Wrigley is Great! The Cubs, Less So…

Whoa, it’s been a second. The past week has been extremely hectic between games, sightseeing, and driving. There’s gonna be a whirlwind of new posts, so bear with me.

After Detroit I worked my way west to Chicago. Unlike the other cities I had been here before. Back in 2019 I got to see a lot of the Windy City while I was there for Lollapalooza. So, coming into this trip I had already done a lot of the “touristy” things like visiting The Bean and going on an architecture river cruise. This gave me an opportunity to appreciate the smaller things in the city. There is something freeing about the design of the city infrastructure. I find this to be a rare feeling in cities. It is extremely biker and walker friendly. But I think the two things that make Chicago from being claustrophobic are the design of the subway system and the easy shore access. The subway in Chicago is almost entirely above ground. In other cities it feels like you are almost living underground, especially if you’re a frequent subway commuter. The above ground tracks also provide some nice shade for pedestrians. Chicago also has ensured to maintain the shoreline along Lake Michigan. There are a number of beaches and water fronts scattered across the city. A city with easy beach access on the east coast is unheard of.

I should probably talk about Wrigley Park and the Cubs a bit. On the 23rd, the Mets and Cubs were nationally broadcasted for ESPN Sunday Night Baseball. And I was there sitting out in the center field bleachers. Wrigley is by far the best ballpark I have been to on this trip. It blows PNC Park out of the water. The over 110 year old stadium is extremely well integrated with the rest of the city. That’s not too surprising considering the neighborhood is called Wrigleyville. Unlike other stadiums the community surrounding Wrigley does not feel forced. There are local staples that have been around almost as long as the stadium. It is unbelievable how much character the stadium and neighborhood have maintained despite the many changes over time.

Wrigley Stadium itself is unmatched. I entered the gate by home plate and was almost overwhelmed when I stepped into the concourse. The space is very, let’s say, intimate. Getting around was a little tough as the crowd was shoulder to shoulder. Despite the cramped space and lack of any personal circle the concourse was boisterous and alive! I made my way through the crowd and towards the outfield. I grabbed a beer and made my way to the bleachers. This section was entirely GA so I wound up in center field so I could have an even view of the outfield. Little did I know by choosing to sit in center rather than left or right would drastically change my Wrigley experience.

The outfield bleachers at Wrigley are best described as a party. The crowd was intently watching every pitch, but was still buzzing with conversation, laughter, and chants. Baseball teams used to be called clubs. And damn, did the Wrigley outfield feel like a club and everyone was invited. I wound up talking to almost everyone sitting around me.

Behind me were a group of friends celebrating one of there 63rd birthday. Two of them had season tickets and had sold them for this game so they could all sit in the outfield. The two women who had season tickets were born and raised in Chicago and had been Cubbies fans their entire lives. They reminisced about breaking the “Curse of the Billy Goat” when they won the 2016 World Series and told me not to worry about the Cub’s underperforming top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong.

To my right was a man driving from Idaho to Philadelphia and a group of Irish college students working in Chicago for the summer. The Idahoan and I were asked to explain a fair amount of baseball to the Irish folk. They then tried to teach us about Gaelic Football. Even after thorough internet research I still do not understand this sport. There seem to be two different versions of the sport. One is called Gaelic and is a mix of rugby, soccer, and basketball. The other is called Hurling and is similar but add in lacrosse and baseball. If any of you can figure out how these sports actually work, please let me know. The Idahoan was driving his car to Philly because he was moving to Puerto Rico to study law and was shipping his car there.

There isn’t even time to mention the folks rallying the section to build a “beer snake,” which is a stable of the Wrigley outfield.

The game itself was tight to start. The Mets eventually pulled ahead with back-to-back opposite field home runs by Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo. This game seemed like a put away for the Mets, especially given a recent superstition. The Mets have been underperforming all year, but early in June Grimmace (from McDonald’s) was asked to throw out the first pitch at Citi Field. Since then the GrimMets have had a league best record of 12-3. But there was drama in the 9th. The Mets all-star closer, Edwin Diaz came out of the bullpen to finish of the Cubs. Diaz didn’t get the opportunity to face any batters. Since 2021 umpires have been checking pitchers hands when they come into the game to ensure they are not using any “sticky stuff” that could help a pitcher get a better grip on the ball and therefore drastically increase their spin rate and pitch effectiveness. The umpires decided that Edwin’s hands were too sticky and ejected him from the game. There is debate about whether Diaz actually had sticky stuff on his hand or just had a combination of sweat and rosin on his hand which is game legal and slightly sticky. My issue is less with the debate about Diaz using sticky stuff or not but with a game earlier in the day. Earlier on the 23rd umpires had deemed the Yankees closer’s hands to be too sticky but allowed him to wash his hands and then come into the game. Diaz was never given this opportunity. The rule is not being enforced consistently. This added some dramatics to the 9th, but the Mets held their lead and ultimately won. If you’re wondering why I didn’t talk about the Cubs a lot, that is because there is not a lot to talk about. They have been a disappointing team this year and are not playing up to their potential.

Before I left Chicago I had to stop at Mr. Beef. This is the Italian sandwich spot that inspired “The Beef” in the show The Bear. I got the Italian beef hot and dry. Hot indicated they would put hot peppers on. Dry means they won’t dip it in au jus. The sandwich itself was already fairly greasy, so while it is most popular to get it wet it is much better dry. It was one of the best deli sandwiches I have ever had. The heat from the peppers didn’t catch up to me until I finished the sandwich. While I typically can’t handle too much heat it was worth it with this sandwich. You should most definitely make a stop your next time in Chicago.

Being in Chicago again reminded me everything I love about that city. I can not wait to go back again.