parking authorities aggressively monitor these and tow violators, so don’t take chances. On Sunday, though, you can avail yourself of the meter spots on Sheffield or Clark. We also observed some residents on Sheffield selling spots in their driveways, which seemed like a safe and easy option for those willing to pay. If you are arriving early, you may be able to find your way into one of the small parking lots on the corners of Waveland and Sheffield and on North Clark. These charge less for a “full game” spot, which means your car will get boxed-in by other cars and you won’t be able to leave until the guy whose car is in your way is finished with the Wrigley bars. For more money, you can get an “easy-in, easy-out” spot, which means your car won’t get boxed-in. There is also a lot on the corner of Cornelia Avenue and Clark a ten-minute walk away.

If you’ve gotten the drift that parking in Wrigley is a challenge, you’re right. For this reason, we strongly suggest taking the “L” train to the game. Get off at Addison Station, right across from the park. Because of the large postgame crowds on the platform, be sure to buy a token in advance for your return trip, or if you forget, follow the tracks to either the Belmont or Irving Park stops, which are short walks away in either direction.