National Bohemian Cemetery-- Part 4: About the Cubs Fans

 Burials are not allowed at Wrigley Field, home of the Cubs, but at the cemetery, located just five miles northwest of the field, a local man came up with another option.

More than 200 niches for cremation urns are tucked into a 24-foot long, ivy-covered red brick wall with a yellow "400" painted on it -- mimicking the one in center field at Wrigley Field. Old box seats, home plate, original sod and a stained-glass window featuring the iconic centerfield scoreboard permanently set at 1:20 are also included.

I wonder if the ivy is Wrigley Field ivy.  Back in the 1970s, I bought an ivy cutting at Wrigley Field and planted it by my garage in Round Lake Beach and before long, it had taken over that whole side of the garage.  I named it the Dave Kingman Memorial Ivy as he was our big home run hitter back in those days.

After the Cubs won the World Series in 2016, just about every cemetery in the Chicago area sprouted small Cubs and Cubs World Series Champ flags.  Even a spot along a local road where a Cub fan had died during the playoffs had a Cubs World Champion flag on it.

It appears that there are still niches available, so for that Cub fan of yours....

Wrigley Field Forever.

Before Wrigley Field, There Was the West Side Grounds for the Cubs-- Part 1: Tinker to Evers to Chance

From the October 6, 22017, Chicago Tribune  "Cubs rules at long gone West Side Grounds" by Patrick M. O'Connell.

A century ago, it was baseball, not medicine that was featured at the plot of land now occupied by the University of Illinois at Chicago's School of Medicine.  This was the site of the Chicago Cubs' most dominant and successful period in franchise history.

"Before Wrigley Field's ivy, before the 'W' flags and the beloved manual scoreboard, there was the West Side Grounds."  The legendary Tinker to Evers to Chance combination were doing their thing in the infield.  Attendance was booming and fans also packed adjacent rooftops.

The Cubs won back-to-back World Series titles in 1907 and 1908.  And, this is where the only intercity World Series between the White Sox and Cubs took place. the year before when the Hitless Wonders downed the heavily favored Cubs in 1906.

The field was located between Polk, Wood and Taylor streets and Wolcott Avenue (then Lincoln Avenue).

)h, Those Were the Days My Friend.  We Thought They'd Never End.  --DaCootSox

Wrigley Field in 1945-- Part 1: About That Scoreboard

From the October 28, 2016, Chicago Tribune "Wrigley Field's transformation."

As I continue recovering from the wee hours of the morning celebration in Margaritaville for the Cubs who won the World Series for the first time since 1908.  they are calling it the longest any professional sport franchise has ever gone between championships.

1945 was the last time a World Series game was played at Wrigley Field, 71 years ago.

1945 WRIGLEY FIELD

TRIANGLE PROPERTY--  The triangle plot of land northwest of the ballpark contained a cluster of coal silos as tall as the upper deck in 1945.  They were demolished in 1961.

BLEACHERS--  Permanent bleachers were first built in 1937.

SCOREBOARD--  Wrigley's iconic center-field scoreboard was installed in 1937 when the park went through a major renovation.  It was originally brown, but was painted green in 1942.

--DaWrig

Life Inside Wrigley Field's Scoreboard-- Part 3: "Best Seat in the House"

From the June 28, 2015, Chicago Tribune "The man who has the best seat in the house" by Rhiannon Walker.

Fred Washington, a member of the Wrigley Field grounds crew, has worked in the scoreboard for 25 years, and he has no worries about its demise, "The scoreboard will be here forever.  I never worry about anything replacing that scoreboard."

He is a West Side native and has been in that board since 1990 and at Wrigley since 1984.    As a member of the grounds crew, he has worked every job, but now has to hose down the dugouts and warning track in addition to his scoreboard duty.  Also, he is the one that hoists the famous "W" flag (and "L" flag after a loss).

Working the scoreboard is considered a promotion because he gets extra pay.

Washington said that you won't miss a thing working inside the board.  It's the best seat in the house.  If it's cold outside, it's very cold in there; if the wind is blowing straight out, it's blowing straight in his face; if it's hot, then it's very hot.

Fans will help him out if he misses anything, but that doesn't happen often.  His seat is above the "8."

--CootScorer

Life Inside Wrigley Field's Scoreboard-- Part 2: "Quick Rick"

Theo Epstein, Cubs president, says he looks at the scoreboard to keep track of the count (balls and strikes)  Rick Fuhs is in charge of that.    Epstein says, "No one will be as fast as the center-field lightning' ball-strike guy.  He's the best employee in all baseball.  Who is better at his job than he is at that?"

Rick Fuhs operates out of the press box and does the balls-strikes-outs on the board.  He goes by the name "Quick Rick."  He's so fast because he knows every umpire's body language.  "I have all their idiosyncrasies down pat," he says.

--CootStriker

Life Inside Wrigley Field's Scoreboard-- Part 1

From the June 28, 2015, Chicago Tribune "As Wrigley's future arrives, park's centerpiece may seem obsolete" by  Paul Sullivan.

No Advertising in My Park.

Back in 1937, during a modernization of the scoreboard, Wrigley Field owner P.K. Wrigley had a sign of his Doublemint Twins removed from the top.  he had decided he wanted no advertising at his field, even his own.

Not the way of thinking today.

I have often thought it would be really neat to go inside that scoreboard.  What a great view it must have.  Then, there was the San Diego Chicken in there back in the 1970s.

The only entrance to it is by a ladder on top of the bleachers and described as relatively dark and dingy on three levels.

Been There, Done That

Legendary Cubs groundskeeper Cotton Bogren once manned it.  Ex-Cub pitcher Ryan Dempster used to lead teammates up into it where they would stick their heads out the windows for laughs and photos.

