Wrigley Field, Cubs Baseball & der Wrigleyville-Stadtteil
Wrigley Field (1060 West Addison Street, Wrigleyville — the baseball stadium of the Chicago Cubs, opened in 1914 as Weeghman Park, renamed Cubs Park in 1920 and Wrigley Field in 1926 after chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr., the second-oldest Major League Baseball stadium in the United States after Fenway Park in Boston) is one of the most beloved sports venues in America and the centrepiece of one of Chicago's most distinctive and tourist-friendly neighbourhoods.
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Wrigley Field — Hand-Turned Scoreboard Since 1937
Wrigley Field (1914, capacity 41,649) is Major League Baseball's second-oldest stadium and the most iconic — the centre-field hand-turned scoreboard (operated by 2 workers since 1937) is the only one remaining in MLB; the ivy-covered outfield walls (planted 1937) turn brown in autumn; the Cubs finally won the World Series here in 2016 after a 108-year drought.
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Wrigleyville Rooftop Bars — Watching Without a Ticket
The apartment buildings on Waveland and Sheffield Avenues (adjacent to the outfield) converted their rooftops into viewing areas in the 1980s — the Cubs have since negotiated revenue-sharing agreements with the rooftop operators; tickets (R80–250) include food and drink; home runs have been hit onto these rooftops.
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Clark Street Pre-Game Ritual — 3 Hours Before First Pitch
Clark Street (the Wrigleyville main strip) transforms into a street party 3 hours before game time — Murphy's Bleachers (Waveland Ave, oldest Cubs bar, 1930s), The Cubby Bear (Clark & Addison), and Sluggers (which has batting cages, four floors) are the traditional pre-game stops; scalpers, vendors, and street performers fill the block.
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Chicago Cubs Museum — World Series Trophy & History
The Cubs Museum (inside Gate D, Wrigley Field) contains the 2016 World Series trophy, historic uniforms, game-used bats from Ernie Banks and Ryne Sandberg, and artefacts from the original 1914 season — 'Bleacher Bums' (the rowdy fans in the outfield bleacher seats) have their own exhibit celebrating their role in Cubs culture.
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Hot Dog at a Chicago Style Dog Stand — No Ketchup Rule
The Chicago-style hot dog (Vienna Beef frankfurter in a poppy seed bun with yellow mustard, neon-green relish, diced onion, tomato, sport peppers, celery salt, and a dill pickle spear — never ketchup, never) was invented at the 1893 World's Fair at 5 cents; Wrigley Field's concourse hot dogs are served 'Chicago style' and the ketchup prohibition is enforced with theatrical seriousness.
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Chicago Musical History — The Blues and House Music
Chicago's North Side (Wrigleyville area) and South/West Sides created two of the world's most important music genres — Chicago Blues (electrified in the 1940s by Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and Buddy Guy at venues like the Checkerboard Lounge) and House Music (invented at the Warehouse Club, 206 S Jefferson, by DJ Frankie Knuckles in 1977); both are celebrated in the DANK Haus German American Cultural Center.