LakeView Historical Chronicles: Wrigley Field: First 100

Weegham Park to Wrigley Field
The 1914 thru 2014 Period
Home of a Few Teams

I have used a book called 'Wrigley Field: Year by Year' by Sam Pathy as a baseline to this post. This book includes sections from 'What's New' and 'What Happened' that was helpful in the chronological mapping of this post. The book

ends its accounting in the year 2013. I will only post selective years that I regard as notable. Also, I will copy pages from a book called 'Wrigleyville' by Peter Golenbock. Both books are part of my personal collection - great resources to have.

image via Zachary Taylor Davis-Chicago Architect/Facebook
the architect's rendition for Weegham Park

architect Zachary Taylor Davis

This post begins with the construction of Weegham Park to be later called Wrigley Field - one of the oldest existing ballparks in the country. For a short period of time this baseball field was referred to as Cub's Park. The baseball team in 1914 was called the Chicago Fed's (also called the Whales) named after the establishment of a new league called the Federal League. This baseball league would only last two seasons for it lack the funds to continue.

Zachary Taylor Davis Chicago Architect-Facebook

cartoon image via ZacharyTaylorDavis.com

During this time period teams would come and go and so would the name and controlling ownership of the baseball park and baseball team. The architect of Weeghman Park was the same person who designed Comiskey Park - a graduate of the Art Institute of Chicago,

Zachary Taylor Davis.

Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps

the area in 1887 - Historical Map Works

a view of the property in 1894 - Chicago Public Library

The Evanston branch of the Chicago/Milwaukee/St. Paul no longer exits and the elevated tracks did not exist yet; to be located east of Sheffield Avenue by the 1900-ish

1892 photo & 1957 text - Karin Olson
via Windy City Historicans - Facebook

"I came across a copy of this article in a group of letters written by my grandfather and his friend William S Berger.

My grandfather is the young man at the base of the wooden bell tower. Besides my grandfather and his uncle, my grandfather mentions (in handwritten notes on the article) that his grandmother is sitting at a table or bench on the right edge of the photo."

Another Account

by Beyond the Ivy: 100 Year of Wrigley Field

postcard of some of the buildings - my personal collection
The seminary school occupied this space
from 1891 until 1910

3 postcards - Chicago History in Postcards

A New Baseball Field Planned

"This 1914 photo provided by the Chicago History Museum shows, from left to right, Charles Weeghman, James Gilmore, and Federal League baseball player Joe Tinker (wearing street clothes), attending the groundbreaking of Weeghman Park in Chicago. Weeghman Park became the Chicago Cubs home in 1916, but wasn’t renamed Wrigley Field until William Wrigley took over ownership and placed his name on the ballpark in 1927. The park was built for the short lived Federal League, which only lasted until 1915. Wrigley Field is the sole surviving Federal League park built specifically for the Federal League." - Marty Swartz

image above via Chicago Tribune

image - Ebay

with an article from New City called

Tale of the Whales: the forgotten story

image - Ebay

Opening Day 1916

images - Chicago Public Library

advertisement - Benjamin Yolarski‎ via 'Chicagoland Before We Were Born'-Facebook in July 1916

The Whales

postcard & photo - Ebay

Chicago Federal Baseball Cards
1914-1915

reproduction miniature baseball cards - my collection
a Wikipedia list of the players
also nicknamed the Chicago Whales

The First Owner
of the baseball field and then the Cubs

Charles Weegham

The owner of the Chicago Federals and the baseball park was a restaurant chain owner named Charles Weeghman.
an excerpt below

text images via 'Wrigleyville' by Peter Golenbrock

image via Chicago Tribune
below image - book called East Lake View
by Matthew Nickerson

'Charles Weeghman now seemingly carried leases on two ballparks: Weeghman Park and the Cubs’ West Side Grounds. Many felt the west side held more promise for the Cubs, owing to their rich history there. But West Side Grounds’ antiquated wood construction left it a relic compared to other major-league parks. Consequently, on January 21, 1916, the Cubs moved their lockers and uniforms from West Side Grounds to Weeghman Park. That day, the Cubs became Chicago’s “North Side” team. In the process Weeghman Park did what most other Federal League ballparks could not: successfully outlive its league.'

- Author Sam Pathy

The First Year 1914

image above via Chicago History Museum

photo below - Chicago History Museum

the negative was flipped by Ronald Klewer

the view is east toward the lake

image via Chicago Tribune

photo via Living History of Chicago & Illinois-Facebook

In the background are the buildings of the

Lutheran Theological Seminary before the field

expanded northward to Waveland Avenue

a postcard from my personal collection

photo - Baseball Yesterday & Today
The Story in ...