Cub hall of Famer Billy Williams says he has never been in it even though he has been around the firld for five decades.  Cubs President Theo Epstein hasn't been it either though he looks at it often during games to check the counts.

Stick Your Head Out the Window.  --CootCuber

Wrigley Field's Center-Field Scoreboard-- Part 4: How To Make It Matter Again

LIGHT IT BRIGHTER--  Cubs executives say they are exploring this option because the center-field board no longer appears bright enough.

TWEAK THE BACKGROUND COLOR ON THE VIDEO-  At night, the color of te video boards appear to be a lighter, brighter green than the dark "Wrigley Green" of the scoreboard.  The two should match, forming a seamless whole.

DISPLAY THE SCORE OF THE CUBS GAME MORE PROMINENTLY--   Replace the word "batter" with "score" and display the score below it.  Fans could still see the inning-by-inning score in the lower-left corner of the board, but they could quickly see the score without having to add up the totals from each inning.  The "Batter" designation is outmoded because of a wealth of information about the batter is available on the left-side video board,

But, by all means, leave the old scoreboard.

Next, how'd you like to work in Big Green?

Like the Old Stiff.  --RoadDog

Wrigley Field's Center-Field Scoreboard Through the Years-- Part 3: Lights, Abbreviations and Grid Lines

LIGHTS--  Lights were added to the scoreboard in teh 1980s, anticipating Wrigley Field's first night game on August 9, 1988.

ABBREVIATIONS--  The abbreviations on the scoreboard--  "SP" (starting pitcher) and "RP" (relief pitcher) -- once designated to columns of numbers identifying the battery of the pitcher and catcher.

GRID LINES--  The white grid of lines (going up and down) separating the inning-by-inning score of each major league game on the scoreboard is not original.  It was added in 1987, along with red horizontal lines that draw attention to the Cubs game.

--CooterBG (Blog Guy)

Wrigley Field's Center-Field Scoreboard Through the Years-- Part 2: Lettering and Football Scoreboard

LETTERING

The words "National" and "American atop the scoreboard used to be lower than they are now.  They were raised to accommodate listing more scores because of baseball's expansion which increased the number of teams from 16 to today's 30.  Even so, there is not enough room to show the score of every game so west coast late-starting games are often left out.

Cubs Score--  The linescore of the Cubs game, now displayed in the lower-left-hand corner of the scoreboard, had been shown on the top in the top row of National league scores on the board's left side.

White Sox Score--  It is customary to display the score of the White Sox game on the American League (right) side.  Previously, the South Siders were referred to as "Sox."  now, like other AL teams, they are called by their city, not their nickname.

FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD

During the years when the Bears played at Wrigley Field-- a tenure that began in 1921, 16 years before the scoreboard was built, and ended in 1971-- the scoreboard was modified for football.  In one archival photograph, the words "Batter," "Strike" and "Out" are replaced by "Yards to Go,"  'Down,"  "Ball" and "Quarter."

The scores of other football games are displayed with each quarter's scores instead of each inning.  In addition, there is a digital clock on the scoreboard which contained an ad for Longines as the official watch.

--CooterBall

Wrigley's Center-Field Scoreboard Through the Years-- Part 1; Original Board and Clock

From the June 28, 2015, Chicago Tribune "Technology 1, Tradition 0."

The Cubs' famous center-field scoreboard you see today is not the one that was always there.  It has changed over the years.  The Tribune had a center section of two full pages of coverage of it and the new video board.  Best of all are the pictures of it over the years.

ORIGINAL BOARD

The original board was  a reddish-brown.  In 1944, it was changed to green after batters complained that they were distracted by the reflections of the sun.

THE CLOCK

The board's circular clock, which has dots instead of numerals, was added in 1941.  Its original face was white before it was painted green in 1944.  Of course, these days, younger folks can't tell time on it.  Must use their cell phones to tell the time.  What's a watch?

Let's See, Big Hand on Three, Little on One.  --DaCountingCoot

Technology Versus Wrigley Field Center-Field Scoreboard-- Part 2

But what really makes the scoreboard at Wrigley so neat is that the numbers are turned by humans.  And, even better, occasionally you'll see them put the numbers up.  As Blair Kamin says, "...it's like peeking into Santa's workshop."

My neatest experience with the center-field scoreboard was the time the Cubs had the San Diego Chicken at the park and at one point, the Chicken had his head out one of the number slots and was really hamming, well, chicking it up.

But, things are different at the old ballpark this season because of that huge video board in left field.  It just overwhelms the old one, especially at night.

The new board's designers have incorporated some things that harken to the old board and ballpark.  Its colors are green and white, blocky type and graphics that bring back to the park's Art Deco marque outside.

I sure would like to spend a game inside that scoreboard and move the numbers.

Progress Goes On, But Keep At Least Some of the Old.  --Cooter

Technology Versus Wrigley Field Center-Field Scoreboard-- Part 1

From the June 28, 2015, Chicago Tribune "Technology 1, Tradition 0" by Blair Kamin.

"A few simple changes can keep center-field board in the game."

In most baseball stadiums, the scoreboard is simply what its name implies-- a medium that delivers the messages of the score, not to mention whatever ads are plastered on it.

"But at Wrigley Field, the center-field scoreboard rises beyond the merely utilitarian and becomes--  I hesitate to use the word, but it fits-- transcendent.  Installed in 1937, the scoreboard is the apse of Wrigley's baseball cathedral, culminating the upward sweep of the bleachers with its symmetrical backdrop of dark green and white.

"The scoreboard's flagpoles, with their flapping pennants, resemble the masts of a yacht, acknowledging nearby Lake Michigan even as they reveal whether the wind is blowing in or out."

Mr. Kamin Sure has a Way With Words.  --CooterField