Saving Wrigley Field | How a 100-Year-Old Ballpark was Preserved for Generations to Come
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- Опубликовано: 18 авг 2021
- Restoring and expanding a 100-year-old ballpark was no small feat. See what it took to ensure the future of the Friendly Confines was secure for the next 100 years. "Saving Wrigley Field" details the multi-year journey to preserve the magic of this beloved ballpark.
Wrigley Field has played an important role in the development of professional baseball and has been the site of numerous baseball milestones, including Babe Ruth’s supposed “called shot” in the 1932 World Series, Gabby Hartnett’s “homer in the gloamin’,” Ernie Banks’ 500th career home run and Kerry Wood’s 20-strikeout game. Wrigley Field is the only Major League Baseball (MLB) ballpark still standing in which Jackie Robinson played and, in May 1943, it was the site of the final tryouts and organization of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, the first major women's professional sports league in the United States.
With the completion of the 1060 Project and its recent designation as a National Historic Landmark, Wrigley Field will continue to be a part of history for generations to come.
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As a Yankees fan, I was really impressed that the Rickett family saved the ballpark and made it a crown jewel of MLB and such historic significance. To lose the original Yankee Stadium and the batters box where Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Derek Jeter stood was a crime.
you can thank the Jewish land developers for that. all they saw was MONEY they didn't give a damn about history
Well, Jeter played and won in both! Are you (also) impressed/jealous/infuriated that the Red Sox did the same as the Cubs?
I am not a Yankees fan, but I HATE that they didn't try even half as hard to save that iconic historic field. That ONE field had more iconic baseball history than any 2-3 others combined. If ANY site ever deserved and needed to be saved and kept alive- THAT was it.
As a Tigers fan, I can certainly relate. Tiger Stadium was an integral part of that franchise’s identity, and should have been preserved as well.
When they did the renovation in 1970’s they lowered the field so no the batter box where Jeter stood and the babe stood were not the same. The dimensions of the field were also altered during the renovation. You as a so call yankee fan should know that this Yankee stadium is basically the 3rd version.
I cried 3 times during this video because my grandpa has a brick around the ball park, he passed in 2014 before he could see them win it all. I cry just thinking about the brick and that his mark is on the stadium. He is the reason I am a cubs fan.
Same with my grandpa. He never saw them win. He passed in 2012
He saw them do it. I don't really believe in an afterlife but I believe in the romance of baseball and like to think that every fan who spent all those years waiting for the curse to be broken were there in spirit on that incredible day. They were all sitting on the old couch at their house, at the bar where they watched every game, wherever it may be
That victory was for them
Well at least you were here to see them win it all but I know how you feel I lost most of my Family before they could see that too and being from Chicago we were all Cubs fans now I'm the only one left My Sister doesn't like Baseball
I’m sure that brick was replaced years ago as part of the renovation.
@@SuperNuclearUnicorn
Yes! I was in UW hospital and they let me go to the cafeteria that evening. Yes, that evening of game 7. There were nurses, doctors, maintenance , students all watching on this 2 ft tv. The student across from me was adopted as a baby by a couple in Chicago who were cubs fans ... so she became one also.
That nite as our Cubbies won the World Series I was cheering and bawling like a baby, just like everyone else there. You'd think we were in Wrigley Field. Oh my God! This student across from me hugged me while bawling and her phone rang from her parents and she kept saying thank you for adopting me and for being Cubs ...
... ( I still cry as I am now when I think about that season and that series.)
I gotta go so I can breathe.
🤣
“This has to be the ballpark your grandfather recognizes” really holds true to the experience of a Cubs fan going to games as a child with my grandfather. The memories will never fade.
25 games out of first 😆😆😆😆😆
@@jasonzaremba4551
Yet, still at maximum capacity. Wrigley Field continues to sell out. Cannot put any more fans in there. All seats and standies sold out. 25 games out is bad?
@@freethinkersaredangerous1524 I'm pretty sure this was the lowest average attendance the Cubs have had in years...No where near max capacity since they started selling off all of their all stars.
Thanks
Pop
@@jasonzaremba4551 Lloyd
What the Ricketts Family did to preserve this park is unprecedented. They should have a Ricketts Day every year in Chicago. Respect.
Actually it wasn't unprecedented. The Red Sox preserved Fenway Park as well and it is much truer to the original design.
@@brucestanley9330Wrigley Field and Fenway Park are the only two remaining old ballparks, so I would say that “unprecedented” is fitting.
It's too bad they're such a terrible family in pretty much every other way. But they definitely deserve props for their amazing efforts to save Wrigley without trying to gouge taxpayers. They definitely done good here.
On August 15, 1964 I was all excited because my Little League team was being treated to a Cub game at Wrigley..... Little did I know how special that day would be.
