In the last issue, we introduced MLB's oldest stadium, Fenway Stadium, the home of the Boston Red Sox, and Wrigley Stadium, home of the Cubs, the second-oldest of the active stadiums, 107 years ago, and these two stadiums are also the only two century-old stadiums (the third-oldest stadium, Dodge Stadium, has a history of 59 years).
Source: Stadium social media
Pitch overview
Home team: Chicago Cubs
Located in: Downtown Chicago
Owner: Thomas S. Ricketts
Regular visitor capacity: 41,649
Maximum admission record: 47,171
Course surface: natural turf
Stadium structure: no roof
Course Dimensions: Left Outfield 355 ft (108.2 m) / Left Outfield 368 ft (112.2 m) / Centre Field 400 ft (121.9 m) / Right Outfield 368 ft (112.2 m) / Right Outfield 353 ft (107.6 m)
Construction History: Construction began on March 4, 1911, opened on April 23, 1914, and expanded/renovated 6 times (most recently in 2019)
Construction cost: $250,000 ($6.46 million in 2020)
The course's history begins with the once-existing Federal League. At that time, "Major League" was not synonymous with MLB as we know it today, and could be used to refer to any professional baseball league of a certain size, and the current National League and the American League were the two most representative major leagues in that era.
The Union, founded in 1913, came on its way to becoming another major league, made up of eight teams, including a team called the Chicago Whales. In order to attract business, the Federal League did not hesitate to use the generous salary to dig into the corners of the National League and the American League, recruited many star players, and once operated quite prosperously.
For whales, their competitive strategy is not just about the appeal of the players. Before they were established, there were already two teams, the Cubs (National League) and the Chicago White Sox (American League), taking root in the Windy City. In order to outperform two established teams, a grand stadium that offers a new viewing experience is essential. Whales' owner, Charles Weeghman, deployed ahead of time and commissioned someone to design and build the stadium named after himself, half a year before Fenway Stadium.
The Whales finished runners-up in the Federal League in their first year on the new pitch, won the first and last title in franchise history the following year, and then disbanded. What happened? In the face of the aggressive Federal League, the League of Nations and the League of America are somewhat overwhelmed, and if they continue to develop in this way, the professional baseball market will be too inward.
However, since they are both baseball team owners, there is always a common business philosophy between them. Brokered by Kenesaw Mountain Landis, a federal judge who later became MLB's first president, the three leagues agreed that the confederation would be dissolved and the teams would be absorbed by the League of Nations and the League.
Whales owner Wiman bought part of the Bears' stake, merging the Whales and Cubs' player lineup. The most critical step is naturally to let the Cubs move from the old original stadium to the reinforced concrete Structure Ofwellman Stadium. A few years later, Wieman sold his ownership of the Cubs over financial problems, and bill Wrigley, a famed chewing gum mogul, took over. He once named the stadium Cubs Stadium, which he changed to his current name in 1927, which is still in use today.
As a state-of-the-art course rare in the first half of the last century, in addition to the whales and cubs, it also hosts a considerable number of other sports. The most famous is the NFL's Chicago Bears, "bears" and "cubs" have a historical relationship, and the close connection between the two can be seen from the name. Bears were stationed at Wrigley Field from 1921 to 1970, a half-century of "bears and bears", which is rare in the history of professional sports in North America.
Nowadays, in order to coordinate the flow of people, the vast majority of MLB baseball stadiums emphasize guiding the audience to the nearest entrance, and the concept of the "main entrance" is not highlighted from the layout design. The old-school Wrigley Field is an exception, with a large decorative red sign on the main entrance in the southeast corner of the stadium that reads "Wrigley Field, Home of the Chicago Bears."
Entering the stadium and stepping into the stands, the ivy-covered outfield barrier comes into view. When it was renovated in 1937, the team management decided to plant ivy on the outer field retaining wall in order to make the stadium look more beautiful. At first, it was a variety of European origin, and later in order to better adapt to the harsh climate of Chicago, it was replaced by a breed native to East Asia (that is, the climbing tiger).
At the beginning of the season, the leaves of the vines have not yet grown, and the wall tiles can be seen at this time. As the season progresses, the vines grow thicker and thicker, and the whole course can only see the leaves and no walls. If the Cubs make the playoffs, Wrigley Field is a different story, with the vines red and yellow under the cold wind, and the autumn is thick.
Outfield players should pay special attention to this barrier when they are on guard. For historical reasons, MLB Chartered Wrigley Field can not use home run wall cushions, which are still traditional masonry materials, so players must pay attention to protecting themselves, avoid slowing down when saving the ball, and hitting the wall at high speed.
Another problem is even trickier, with thick vines potentially making the ball disappear. Usually, players will choose to immediately raise their hands to the referee and ask for a penalty for a court rule two-run. If the ball hanging in the vine falls out again, or if the outfielder chooses to keep looking for the ball, the live ball situation remains. How to decide in this situation is a major test for the defender.
However, the biggest factor affecting the environment of the game is the erratic demon wind. Every year from April to May, the northeast wind blowing from Lake Michigan, less than a mile east of the course, often blows some potential home runs into the gloves of the fielders, but in the hot summer and cold season, it is often the south wind and the southwest wind that blows across the course, when the ball will swoop towards the stands, and even some strong beaters have broken the windows of houses across the street with the blessing of strong winds.
Even more outrageous is the crosswind, where the wind direction from the left field to the right field greatly reduces the predictability of the ball's landing point, seriously interfering with the garrison. Depending on whether it is good to score or good to pitch, a pitch can be classified as either a "pitcher's field" or a "hitter's field". Wrigley Stadium is an extreme exception, the weather will greatly affect the situation of a game, today is a low score pitcher game, tomorrow is not a good score is staggering.
Finally, a tip for dear fans: when you go to Wrigley Stadium to watch the ball, remember to carefully observe the flying flags before entering, identify the wind direction and speed of the day, and predict the direction of the game - so that you can show that you know the ball very well and are an experienced cubs old fan!
Which of your favorite mlb stadiums? Feel free to let us know in the comments section!