Wrigley Field for the first time

Yes, really. Broken up into three sections at one point, though IIRC Dr. Charles Alexander was in the process of cutting it down to 2 by the time I took it. As detailed a class as you'll ever take on the banks of the Hocking.

 

No.

The neighborhoods surrounding the field are special. The park itself is nice, but you take it out of that community and you have lost something.

 

I suppose it was a lot like the "History of Rock and Roll" class that always used to fill up before I could get into it, semester after semester.

 

The neighborhood is either a "love it or hate it" thing.

If you love being packed in with loud people, it's great.

If you value things like parking, space to breath and not being peed on, it's awful.

 

If you value those things, you've living in the suburbs anyway. People know what goes on in Wrigleyville well before they move there. If they don't like it, there are other places for them.

I understand there are infrastructure issues, as with any old ballpark. But I don't want to see it torn down only to be replaced with a zillion skyboxes and advertising plastered everywhere. I don't want it looking like every other undistinguishable ballpark on SportsCenter.

 

I'm not talking about living there. I'm talking about attending a game there. For me, the *only* fun part is sitting in the game. The bathrooms suck, the concourse sucks, travel to and from the park sucks.

Personally, I'd love to see it torn down and the Cubs get a new modern field. But I know I'm in the vast minority among cubsfanboiloosers.

 

What is wrong with the subway?

 

Well, it doesn't exist.

But what's wrong with El? Nothing, if you don't mind adding to your travel time and dealing with drunk crowds.

 

Yeah, it was two sections when I was there. Thanks to some on-campus renovations, I took one of the courses in a movie theater Uptown. So for those scoring at home, I was sitting in a movie theater learning about baseball, and it counted toward my history credits for graduation. Ain't the education system grand?

 

I also spent last weekend in Chicago and caught my first two Cubs games in about 10 years there. The first was spent in the left-field bleachers, which was a great time except I'm pretty sure it's impossible to sit there and not get beer spilt on you at some point.

On Saturday, I was on one of the rooftops, which was a much, much cooler experience than I was expecting. With the exception of deep right field, you could see everything, plus all the food/drink you can handle. A hefty ticket price, but well worth the admission.

Between the games and the nights out in Wrigleyville, I'm pretty sure I'll have to save for another 10 years before I can go back, but it was a great weekend.

 

Author of biographies on Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby and John McGraw as well.

 

Your memories of your undergrad days must be failing you. I've been to a few games at Wrigley while in law school, and the talent in the stands is admittedly admirable. But earlier this spring I did a noon hour presentation at the law school at Arizona State. Met up with some faculty on Mill for an early lunch, and then took what I guess is referred to as "The Palm Walk" (?) through the entire campus to the law school. That, my friend, was staggering!