I thought it was just our team, having won the championship, but as we got on the busses, I saw that all the teams were coming, and we were all in our uniforms. Arriving at Wrigley, they had us line up outside, and as I looked around, there had to be hundreds of Little Leaguers there, from all over Chicagoland. I couldn't figure it out, cause I thought we were special. In fact, as we waited, and waited, and waited, I started to get tired and cranky.... so as we began to walk into the park, my 11 year old self was staring at the ground, not really paying attention.
And then, all of a sudden, I notice grass under my feet! Huh? I look up and see I'M ON THE FIELD! It was Ernie Banks day, and hundreds and hundreds of us Little Leaguers from Chicagoland were on the infield dirt, completely surrounding the infield while they honored Mr. Cub.
Decades later, I found a newspaper photo of that day showing all the kids around Ernie. I copied it, printed it out, and it now has a big circle around the group at second base. "Me, right here somewhere" is how I labeled it.
Baseball is so special. There's just something about it, about the history and the stories that every fan has even internationally
I live in Australia and have only seen 3 games live. Despite that I still remember each game (even the crappy game between the Sox and Jays that went to like 11 innings at 0-0), especially seeing Kershaw pitch at the SCG
I remember asking to refill stock when I worked at Target so I could watch 2016 game 7 on my phone and still remember that throw to 1st for the final out so vividly
I'm a Red Sox fan who attended my first game at Wrigley Field in 2017. When I went into the stands and saw the field for the first time it got me very emotional. I remembered the first time I walked into Fenway Park when I was 10 years old and the connection between the two old ballparks was very special. Then during a rain delay the Cubs showed a 10 minute video about the history of Fenway Park. Imagine being a Red Sox fan and seeing that in Wrigley Field.
No joke, red Sox are my second favorite team. And my 1st favorite Sox team
This is a great story, Joe. Someone working for the Cubs apparently realized the rich history and tradition of Fenway Park. Fenway and Wrigley are cut from the same cloth in this regard.
@Elon Musk That's your opinion, which no one cares about.
My Dad went to the first regular season Red Sox-Cubs game back when that happened. He welcomed some very obvious diehard Sox fans to Wrigley who told him that they walked on their knees towards the building once they got on the property. My Dad, and later me, have promised we’d do the same thing if and/or when we ever get out to Boston for a game at the Hallowed Grounds of Fenway.
Wrigley Field and Fenway Park deserve to be here for future generations of baseball fans.
I sure hope Wrigley and Fenway will be here 100 years from now. Same for Dodger Stadium.
Wrigley is so much more than a ballpark. It's almost like holy ground - a cathedral. We've fallen in love there, had our hearts broken (more than a few times), and, sometimes...just sometimes, raise our collective voices to the heavens in absolute, joyous, riotous delight. Go Cubs Go!!!
Well said.....
I feel the same way
If it’s ‘holy ground” , why is there only a “miracle” once every 100 years! 🤪
@@danstevens6577 Hahahahaha good one.
Very well done documentary! Thank you for sharing
A Cubs fan since I was ten years old growing up in the Western 'burbs of Chicago. Now I'm seventy five and just had my first heart attack. I can die peacefully because the Cubs are '16 World Series champs...and I have the Cubs shirt showing my pride. Good job, Rickets family...very good job.
@@stanleyslawski1339 Cubs fans worldwide are like a family in a way...yea, that was quite a year for the Cubs and fans everywhere.
@@bobbylee9727 You still good?
Keep going fella!
Wishing you well. 🙏🏽♥️
I've been a lifelong Braves fan, but The best baseball experience I've ever had is the one time I've been to Wrigley Field. It was just a simple afternoon game against the Phillies, but it felt like a perfect encapsulation of what baseball was, and should be. Respect.
Hey division rival growing up in DC as a Nats fan...PLUS ONE.. yet I never got to attend a game there. That's awesome!
Hope you get to see Fenway one day. I'm a lifelong Cubs fan and I love Wrigley, but oh my is Fenway a sight and an experience!
I'm not even a Cubs fan, and this brings me to tears.....Maybe I just love the game of baseball that much.
indiana born....finally made the track from Florida last week. It took my breath away
@@CRClouse513 Me as well. Native Hoosier like you. Born at Methodist. Been to the 500 twice in my lifetime. Once in 74 (albeit before I was born) and all my life, with Dad in the Army, our travels never (except with a visit to the track in July 1984 along the way during a vacation) allowed us to take the necessary time off to go to the race proper. Dad was never able to go again...next year he always said...but it was never to be. So in 2012, I decided...screw it, I'm going. Very quickly, word got around on Twitter and FB that there's a guy from Virginia who is coming to see the 500 for the first time in his life, and boy was I in for a shock. Met a woman from Anderson, IN who was on the same train as I was, and she & her husband were kind enough to put me up for that evening (and the next) and took me to the track very very early. So early, in fact, the yellow shirts hadn't arrived yet! I was able to walk right out onto the track, & so I just sat down at the beginning of turn 1 and closed my eyes. Nobody made me leave. The race the following day was just as magical as I ever dreamed it could be. Hot as hell that day...I maybe drank 5 liters of water and a few more of beer, met some drivers, in the gift shop met Guy Fieri who was the pace car driver, so many others. And best of all, got to meet Tommy Lasorda who was there for reasons I still don't know, but he was there. The place was massive, and mostly immaculate. Just like Wrigley...the history of the place is itself intoxicating....if you know where to look.
