Wrigley Field through the years *Before and After*

Discussing the life of Wrigley Field
My Twitter - / realpatrickmcl

[@RRaquello]

One correction is that while everyone knows it was originally built as Weeghman Park for the Federal League Chicago Whales, when the Federal League was basically bought out by MLB after the 1916 season, part of the settlement was that Wales owner Charles Weeghman was allowed to buy the Chicago Cubs as compensation for losing his Federal League team (this also happened in St. Louis where the owner of the St. Louis FL team, Phil Ball, ended up buying the St. Louis Browns & Sportsman's Park). PK Wrigley didn't become Cubs owner till the 1920's, when it finally became Wrigley Field.

[@saints093]

That’s a true ballpark that will NEVER be torn down, the Cubs will be playing there for many many many more years and many more memories to come at Wrigley Field

[@rwboa22]

Same with Fenway Park for the Red Sox. You just can't tear down these historic and iconic landmarks.

[@scottyleitch3214]

@@rwboa22 there are a few others that should have NEVER been torn down

[@genoaoak]

From the weeds on the outfield walls, to the pee troughs, Wrigley is a dump. It will need to be demolished soon.

[@saints093]

Wrigley Field will NEVER be torn down, and the ballpark is FAR FROM BEING A DUMP, nobody calls Wrigley Field a dump, NOBODY!!!!!!😡

[@jeremywj]

Agree... but technically it has been torn down. Very little of the original park is actually still there. I guess just enough to make the claim that it is still the original Wrigley.

[@kapturedbyj_]

I just took a trip to Boston for memorial day weekend, and got to visit Fenway on a tour, next stadium is Wrigley... Amazing video, man!

[@TheBricksAndIvyArchive]

Wrigley Field is the last ballpark still in existence where Jackie Robinson played a game.

[@bebobebo4407]

Did he also ever played at Fenway Park?

[@brandonneumann5294]

@@bebobebo4407no interleague play wasn’t invented until 1997. They could only play American League teams if they met in the World Series

[@XxmetalHeadxX88]

What's unique about Wrigley Field is that it's one of the hardest fields to hit a home run, despite it not being the biggest stadium in MLB.

[@OldRustySteele]

Mostly depends on the time of year and weather conditions. On a warm summer day, it’s a hitter’s park as the winds come out of the west & southwest. In the spring and in late September when it is cooler, it can be a pitcher’s park. Also, unlike most Midwest MLB parks, you can get an occasional summer day where it’s cool and the wind comes off Lake Michigan from the east, making it a pitcher’s park on those days. So, it’s a real mixed bag at Wrigley! (Same holds true for Guaranteed Rate Field for the White Sox, although the higher grandstand seems to somewhat reduce the wind effects compared to Wrigley.)

[@gregorykrug8034]

@@OldRustySteele I had relatives who went to a Wrigley Field game several decades ago. The story goes that the temperature dropped more than fifty degrees over the course of the game. (I am not sure how accurate the story is, but I can believe it.)

[@hiramlewis3873]

Let me tell you about the White Sox of 2005. They along with the Tigers destroyed the Cubs in 2005 with the Homer. It's very easy to hit a Home run at Wrigley Field when the Wind is blowing hard from the South. Barry Bonds in 2008 had no Problem with that(😅). Chris Carpenter was another Cubs killer. When that wind blows out you can expect lots of homers. Remember that Ryan Sandberg game of 1984? I couldn't believe how nice a guy he was and respecting the fans and a worker at Wrigley Field like me. Kerry Wood was another great guy. He always had time to say hello and gave fans autographs.

[@hiramlewis3873]

However, you are correct. In April early May, home runs are few

[@OldRustySteele]

@@gregorykrug8034 Hi Greg, I grew up in STL and lived in suburban CHI in the late '80's and early '90's. My first game at Wrigley was July 20, 1989. Was OK in the west burbs where I lived, probably high 60's, but was 52 F at game time at Wrigley. Was drizzling with brisk wind off The Lake. No jacket, only shorts. Brrrr..... In late July in STL, you never worry about being cold. You worry about roasting, especially in the previous Busch Stadium, the concrete donut where there was no wind and the heat could be stifling! That said, Wrigley Field -- AND -- the OLD Comiskey Park were great places to watch baseball. I particularly liked Old Comiskey -- it had that down 'n' dirty, old school baseball feel.

[@jonpike9991]

I saw a game there once in 2000. Cubs vs Giants. Got an autograph from Chip Carry. I remember coming from school the Cubs would be on WGN.

[@cheez6934]

I’m biased and I’ll name Fenway and Dodger 2 &3 of the current best parks all time however Wrigley is always gonna be the special place in my heart! May it forever live on!

