Advertising At Other Parks-- Part 1: It's a Color Thing

Continuing from the April 16, 2013, Chicago Tribune "Here's the Pitch" by Mark Jacob.

WHITE-OUT--  In 1912, when the old Comiskey Park (and I still call it by that name) was new, a tobacco company's large white sign in straight center made it hard for hitters to see pitches coming at them.

White Sox manager Jimmy "Nixey" Callahan asked owner Charles Comiskey to remove the sign.  Comiskey said he would, but, being the sort he always was, if Callahan bought out the advertiser's contract.  Callahan did.

Signage at Comiskey never approached the wall-to-wall level like at some stadiums.  But, the new Sox ballpark, named commercially for that cell phone company, is full of ads.


GOING GREEN--  And you know which ballpark Jacob is talking about here. 

Fenway Park is the only older stadium than Wrigley Field.  The Red Sox have removed some advertising to make the place more special.  In 1947, they took down some garish left field ads, including a Gem Razor sign "Avoid 5 O'Clock Shadow."

Instead of the ads, the wall was painted green, creating that famous "Green Monster."

That Is One Really Big Green Wall.  --DaCoot