Shut up…
Yeah. I'm neither a Cubs fan nor a Red Sox fan (in fact, I find Red Sox fans to be obnoxious crybabies for the most part), but I have a soft spot for the Cubs because my uncle and his family used to live in the northwest Chicago suburbs and his wife is a lifelong Cubs fan. I was so happy to see them exorcise their 108-year old demons in 2016 and it makes me even happier to know that their ownership (along with the Red Sox) have cared enough to put in the time and money to preserve and maintain both of their iconic ballparks for future generations.
I hope you were able to get the help you need.
As a life long Yankees fan, I can appreciate this. Nothing but respect for the Cubs. And a touch of jealousy that we lost the Real Yankee Stadium.
as a cubs fan i remember the day they tore Yankee down. A crime. Sad i never got to see Yankee Stadium.
As a Tigers fan, I feel the same. A part of those teams’ identities were lost forever when those stadiums came down.
As a so call Yankee fan you should know you lost the original yankee stadium back in 1970’s during the first renovation when field was lowered and dimensions were changed. All these yankee fans don’t even know their own history.
Sorry for the typos, typing this over my morning coffee :). Have a great day!
I'm a sox fan, but Wrigley Field is a national treasure. I'm so so glad that Wrigley and Fenway are still around for baseball fans to enjoy--the history and culture of the game is such a big part of what makes it beautiful for me. :)
Well your a Sox fan we can't all be perfect now can we?
As a life long cardinals fan, there is nothing greater than Wrigley Field. I promise every cardinals fan has a warm place in our hearts for the Friendly Confines. Hats off to the ownership and their stewardship of the field and the team. Much love from STL!
As Yankees fan I Wash they never got rid of the old Yankees stadium..good for the cubs for keeping the stadium
I hear ya. Glad we are preseving Dodger stadium here in Los Angeles.
Losing history is awful. And we see it iver and.over. Cant under stand it.
@@rockyracoon3233 Good to hear. Only thing I would do with Dodger would be a gentle remodeling. I would prefer to think of it as giving her a polish, like, a new coat of paint here, Upgrading the press box there, putting a fountain just outside and installing a display of mariposa lilies planted in such a manner they look like the logo for the Dodgers..you know, pretty her up.
Besides, L.A. has the Olympics coming up after Paris. Dodger Stadium is almost surely going to be a venue. She was built in the 60s and it would be something that has to be done anyway.
Bro I was literally about to come into the comments and say this I was heartbroken when they tore down Yankees stadium like how are you going to tear down history
@@mattc8347 it’s what we do in America, out with the old in with the new
Being a Red Sox fan due to living in the general area, I got nothing but the utmost respect for the Ricketts family and those with any affiliation in the involvement of 1060 project renovations for the time and patience to improve the Wrigley field experience for fans and players alike. Ownership of both the BoSox and Cubs knew exactly how to grant the wishes of their respective fan bases and keep the likes of Fenway and Wrigley around for generations to come, all done for a combined total from both park renovations at 1,035,000,000 (750,000,000 in Wrigley Field renovations and 285,000,000 in Fenway Park renovations).
Even though I grew up a Sox fan, I took in more than my share of Cubs games at Wrigley. I remember getting my copy of Mr Cub, which I still have, signed by Ernie Banks. Being at the last home game in 1984 was a great memory too. I’m glad that Wrigley got fixed up right for future fans to go to and have some great memories made. Now we need a Cubs/Sox World Series. That would be the ultimate!
I think the White Sox and the Cubs World Series happened once before in 1906.
I hope it happens some time in the future too!
@@johnathonwaggoner358 I meant in our lifetimes.
If only Ebbets Field could've been preserved just like this. Ebbets Field was one of the most iconic palaces in the history of not just baseball, but of sports at large. Losing it to the greed of Robert Moses's was a crime against sports.
Polo Grounds and Crosley Field, too.
Am so glad you said it was a crime committed by Robert Moses and *not* Walter O'Malley. 😀 Indeed, O'Malley strived to keep the Dodgers in Brooklyn--- but Moses would not comply.
Never forget when I first drove up to Wrigley. Trees and houses, trees and houses....BOOM! Legendary stadium!
I'm a Blue Jays fan. Wrigley Field is an icon of baseball. The ivy walls alone make it iconic. Glad it's gonna be here for decades to come.
I visited the park in 2019 and it was absolutely beautiful. It was really cool to see the upgrades and it was hard to tell in some areas that parts were brand new and not a part of the original structure. An incredible job by all involved.