[@user-ou3dm6th3x]

Wrigley Field is a major contributing factor the Cubs have suffered so many losing seasons over the last century +. Playing all day games until 1988 was a disadvantage for the Cub players. With Chicago’s night life, many players would show up hungover from the night before.

[@zachlafleur6651]

As far as I know the NFL Cardinals when they were based in Chicago never played football at Wrigley Field. Instead, they played at the larger capacity old Comiskey Park from 1929-59 before moving to Sportsman's Park in St. Louis in 1960. However, the Chicago Bears played football on Wrigley Field from 1921-70 even though they had the far larger and much more football appropriat demensionally Soldier Field since 1924 on the lakefront.

[@randomcub922]

That is actually the reason the Bears have that name. They named themselves after their landlords but figured football players were bigger than baseball players. So they went with Bears over Cubs. The bears logo is the old Cubs logo but orange instead of red

[@zachlafleur6651]

@RandomCub True, they had moved in from Decatur, IL where they started out playing in the NFL as the Staleys and changed their team name to the Bears for just that reason that you stated.

[@noone-ft9lw]

Growing up in the 80's and coming home from school and watching the cubs was a thing. Fuck lights

[@TheBrooklynbodine]

There was a country song from 1981 titled "Don't Wait on Me" by the Statler Brothers. They were singing to a woman with whom they wanted nothing more to do with. One of the lines was "When the lights go on at Wrigley Field, I'll be coming home to you.' With the advent of lights, the song was updated, and they made the lyrics about Wrigley Field getting a dome. A dome would be the ultimate sacrilege. i'm a Yankee fan (don't hate me!), but there are some things you just don't change.

[@mrnosaj71]

I do hate the cubs but Wrigley Field is a rare gem. A gift of the past.

[@gymrat2647]

Great video of Wrigley and very interesting. Learning about the history of Wrigley

[@alanzemsky7695]

Great video! I do miss the tiny scoreboard under the centerfield one. They took it away once the two new ones were put up, when you are watching a game it’s very hard to see basic stats like balls strikes and outs etc. that mini board used to help with that stuff too.

[@areyoufriendly]

I like the new scoreboards, but when I need to know the count, outs, and score my eyes dart directly to the old scoreboard. It’s like once you’re used to it, that’s the only way, even with the additions.

[@gregthegroove]

I was there for 2016 WS Game 3. I’m born from Chicago. Huge fan. Wouldn’t miss it for the world. $1800. And worth every penny. I’ve been going there since I was a kid in the 80s. We always sat Bleachers. My older cuz worked as a vendor and I got free ice cream and hot dogs all day long! We lived about 10 mins away, I could ride my bike there and ball hawk and play catch behind on Waveland Ave. Nothing beats the day game vibe, grab your glove, throw sunflower seeds in your pocket and go watch a game for a few bucks back in the 80s. It’s Disney today but still special.

[@chalesgolding5314]

You are 100% spot on D.G. with regard to the wind at Wrigley Field , the jet stream has made a dramatic shift over the last 15 years and is now settled over central Kentucky ; may sound crazy but it’s true. Sidebar , I hate those giant video boards ….

[@thpisland2423]

This is one of your best videos

[@hiramlewis3873]

The wind isn't as crazy as it was in the 1970's The weather was pretty wild in Chicago from 1976 to about 1984. In 1983 we had a massive summer Heatwave after years of very cold winters

[@howardjohnson8831]

I have not been to Wrigley since they put in the lights.and I won't either.

[@OldRustySteele]

Here’s a great trivia question for baseball history loonies like me: “Where was the first Wrigley Field?” It was in Los Angeles! Chicago’s Wrigley Field was built earlier, but originally called Weeghman Field. Cubs owner Phil Wrigley (the chewing gum magnate) purchased the team and the stadium and renamed it Cubs Park. A few years later, Wrigley had a new stadium built in LA for the Cubs’ minor league club in 1925 and it was called Wrigley Field. Meanwhile, in Chicago, Cubs Park was not renamed Wrigley Field until 1927.

[@MFPhoto1]

Two things you got wrong. The Whales were in Wrigley, then called Whales Park or Weeghman Park, for two seasons. Whales owner Charles Weeghman later purchased the Cubs and he, not Wrigley, move the team to the Northside.

[@hiramlewis3873]

I worked for the Cubs for 4 years. I was there when the old bleachers ended in 2005 and when they had the walking area in back of the bleachers along with that restaurant behind the Ivy in 2006. Yes I had to go in that middle area to get a home run ball out. Gave it to a kid on many occasions. Oh yeah, I was there for the Jimmy Buffett Concert in 2005 and Sting was next. That old field in 2005 was really bad. They got a new field in 2006.

