My Wrigley Experience

On Saturday afternoon, I was fortunate enough to experience one of the joys of being a fan. I was able to watch a Chicago Cubs game from the bleachers at Wrigley Field.

This wasn't my first time at Wrigley. Back in 1991 I went to a game with my parents. We sat down the first base line. It was the only time my parents ever bought scalpers tickets to a baseball game. They let my brother and I wait against the fence where the players park their cars to get autographs (I got Mitch Williams) and then we entered the stadium as soon as the gates opened so we could be right up against the wall to get autographs of the Expos. It was only about a week after Dennis Martinez pitched his perfect game. I wanted his autograph so bad, but to no avail. After standing out in the blazing sun that August I dreamed of returning. I finally got my chance.

It is a different experience attending a Cubs game with 18 buddies rather than your parents. This time the day started a little later, since the Friday night was a bit of a party. In the cab ride to the stadium, I began to get excited. You begin to see the names of the streets that surround the stadium and you know you are getting close - Addision, Clark. After getting dropped off, we strolled around the stadium and got in line for the bleachers. The buzz outside the stadium is great. Vendors on the street, all the fans wearing Cubs gear and people already enjoying the day to the fullest.

Once inside the stadium, we were actually able to find 18 seats together in the general admission bleacher section. We sat in three rows in front of each other near the top in right field. With the sun beating down and still some time before the first pitch, we had time to absorb the surroundings and start the party all over again.

Ted Lilly was the starting pitcher for the Cubs on Saturday. He was coming off a masterful pitching performance five days earlier when he pitched 8 no hit innings to beat the White Sox. Lilly was the first Cub to take the field and it was to a great ovation as he jogged along the warning track.

Before the game started a couple of other moments...two fans won the opportunity to play catch in the outfield. Neat promo, but I would probably have taken the chance to try and throw a runner out at home. The other was actor Channing Tatum (GI JOE) throwing out the ceremonial first pitch...and then the game was under way!

Three pitches later it was 1-0 Angels as the home run went into the first row of the right field bleachers. The route was on. After Lilly struggled to get through the first couple of innings and the Cubs bats weren't hitting Weaver, it allowed the group to concentrate on our surroundings. We had a mean game of mound ball on the go, picking out random jerseys and caps (saw a couple of Expos hats) and of course cheering and heckling - the left field bleachers.

The experience of going to a game at Wrigley is different than anywhere else. This could be a bad thing or a good thing depending on how old you are. There are no jumbotrons, no replay screens and the scoreboard is manually operated. By not having all the distractions and in game entertainment, it really does make you pay more attention the game and that is not a bad thing.

The only in game entertainment was the 7th inning stretch. On Saturday it was former SNL alum Tim Meadows who did the honour with the sold out stadium singing right along with him.

As the game came to a close and fans started heading to the exit, I took the chance to sit row 1 in the bleachers. Not a great seat, but to be that close to the ivy and Fukodome was awesome. A nice reward for sitting through a 12-0 loss.

After the game, the day doesn't stop. The outside of the stadium has just as much to offer as inside. The bars with all the fans, more vendors out in the street selling t-shirts and hats and the big noodle or the statue of Ernie Banks.

As you can tell it was a great day at Wrigley Field for me, and this would be a excursion I would make every year.