Cool me I’ve visited Yankee Stadium 2019 and 2021
Last month I want to Seattle versus New York I want to Minnesota versus Yankees last month
It's true that you rarely appreciate what you have until it's gone- that didn't happen to Wrigley Field ❤️
Imagine the pride each and every worker there had while rebuilding Wrigley. I'd have WANTED to go to work despite 0* weather lol
I had no idea the park was in such poor condition. It’s amazing the amount of effort that was put into saving it.
It does my heart good to know that the ownership team cared enough about the park to do that. Same goes for the Red Sox ownership and Fenway.
In a sense, this stadium is a National Monument. You don't even have to love the game to appreciate the atmosphere. A one of a kind American treasure. It's like experiencing the past in realtime. Of course, subtle changes have been made in restoration, but so do most revered national treasures around the world.
I am 62, lived in Chicago from 1964-1969. My dad took me to many Wednesday home games. My Loyalty to the Cubbies has never wavered. I was heartbroken every time they got close to just being in the WS. just as 100's of thousands of other die hard Cubs fans were as well. In 1992 I was visiting friends in Menomonie Wisconsin, borrowed a car and to see a Cubs game by myself, I didn't care about the 600 mile round trip in day, I got be in the Friendly Confines again.. No other ballpark has the energy and vibe that Wrigley field does. 2016 was a day many of us thought we would never see, but it was amazing, right down to the last out of game 7.One WS , that is all I needed. Go Cubbies
From the bottom of my heart I want to thank you Rickett Family for everything. But most of all for being fans. Thank you very much.
I hope they feel great pain for trading away our star players bc theyre too cheap to pay them
It's not a convenience, It's a necessity. YEAH BABY!! And I'm not even a Cubs fan.
Edit: We really need another World Series between the Cubs and the Red Sox. Then the games would be played at the 2 best stadiums in baseball.
That almost happened 2003. Niether team had ended their droughts yet. It would have been historical in a way no one could imagine.
see ya in 2116...
In the meantime, enjoy the 2021 World Series on the south side.
I gotta say, I've last visited Chicago in 2014 for the first time and seen Wrigley Field in it's original form... but came back in 2021, and seeing it now, it's the most beautiful house in MLB and I live 6 miles from Camden Yards.
1060 Project did an amazing job. Beyond a feat of re-engineering
This documentary is really well done.
I've been reading about this project for years. Great to actually see how it came together, not without great pains along the way.
Born a Cubs fan in 1958, my first game at Wrigley was in 1964. I've returned countless times and get choked up and emotional every time I'm there. For us Cubs fans, it's our home and where generations of our family members spent glorious afternoons in the sunshine cheering on our beloved Cubbies. After a game late last season where we had a blast in the left field bleachers, my brother, nephew and I happened to see Mr. Ricketts and we all met him. While shaking his hand, I thanked him for saving our home so my grandsons - and eventually their children - may enjoy for decades to come the incredible feeling of watching baseball at the world's greatest place at the corner of Clark & Addison. GO CUBS GO!
More people need to see this video. Wrigley field is saved for future generations, well done .
Future generations will trash it and twerk atop the rubble. But cool story, bro.
My Dad became a Cubs fan when he lived in Wrigleyville in the 1930s. He never saw a championship, passing away in 1977. I love history and this is an amazing record of an iconic symbol in my life!
Astros fan here and I need to go watch the Astros and Cubs. Wrigley is a must go.
Minute Maid Park is one of the most underrated ballparks in baseball unbelievable atmosphere and the games are so much fun!
I’ve been to a lot of ballparks, new and old, this was the ONLY one ever to bring me to tears.
It’s really that special.
Agreed, watching the Cubs play would make anyone cry.
You clearly have not been to the Trop
@@pizzajona yes
Its nice to see my old and much beloved park mentioned and seen in this video. She is gone now, the 2nd oldest park behind Fenway and that was Tiger stadium. The same approach should have been done there. It was a neighborhood park that was beautiful. There was room to move things and i will never forgive the city of Detroit and the Illich family for causing its destruction. Comerica park is only ok. New fans will never know the feeling of walking up the ramp from the concession concourse to see that beautiful field. I plan the year of my 60th to visit Wrigley field. Sturgis, and a few other bucket list items. Congratulations to the owners of Wrigley for having the vision and the backbone to keep this great icon of baseball alive and better than ever. I will forever have over 30 years of memories of Tiger stadium. I know i will see and smell some of the things that made that old ballpark my home when i go see the cubs at Wrigley field.
The commitment of the Rickett family to that place is impressive. In England the owners tear down the beautiful Archibald Leitch stadiums all over the country. In Germany the new football stadiums all look the same with no architectual idiosyncracies whatsoever. All of them totally boring. But the Cubs, the Ricketts and the City of Chicago gave an example how to protect and preserve a place of collective rememberance. Can't wait to revisit.