[@rickieg9870]

Greatest stadium in baseball

[@hiramlewis3873]

I can tell you that the bar area around Wrigley field was/is tremendous. I met so many Stars. I can tell you that they hated Steve Garvey( 1984 Padres), Joe Morgan( Comments he made about the Cubs), the White Sox/ Brewers and the Fardinals 😅. Oh yeah, at that time Steve Hartman. Steve Garvey was very nice to me when talking to me. Those guys I grew up watching in the 1970's and 80's.

[@the1stmikec]

Weeghman Park’s construction did not start in 1911 as the video claims at 0:23. It started March 4 1914 and was finished just 6 weeks later for the home opener April 23 1914. Source: Early Wrigley Field: Weeghman Park 1914-23 by Ron Selter in the 2007 Baseball Research Journal.

[@scottyleitch3214]

no "alright guys" in the intro and I almost exited the video

[@jnejdl95]

Wrigley Field is a Cathedral to baseball

[@donkraemer50]

One of the quirks for football is they always have the offense going towards the same endzone. So when possession changes they turn the teams around.

[@zachlafleur6651]

That was before they remodeled the lower deck and made a few sections retractable behind third base as well as the Cubs dugout being removable for football as well. Anyhow, the football field as laid out for the Northwestern Wildcats goes in the complete opposite direction as it compared to when the Bears played there up to the 1970 season. It was a really tight fit for them back then as well, with the corner of the south end zone going into the visiting team's dugout which had to have padding put up on its back wall and possibly the floor and bench. In fact, the north end zone was up against the left field wall back then as well. Bronko Nigurski once said to his head coach George Halas that the last guy gave me quite a lick when charging through the line and ending up hitting his leather helmeted head on the left field wall during a scoring play!

[@alexlackner1945]

One of those corks, as DG would say

[@areyoufriendly]

10:38 He didn’t touch on this part of the renovation, and it’s quite impressive. Actually, the whole recent renovation is impressive. There’s a great 15 minute video on KZbin about it.

[@nishanthanarudsivam9427]

bro i just watched the documentary of saving wrigley on the cubs youtube page

[@Sh00terMcGavinXL]

2050? Are you crazy? They're never going to tear down Wrigley Field

[@jesusm2159]

Great stadium 🏟

[@Icemaskgang]

Once a dump, always a dump

[@jesusm2159]

Zachary smart unlike current designers

[@mariocisneros911]

Better looking with 1 scoreboard on top of the bleachers . Not 2 more added

[@markprad]

Wrigley has the worst restrooms in the MLB. 😅😅

[@alanzemsky7695]

Also I do wish they would modernize some of the stands too like you had mentioned before. There are massive poles in the lower stands which really block views if you are sitting close to them.

[@ryankothrade3567]

Lambeau field next please

[@alextheisen7166]

Go Cubs!

[@Redsox3600]

You do a great job and stadiums are my favorite. However, you are good enough to make better transitions at the end of you vids. Lol. Keep up the great work! We should do some games and tours for your channel?

[@sirchi8731]

👉🏿 this is a message to all teams that have a stadium get it done right the first time with clever engineering and also in a good location therefore you never have to worry about Stadium politics

[@GamesNewsGuy2017]

I just realized it doesn’t add to 2023 it adds to 2029 it has really existed for 106 years😅

[@bobbowie9350]

Love the classic aspects of Wrigley but its a really boring ballpark. Sadly the better ones werent saved

[@Xxxomar880]

Wrigley field needs more design too and add new design too it getting old too 😂

[@WindyCityHawkey]

It's Friday at 1:20pm not 2:20

[@DebitAdams]

Maybe in his timezone it is 2:20

[@johnalbertson79]

He explained the timezone difference.

[@sethland]

Haha.. tear it down in 2050? If you want to troll, put a video of “leaked renderings” of a proposed dome, luxury boxes, and outfield fun zone.

[@jesusm2159]

No keep it

[@SeanSully5]

Greatest place to watch a baseball game

[@iZipTiedMyPenisToABrick]

Oracle Park >

[@WhiteSoxAreBetterThanCubs]

We're still better.

[@brendobiscuit8]

Keep telling yourself that pal

[@neuman35]

This guys spouts a lot of non-sense. They never moved in the fences. They moved the infield walls to create more seating along the foul lines.

[@timothygingras7950]

Most is very good and interesting, but the narrator said some things that were flat wrong. Maybe it's his youth. I grew up within blocks of Wrigley, and have been a life-long fan of the team and the facility. The voice needs to learn decibel and "ONE TONE" discipline. As I listen and write this, you keep saying things that are totally improved, and not correct. I saw Bears play there. Gosh, this narrative is terrible. Shame.

[@timothygingras7950]

PS: Just call Wrigley Field a wonderful "National Antique".

[@telexanave2644]

There’s nothing in baseball like a Wrigley bleacher game

[@maureencora1]

Go Cubs!