All right, let me hear ya.
Ah 1.
Ah 2.
Ah 3.
Happy Birthday to you…
You might have thought I was heading in one direction…then I threw you a change up! Even as someone who is clearly NOT a Chicago Cubs fan, I would be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to wish Happy Birthday to Wrigley Field.
Wow. 100 years old. In this era of disposable sports facilities, that really is remarkable.
The Cubs marked the occasion, today, fittingly by a crushing loss 7-5. The Chicagoans led 5-2 heading into the 9th!
On a personal note, I have to say I enjoyed my two visits to Wrigley Field, even if both were a bit on the chilly side. Our first visit, in May 2001 (Game 44 in my 100 games in 50 years quest) we saw the Cubs take on the Cincinnati Reds. It was a raw, wet day. We sat through two rain delays (and we even rode one of them out underneath the stadium in some odd cavern).
The home team outlasted the Reds by the score of 4-2.
A year later, in May 2002 (Game 50), we saw the Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the Cubbies 12-1. It was still cold and windy that day but it was also sunny. So, our experience that day was a little less grueling.
We enjoyed our visits to Wrigley thoroughly. I remember when we walked out of the concourse and saw the field, and the ivy covered fence, the Budweiser roof (and all the rooftop bleachers across…name of street), it was one of those ‘a ha’ moments – kind of like when you step out of the Washington D.C. metro and see the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and the U.S. Capitol on the mall.
The visits to Wrigley were memorable. In both cases, we enjoyed joining in the seventh inning singing of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” It was special.
Of course, there are many other Cub-related experiences I can relate. As a college student enjoying life in the dawning age of cable television, it was a real treat to come home in the middle of the afternoon and find a baseball game to watch as the Cubs were playing yet another home, day baseball game.
The WGN telecasts have provided hours of entertainment over the years. In those days, of course, the venerable Harry Caray was leading the fans in song.
And so it was, I’m sure, for another generation of young baseball fans today as the Cubs lost another toughie.
I’m a Braves fan; never a Cubs fan. But still, I’d like to throw my voice into the chorus of folks pausing on this day to wish a very Happy Birthday to ‘the friendly confines.”
JG
Originally posted 4/23/2014
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