Way to go Cubs organization. It is sad to see so many other historic stadiums town down. So much respect for you to preserve
I agree 100 percent!! I'm still trying too figure out how the hell was Yankee Stadium torn down??? I can't believe it was allowed too happen!! Chicago would riot if they tried that on Wrigley
This was impressive and shows how dedicated the Ricketts family were to preserve Wrigley. I want to visit one day.
I'm a Red Sox fan but I been to Cubs games and I cheered for the Cubs to win in 2016 so this stadium and team really has a place in my heart and always will
Wrigley Field has always been at the very top of my bucket list. I've been to Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium, among others. But the crown jewel on my bucket list has always been Wrigley. Unfortunately, I've been unable to make it happen to this point. But I'm SO glad the ballpark will be there when the time finallly arrives. A huge thank you to the Rickett family for preserving my lifelong dream! 🙏Go Cubs!
As a Mariners fan I'm so happy they saved Wrigley field like here in Seattle a few people Saved the Key Arena but also had to fight the whole neighborhood to save the Arena and now that it's almost finished it looks beautiful same with Wrigley field absolutely beautiful.
Except the Key was never anything special, it was just an alright place to see a game. Glad they renovated it instead of wasting hundreds of millions on a completely new arena though.
Marlins fan here, Wrigley is a timeless classic of a ballpark. I'm glad it can stay
Third generation fan, mother to fourth generation fans. Thank you for preserving this holy ground so it is preserved for my children’s children’s children and beyond.
Your people weren't here before 1965
@The Nobleman Podcast you are probably a second generation European 💀 parents probably came from Poland lol
@The Noble lnbred , her people have probably been on this continent centuries before yours that came from England in the 1980’s 😂. Many Latinos have Indian blood, your 100% pale boy from Europe 💀
@The Noble, Spaniards have been in North America since the 1600’s Gonzalez is a Spaniard name, any skin color can have the name Gonzalez…. The name Gonzalez has probably been in North America way before your British surname 😂 most likely before your family from Europe came here in the late 1900’s
@Elon Musk Mexicans were less than 4% of the nation in 1965 when your existence was normalized. Your collective is so toxic that more than half of your crawl across a border to get away from the norms you create. The USA was much better when it was a 90%+ super majority. History will need to be rewritten to resolve this. Then everyone can go back to living the life their people collectively create.
There's nothing quite like Wrigley Field on a beautiful Chicago summers day.
I am truly proud that Wrigley Field got refurbished!
Brewers fan here and I have to say the Cubs really do have a beautiful ballpark I visited for the first time two weeks ago and I was blown away. A true masterpiece.
I love this documentary. I'm a Cubs fan from London UK ⚾🇬🇧
It's our Abbey Road studios
Been there once, a thousand times in dreams. Times change, dreams fade. Wrigley please stay an Icon! Love the game Cubbies! W's!
I'm a Cardinals fan, but I LOVE this documentary. What a beautiful accomplishment for the city of Chicago, the Cubs, and ALL of baseball! Bravo!
⚜⚾️Let's Go Cardinals⚾️⚜
It’s like a “love letter” to the ballpark, the team, the city, the players, the fans and baseball. I love Wrigley and the Cubs!
The city had nothing to do with it. They didn't give a dime.
My first Cubs game was back in 1984. My dad took me to see the Cubbies face the Reds in a double header. We took the 49a western bus from the southside all the way up to Wrigley. We bought upper deck left field tickets. I believe i remember them to be $3.50 apiece! Lol. By the end of the first game we were in the box seats behind home plate. 😂🤣. Got to see Pete Rose play. My mom brown bagged me a cheese sandwich which obviously melted in the August heat! I actually remember seeing then Governor Thompson there too. Best part was seeing the Cubs win both games 5-2 and 5-2! Been a Cubbies fan since! I am so glad i had the chance to see them win the series in my lifetime! My mom was a cubs fan. She passed away early 2016, but im sure she seen em win. Dawson, Sutcliffe, Sandberg. What history behind the Cubs. I was able to take my son to a game a few years back. I felt the same excitement i did in '84 walking up those stairs getting a glimpse and smell of the fresh cut grass. Electric. Cubbies lost that one to the Rockies but who cares! The stadium is so beautiful. So much history there. Thanks dad for making me a Cubs fan.
Never got to go to a Cubs game but I want too, I did get to go to a Joliet jackhammers game when I was a kid before they changed the team name to the Joliet slammers
@@alexwest2573 never seen the joliet team play but ive been to a bunch of the windy city thunderbolts games. Theyre a minor league team based in crestwood il. Its alot of fun. Fireworks every fri and sat. Kids get to run the bases at the end of the game. They even campouts! After the game u bring in ur stakeless tent and set it up in the outfield. They play a movie on the scoreboard and the concession stand stays open for a bit. We were playing catch w the baseball and football. We even ran through the stands plying tag! Ddnt go to sleep till like 2am! Then they brought in donuts and juice for bfast about 8am. Lots of fun! And no extra cost at all! Just the price of ur ticket! So if ur in the mood for a ball game and dont wanna spend a bunch on the sox or cubs come check out the tbolts!
