A foul ball lands a few feet from the visitor’s dugout. Chicago Cubs first baseman Matt Stairs tosses the baseball to a toddler. She fumbles the ball, which is picked up by a middle-aged man. The crowd sitting in the section boos the man, and he is guilt-tripped into giving the baseball back to the young girl.
Two teen-agers sitting above a tunnel see two businessmen in their work attire approaching the exit. “There are no suits in baseball,” one yells.
Welcome to Wrigley Field and the sights and sounds of one of baseball’s most historic stadiums. A mere 30-minute ride from Northwestern to the Addison el stop, the ballpark requires a certain amount of homage and respect. Wrigley Field is a baseball purist’s dream: natural grass, intimate seating and, of course, an organ. It’s a place where loud rock music and cellular phones are rare.
Though not originally from Chicago, Weinberg sophomore Joseph Bubman had always dreamed of going to Wrigley.
“I used to watch the games (on WGN) with my brother, and we saw college-aged kids in the bleachers with their shirts off,” Bubman said. “(My brother) said, ‘That’s going to be you one day.'”
Having fulfilled his brother’s prophecy, Bubman tries not to schedule afternoon classes during Spring Quarter in order to make the first pitch.
Bubman, like many other fans, usually rides the el to the games. With limited parking available, public transportation is the way to go. Bumping shoulders with avid Cubs fans (or Wrigley fans, as is often the case) and striking up conversations about baseball is common on the way to the games.
When at the ballpark, Bubman chooses to be a bum – a bleacher bum, that is. As famous as Wrigley itself is the group of people who occupy the outfield bleacher seats. Unlike most stadiums, Wrigley’s bleacher seats are some of the most coveted because of their lively reputation, proximity to the field and constant interactions – with both fans and players.
“It’s an unprecedented atmosphere,” Bubman said. “Some of the fans have been going every day for a decade. It’s unlike any other place in the country. You can ask Sammy (Sosa) how many outs there are, and he’ll respond.”
There is a hierarchy of bleacher seats depending on a fan’s reasons for attending the game. For entertainment purposes, right field is the place to be because of Sosa and his showmanship. To be as close to the game as possible, certain areas of left field provide only a few rows of seats in between the ivy-clad outfield wall and the large wire fence that keep balls from going onto Waveland Avenue – a famous street known for its apartments with private roof-top bleacher seating.
But don’t expect a cheap afternoon in the bleachers: Tickets cost $20. And in order to get close enough to interact with Sosa, fans sometimes arrive more than an hour early to stake out the general admissions seats. Perhaps the best deal for students making the trip to Wrigley after a morning class is the upper deck, with prices as low as $10. And unlike most baseball stadiums, all seats in the upper deck offer a decent view of the game.
An even better deal for fans is the discounted ticket costs that the Cubs offer for select weekday games in April and May. Most tickets are half price, and with most students not yet out of school, seats are readily available.
As traditional as the ballpark itself is its selection of food, which rarely strays from the staples of a baseball diet: soda (or beer) and hot dogs. If you’re a health food addict or a specialty food lover, dine in Evanston before you leave. Garden burgers and strawberry daiquiris are about as exotic as food gets in the ballpark – and they run about $5 each. But for the most part, the ballpark food is reasonably priced, from a $3.50 Chicago-style hot dog (a must for a true Wrigley experience) to a $2.75 large soda.
While Bubman usually heads home after games, many Cubs fans find that there’s much more to Wrigleyville than the hallowed ballpark. For students 21 years or older, the neighborhood has many lively bars to visit after the games. Hi-Tops (3551 N. Sheffield Ave.), Sluggers World Class Sports (3540 N. Clark St.), the Cubby Bear Lounge (1059 W. Addison St.) and Murphy’s Bleachers (3655 N. Sheffield Ave.) – all within one block of the park – are some of the most famous places that see substantial post-game crowds. Underage students should try Billy Goat Tavern and Grill (3516 N. Clark St.), only a block away from the ballpark, offering hot dogs and fries for under $2 each.
Coupled with ticket sales, these popular destinations help Wrigleyville bring in about $6 to $8 million per game, Ald. (44th) Bernard Hansen estimates. With Wrigley as the centerpiece, the neighborhood has worked to make the Cubs game more than just a trip to see some baseball.
“The ballpark is the crown jewel of baseball,” Hansen said. “There were few places around it when we got started. Over the last 20 years we’ve taken the neighborhood and made it attractive for … establishments. Now it’s comparable to other lively attended areas of the city.”
But for most baseball fans, Wrigleyville still brings to mind Wrigley Field and Cubs baseball. And even if the team isn’t close to seeing postseason action, it’s more than worth taking an afternoon to see what many other students and sports fans alike have made a spring and summertime ritual for years.
Just remember to leave your dress clothes at home. nyou