Wrigley Field

Lore & Background

Wrigley Field is steeped in lore, from its ivy-covered brick outfield wall, planted in 1937 by Bill Veeck (then working for the Cubs' minor-league affiliate, not as a Cubs executive—he later owned the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Browns, and Chicago White Sox), to the hand-operated scoreboard that still stands in center field. The park's refusal to install lights until 1988 made it the last MLB stadium to host regular night games, preserving a daytime baseball tradition for decades. The rooftop bleachers across Waveland and Sheffield Avenues became a unique part of the ballpark's culture, as neighbors watched games from their rooftops, eventually leading to a revenue-sharing agreement with the Cubs.

In Their Own Story

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the grass as a vendor hawked peanuts near the gate, his voice a familiar rasp against the brick. Inside, the ivy was a deep green, rustling in a breeze that carried the smell of hot dogs and old wood—a scent that clung to the bleachers like memory. A father pointed to the manual scoreboard, where a young boy watched the numbers flip by hand, each click a small ceremony. The crowd erupted as a Cub rounded third, dust kicking up from the dirt, and for a moment, the old ballpark felt timeless—a living museum of the game, where the wind off the lake could rewrite a box score in a single gust.

Reader's Guide

For Cubs fans, Wrigley Field is more than a ballpark—it's a pilgrimage site. The tradition of singing 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' during the seventh-inning stretch, led by a guest conductor, is a cherished ritual. The neighborhood around the park buzzes with bars and restaurants, and the rooftop bleachers offer a communal viewing experience. Fans arrive early to watch batting practice from the bleachers, hoping to catch a home run ball that clears the ivy. The park's quirks—like the wind off Lake Michigan that can turn a routine fly ball into a home run—are part of its charm. For generations, the Friendly Confines have been a place where families share the game, where the past feels present, and where hope springs eternal every spring.

Did You Know?

• Wrigley Field's ivy was planted in 1937 by Bill Veeck, who at the time was working for the Cubs' minor-league affiliate—not as a Cubs executive. He later became a major league owner of the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Br
• The ballpark's manual scoreboard, installed in 1937, is still operated by hand—a crew of three flips numbers after every play.
• Wrigley Field was the last MLB ballpark to install lights for night games, doing so in 1988, after decades of daytime-only baseball.
• The famous 'Wrigley Field' marquee at the main entrance was added in 1934 and has been a beacon for fans ever since, its neon glowing through 90 seasons of hope and heartbreak.