I'm a Venezuelan baseball fan .... Wrigley always was special in my mind since the first time I saw that brick wall & the Ivy in the back fields on the TV back in the early 80s when MLB games were brodcasted and I started to watch them -- kuddos to the owners for preserving this piece of history not just for cubs' fans but to any other baseball fan in the world
He delivered on that championship
Met fan here. I'm truly genuinely impressed. I envy this ballparks renovations and the final product! The outside fan space is genious with a lot of love thrown in and the final fit and finish of this park is amazing. The clubhouse is unbelievable. Awesome design, forward thinking in it's amenities and the placement dynamics for optimal player efficiency is so ingenious; Feng Shui to condense it optimally. No wonder the cubs won it all in 2016. Everything was aligned; new ballpark, new players and new ownership.
And after what happened in 2003, this was a nice make-up present 🎁 to the fans and players. I appreciate craftsmanship.
Go Cubs.
Watching this program brought tears to my eyes - all the way from Toronto. I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to see games at Wrigley Field in 2014 and 2016. I’m a baseball purist and to know that this wonderful facility has been saved, and will be preserved for generations to come, is heart-warming. The Ricketts family - and the amazing Cubs family they have assembled - are to be commended on the wonderful gift they have given back to the great game of baseball. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’m anxiously looking forward to my next visit to the Friendly Confines….
Our family now four generations of Cubs fans, beginning with my mother’s first game at Wrigley in 1925, mine around 1948, my children, then my grandchildren. A game on a beautiful day, ( not always a guarantee, opening day at 38 degrees once,) is a spiritual experience at the church of baseball, Wrigley Field.
2023, this year, will mark my 61st season of going to Cubs games at Wrigley. One of the best descriptions that I ever heard is Wrigley Field is the national cathedral of baseball and I believe it. I have attended games from Candlestick Park and the Oakland Coliseum to Comiskey Park to Veteran's Stadium in Philly and have never been to a more beautiful and fan-loved park in the entire sport. Go Cubs! Cheers....
Incredible work. Dodgers fans Thank you for preserving baseball history
I don't think I'll ever not miss the stadium and neighborhood from my childhood, warts and all.
Must be travel to here in my lifetime. Go Cubs from Hungary!
You will not regret it. Sit in the bleachers. Such a good time
It’s majestic, it’s such a different feeling walking through the old concourse to the bleachers.
My family was from NYC, but we lived in Downers Grove (western suburb of Chicago) for three years, 1967-1969. I was just 6 years old in 1968 when I went to my first game at Wrigley. I became a Cubs fan for life.
I was there and it was nice to see how the field has evolved over the years have always loved going to games and seeing and feeling the emotion the field has to offer. Cubs forever ❤️
From a Royals fan who watched a lot of Cubs games on WGN, this was a very enjoyable video. I'll make it to Wrigley one of these days.
Went to Kauffman Stadium in 2008, beautiful ball park, and Royals won both games I saw against Giants.
Good to know there’s more Royals-Cubs fans out there. My Grandma was one before she died in 2013, with her last request being a steak. I’m not really spiritual, but there’s a small legend in my family that when she got into heaven, after we spread her ashes in Kansas City in the summer of 2014, God asked her what she wanted. She said to Him, “I want a steak, for the Royals to win the World Series, and for the Cubs to finally win the World Series.” We then say she got the steak immediately, the Royals won in 2015, and the Cubs won in 2016, all in accordance to Grandma’s request.
Growing up an Orioles fan, as a 12-year-old, it was really enjoyable seeing Bret Saberhagen, George Brett, and Dan Quisenberry beat the Cardinals in that 1985 World Series
As a Cardinals fan I'm required by law to hate the Cubs. That said? I can certainly respect them for preserving this old landmark. Went there once when I was a lot younger, gorgeous place. I just wish the Cardinals had thought to preserve the old Busch stadium instead of building a new one. New place just doesn't have the same feel to it, nor the gorgeous architecture. Look forward to the next series against you guys... Once you rebuild your team, at least. Even as a Cardinals fan I hated seeing what they did to your team at the deadline.
This says it best for me as a Cards fan. Hate the Cubs. Jealous of the ownership and pride in the stadium of the Cubs.
I can't speak for all Cubs fans but, putting our rivalry aside, thank you for this.
You cards are a thorn in our side, but you are true fans of the game haha
That was perfectly stated.
Unlike some other Baseball rivalries, the Cubs and Cards fans have always kept it pretty classy through the years. Even though it is an intense rivalry, there is an underlying mutual respect there between the two teams I think.
I am that third fan,I moved to Chicago from New York after a tough time,I went to Wrigley and found a peace I didn't expect or can explain
Lifelong Cubs fan here…. Almost a billion dollars later and what was achieved at Wrigley will be admired and talked about for years. I moved away a number of years ago and can’t wait to get back and see for myself. Incredible project and documentary…thank you!!
