Wrigley Field Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description

Wrigley Field
The Friendly Confines

Location	Chicago, Illinois
Opened	April 23, 1914
Capacity	14,000 (1914), 18,000 (1915), 20,000 (1923) 38,396 (1927), 40,000 (1928), 38,396 (1938) 38,000 (1939), 38,396 (1941), 38,690 (1949) 36,755 (1951), 36,644 (1965), 37,702 (1972) 37,741 (1973), 37,272 (1982), 38,040 (1986) 38,143 (1987), 39,600 (1989), 38,710 (1990) 38,765 (1994), 38,884 (1997), 38,902 (1998)
Owned By	Chicago Cubs
Architect:	Zachary Taylor Davis
Dimensions: Left Left-Center Center Right-Center Right	345 ft. (April 1914), 310 ft. (May 1914), 327 ft. (June 1914), 343 ft. (1921), 325 ft. (1923), 348 ft. (1925), 364 ft. (1928), 355 ft. (1938) 364 ft. (1914), 368 ft. (1938) 440 ft. (1914), 447 ft. (1923), 436 ft. (1928), 400 ft. (1938) 364 ft. (1914), 368 ft. (1938) 356 ft. (April 1914), 345 ft. (June 1914), 321 ft. (1915), 298 ft. (1921), 399 ft. (1922), 318 ft. (1923), 321 ft. (1928), 353 ft. (1938)

Wrigley Field (1060 W. Addison Street, Chicago, Illinois) is a sports stadium which was built in 1914 for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales. Original named Weeghman Park for the owner, Charlie Weeghman, the field became the home of the Chicago Cubs following the 1915 season when the Federal League was disbanded and Weeghman gained ownership of the Cubs. William K. Wrigley, the chewing gum magnate, was part of a group of investors, led by Weeghman, which purchased the team. Wrigley gained full ownership in 1919. The field was known as Cubs Park from 1920 to 1925 before it was named after Wrigley in 1926. It is one of two parks that has been named for him; a Wrigley Field in Los Angeles also bore his name.

Located in a residential neighborhood, Wrigley Field is nicknamed The Friendly Confines. With a capacity of under 40,000, Wrigley is the third-smallest ballpark being used in 2004. It is the second oldest major league ballpark and the only remaining Federal League park. When Wrigley Field was built, it had a seating capacity of 14,000 and cost $250,000 to build.

Wrigley Field is known for the ivy planted against the outfield wall in 1937 by Bill Veeck and the manual scoreboard Veeck also erected. No batted ball has ever hit the scoreboard, though Sam Snead did manage to hit it with a golf ball teed off from home plate. Lights were scheduled to be added to Wrigley Field in 1942, but after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, William Wrigley donated the lights intended for Wrigley Field to the war effort. Lights would not be added to Wrigley Field until 1988, after Cubs management threatened to move the team and Major League Baseball announced that any playoff games would have to be held at Busch Stadium. The first major league night game, played against the Philadelphia Phillies, was held on August 8, 1988 and was rained out, after 5,687 consecutive day games. The first official night game was played the following night, August 9, against the New York Mets. In the 1940s, some AAGPBL night games were played in Wrigley Field using temporary lighting structures.

The Chicago Bears American football team played at the stadium from 1921 to 1970. The team was known as the Chicago Staleys for the 1921 season.

The Red Line stop at Addison is right next to Wrigley Field.

Historic moments

• May 2, 1917 Jim "Hippo" Vaughn and the Cincinnati Reds's Fred Toney both pitched nine-inning no-hitters before Jim Thorpe drove in a run in the 10th inning for a Reds victory.

• September 28, 1938 Gabby Hartnett hits the "Homer in the Gloamin'" to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates and win the National League pennant.

• May 12, 1970 Ernie Banks hits his 500th career home run against Pat Jarvis of the Atlanta Braves.

• September 8, 1985 Pete Rose hits his 4,191st career hit to tie Ty Cobb's record. (Note, however, that according to some baseball historians, this hit actually broke Cobb's record. Sources differ as to Cobb's career hits total, which has been cited as 4,189, 4,190, and 4,191.)

See Also

• Wrigley Roof

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