This video makes me want to go back to watch a game at Wrigley. I grew up in the area and used to go to games back in the 1960s and 1970s.
Wow, the part about what it took just to preserve the ivy was awesomely nuts!
Unfortunately, the real first night game was 8/9/1988 as the 8/8/88 game was called due to rain. In 2023 (this year) the old lights are being replaced with LED's, so we'll see how much brighter it will be. The nice part of that original light structure is that it was from the 40's and they look like they've been there for 80 years.
We moved out of the Chicagoland area in 2000, but when we come back to visit and go to a game, It is mandatory that we walk up the center steps from the concourse and feel the emotions again of the very first time my brother and I walked up those steps 60 years ago, seeing the greenest grass, the ivy and the scoreboard. We were in Heaven. Thank you so much, Ricketts family, for saving Wrigley and ending the curse. 🍺😁👍❤
There is an amazing video from 1961 that every Wrigley fan should see. It shows people going to Wrigley and enjoying the game. It features the song "Roll Out the Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer" and it's really nice.
Nothing comes close to the energy and feeling that Wrigley brings. Been to many stadiums and Wrigley still number 1 for me.
Papers please
I've been to the Friendly Confines twice - before the renovations - to see my Cardinals visit the Cubs. As I recall, the Redbirds lost on both occasions. Wrigley is a beautiful ballpark that can never be duplicated by soulless retro parks. When you are at Wrigley you sense baseball history most other teams imploded. Thank goodness the Ricketts did this right. Well done to everyone involved.
Cards fan here too, Steve. I was planning on going to Wrigley last year, but obviously that fell through. I hope to go next season and maybe spend a week in Chicago since I've never visited. Cheers!
For a Cardinals fan to compliment the Cubs, that is awesome and astounding.
I'm incredibly impressed with the 1060 Project and its impact on the Cubs organization. The revenue boost it most likely brought would be a testament to the project's success. Additionally, Gallagher Way has beautifully bridged the divide between Wrigley Field and the community, creating a vibrant, welcoming space for everyone. As someone who just joined the organization a few months ago, I am excited to see how these developments continue to enhance our connection with fans and the community.
Seriously, huge thank you to the construction workers, everybody who worked on Wrigley Field with their hands, building, sweating, bleeding for the greatest ballpark ever. Thank you guys for doing such a great job. And thank you to the Ricketts family for keeping it special and even making it better. Gallagher weigh was perfect. People were upset because they wanted the cups to be on regular TV, but not only that even if it was on the new network not every single person can get that in their homes. So they wouldn’t have the opportunity to see the Cubs but at least you can watch the Cubs for free Park and that’s pretty awesome especially if you don’t have cable or whatever service you can get..because it isn’t exactly cheap and sometimes not available.
I love this ballpark. So happy they preserved it rather than demolish and replace it.
Yep, glad we're doing the same for Dodger stadium here in Los Angeles.
My Mom took me to my first game in 1968. She was an avid Cubs fan, even though she was from the St louis area. I remember her taking me down to field level before the game to meet Ernie Banks. Ernie shook my hand, Then signed my Cubs cap. Then Ron Santo, Don Kessinger, and Glenn Beckert all came over and signed it too. I still have the cap. My mom passed away in August of 1969. The Cubs were playoff bound. We all know that didn't come to pass. But she left us thinking that they were. In August of 2019, I came back to Chicago to see a game on the day she passed. They lost the game, but somehow, she was there with me, and we enjoyed every minute of it.
Yep that ole ball park has some meaning for me. I'm glad that it was preserved. If you listen real hard, you can still here Jack Brickhouse's "HEY HEY" , Harry singing "Take me out to the ball game", and smell a Ron Santo pizza coming from the main concourse.
Banks, Williams, Santo, Jenkins. On the days that Fergie started, four out of the nine guys in the lineup were Hall of Famers in their prime, or just a touch past it with Ernie. And yet..... they never won a darn thing! Has there even been another team like that?
As a Brit I've recently been getting into Baseball but couldn't decide who to follow. After watching this the decision was made for me, your heart should always make the choice and mine choose the Cubs.
No wonder they beat us in 2016. That clubhouse rocks!!!
#Tribeforever #Guardiansbaseball
Was thinking the same.
So well done...the video, the renovation, the consideration of the fans, creating Gallagher Way. I remember taking the behind the scenes tour in June 2011 and left thinking that the place was going to fall down. Winning the World Series in 2016 was some kind of a thank you karma for the team owner's investment.
I been going to Wrigley field since 2002 consistently for almost 2 decade's. I usually average about 14-20 games per year.. My son was 6 years old.. I love this place will never stop going. The Cubs organization/the Rickets have made the cub fan experience better 👏. Thank you. Go Cubbies. 2016 World Champions 🏆... Oh yeah bring back Rizzo...
im not really a baseball fan...but this story is so amazing..... kuddos to the owners and the community for doing this!
Was born in Joliet in 1947. My parents moved to Southern California in 1950 however, still had relatives in Joliet. When I was old enough to understand the fundamentals of baseball I became a cubs fan in California in the late 50's. My parents would take us kids to visit relatives in Joliet. Been a Cubs fan since the 50's. The Cubs of 1969 had one of the greatest lineups of all time. And, they broke my heart after just getting back from Vietnam in 1969. Still a cubs fan though. I live in Montana now and went to a couple of cubs games in Arizona during spring training. Wrigley is still a hallmark baseball Park even today! My two boys have even visited Wrigley.
There's no place like Wrigley. I remember as a kid hanging over the dugout getting autographs. Banks, Williams, Beckert, and Santo. Listening to Jack Brickhouse. Every time I go there now I feel the rush I felt the first time. I've introduced my daughter to Wrigley and we try to go to at least one game a year. It's always exciting. Win or lose, it doesn't matter, its the Cubs. Its Wrigley Field. Doesn't get any better than that.
I remember in the mid seventies..after every cub game.We use to pick up trash every inch of Wrigley..The head custodian guy..give us free tickets 🎟 to the next game.
This is an excellent documentary, and I'm nowhere near Chicago. What an epic project to keep this place standing.
I'm a Red Sox fan and i love Wrigley Field, the feeling of being there is amazing
Nice to see this video. I left my beloved Chicago for an overseas job in 1992. Have only seen the park from the Internet since then.
Hope to get there again with my family someday.
Best regards from Stockholm
This is a feel good story. But also incredibly educational and detailed! Thank you RUclips for recommending it :-)
But to realize that many other classic ballparks could still be here instead of being bulldozed. This story shows without a doubt that old can be updated with the right people at the helm.
As a Michigander who wishes Tiger Stadium could have been saved, I totally understand where you're coming from. It's important to remember, though, that all of those parks were demolished before this renovation project. Nothing like this had ever been done before, and many people seemed to think it was impossible. But now that the Cubs have proven it can be done, and done well at that, maybe more team owners will start doing it too.
Listen I am not the biggest baseball fan but I do like the Red Soxs but this video gave me a connection to the Chicago Cubs and I can appreciate their fans and the passion for their neighborhood team 💯💯💯 respect
I will never look at Wrigley Field the same again truly is the friendly confines
Thanks Tom, and the Ricketts family, for everything you've done. I've been a Lakeview resident since 1987 and the transformation of Wrigley has been awesome to watch.
Fenway Park is beautiful with all that nostalgia of the game all around it....
And very sadly, it would be the only one that Babe Ruth would be able to recognize even a little. RIP Yankee Stadium.
Wrigley field is not just a ball park. It’s my second home
As a lifelong cub fan from Iowa, I’ve been to Wrigley 6 times. First time in 2006 as a little kid, twice in 2013, once in 2015, once in 2016, and once in 2018. I think I speak for all Cubs fans when I say every time you return to Wrigleyville, and see the ballpark appear from the neighborhood, you get the same exact feeling you did from your first time. There aren’t any words to describe the magical rush of emotion that takes over your body. You feel it once again when you make your way through the concourse, and out into the seating bowl. Whether it’s the bleachers, the lower bowl, or the upper deck. It is the same exact feeling every single time. I don’t think it will ever go away, and I can’t wait to show my kids some day. Excellent job Ricketts family and everyone who restored Wrigley for years to come!
Wrigley Field , it is baseball !! The best place to watch baseball period !!
It's great to see the club owner put principle ahead of money. They spent what they needed to spend and didn't do anything cheap.
💵😊
This was an amazing video!! The history of so many things regarding Wrigley Field. I loved learning about the guys' clubhouse, too, and "touring" it. Kudos to those who put this video together! 👏
These ballparks are historically iconic they should be preserved.
Must’ve watched this 10 times now. Still picking up something new every time.
As a Yankees fan, building a new stadium was a mistake.
How can you tear down the place Babe Ruth played?
@@Barfyman362. the majority of Yankee fans didn't want a new stadium. Most of em didn't even want it renovated. That was all George and his ego.
Blessed to be apart of the fans for the Cubs go Cubs go
I'm 70 years old. Born and raised in Chicago. Both Wrigley Field and Comiskey Park are (were) holy places especially to young boys and girls. Sadly, in the name of "progress", Comiskey Park was demolished. The replacement for Comiskey is a sterile venue. PLEASE preserve Wrigley in PERPETUITY!!!🥰🤩😍❤️
My first game at Wrigley was a 4-3 win against the NY Mets on 5/12/68. We sat in Row 2, right behind the Cubs dugout. I was just 6 years old and right in front of me were Banks, Santo, Williams, Jenkins, Kessinger, Beckert, Hundley, etc. I’m 62 now. My son just gave me autographed photos of all those guys. 🙂