The initial plan was to make the baseball field stands of wood. This may have worked in the olden days of the City/Township of Lake View but after the annexation of 1889, hence the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 wood as a building material for construction was out and brick & steel were in.

photo above via Chicago Tribune

photo of the Chicago Federals via History Blog

photo & text images via Wrigley Field: Year by Year

postcard image via Chuckman Collection

When Federal League collapsed in 1915 he and his investor friends bought the Cubs franchise in 1916 and offered some of the baseball players from the Chicago Federals aka Chicago Whales to play with his new team. According to a site called Wrigley Ivy Weeghman 'his millions led a group of investors who on January 20, 1916, purchased the Cubs for $500,000 from Cincinnati publisher Charles P. Taft, the half brother of President William Howard Taft. 'According to Chicagology 'the new ballpark was built in six weeks, and stands a monument to the nerve and energy of Weeghman.'

opening day image via Chicagology

Good fortunes would soon lead to the poor economic times of the recession of 1918 which weakened the fortune of Charles Weegham and his financial hold on both ownership of the baseball park and the Chicago Cubs. The previous owner of the Cubs was a penny-pincher named Charles Murphy who refused to follow the innovations the National League demanded from their teams and made lots of money from the popular Cubs. Slowly and surely some of the Cub players left the National League to Weegham's Federals, the Federal League and his brand new baseball park.

Chicago Cubs owners before there move to Lake View

Charles Murphy
previous owner of the Chicago Cubs

photo via Society of American Baseball Research

‘One of the most controversial figures of the ‘Deadball Era’, Charles W. Murphy owned the Chicago Cubs from 1906 to 1913, the period during which they reached their greatest heights. The Cubs won four National League pennants and two World's Championships under his ownership, making Chicago the center of the baseball universe. But instead of being revered by the fans, his players, and his fellow owners, the ambitious, energetic Murphy was generally despised’ according to Society of American Baseball Research.

In an essence the Chicago Cubs suffered financial from both owners; one from personal greed and the other from poor economic circumstances.

Charles Phelps Taft

Charles Taft owned the Chicago Cubs after Murphy from 1914-1916. He sold the Cubs to Weegham in 1916.

The Year 1915

retro postcard - part of my personal collection

images - Chicago History Museum

The Year 1916
a co-owner

Albert Lasker
1916-1923
controlling investor of the Chicago Cubs
and financial partner with William Wrigley, Jr

text image - American National Business Hall of Fame

Albert Lasker was the advertising genius who was the backbone of the Cubs organization until he sold his 'controlling' company shares to Wrigley. Read more about this relationship between Albert Lasker and William Wrigley, Jr. that involved promotion, friendship, and national politics.

the other co-owner

photo via Wikipedia
Albert Laster's partner William Wrigley,Jr.

image - Wrigley Field: Year by Year

The Historical Seating Capacity

from Wikipedia

The Year 1917
a war year

Peter Pieper
the public announcer of the Chicago Cubs from 1917 til 1974
photo via Chicago Tribune
In the beginning a blow-horn was used.

According to an article from the Daily Herald 'Pat Pieper worked for the Cubs in 1904 as a vendor. With the help of another fellow to hold up a megaphone that was taller than Pieper, the German immigrant made this simple announcement: "Attention! Attention, please! Have your pencils and score cards ready, and I will give you the correct lineups for today's game."'

photo via Chicago Tribune

a retro postcard of the announcer

- part of my personal collection

images - Wrigley Field: Year by Year

United States entered the World War I on April 6, 1917
by declaring war on the then German Empire.
image below - Wrigley Field: Year by Year

The Year 1918
another war year ...

image - Wrigley Field: Year by Year

the 1918 team

photo via Midwest Sports Fans

image above - Wrigley Field: Year by Year

image - The New York Sun via Ebay
A Possible Scandal:

before the Sox's did it

by ESPN

'Players commonly groused about being underpaid and there wasn't anyone in the majors who didn't hear rumors about fixes. It was impossible not to see the gamblers at the games, the lobbies of the hotels where they stayed or in the taverns where they drank. And they talked about such rumors all the time, including, Cicotte said, on a long train ride from Chicago to the East Coast. "The ball players were talking about somebody trying to fix the National League ball players or something like that, "Cicotte is quoted as saying in the deposition. "Well anyway there was some talk about them offering $10,000 or something to throw the Cubs in the Boston Series," he said. "Somebody made a crack about getting money, if we got into the Series, to throw the Series."'

A Quote to Live By until 2016

image - Wrigley Field: Year by Year

The Year 1919

The year Weegham sold out

and Wrigley slowly steps in

Cubs president Bill Veeck

image - Wrigley Field: Year by Year

Cub’s trainer Andy Lotshaw crouching

and Bobby Dorr to the right standing

a 1926 photo via Chicago History Museum

and Explore Chicago Collection

Bobby Dorr was the groundskeeper at Wrigley Field from 1919 until his death in 1957. The house was built for Dorr by the Cubs owner William Wrigley Jr. for only $6,000. Bobby Dorr lived in the building rent-free from 1923 until his death according to Rare Chicago. The Evanston branch of the Chicago/Milwaukee/St. Paul railroad predates Wrigley Field by almost 60 years. This branch of the RR is now covered by buildings and pavement. - East Lake View by Matt Nickerson

Football at Wrigley?

image - Wrigley Field: Year by Year

The Year 1920

the first rodeo and new football name

Signage and rooftop folks begin to appear

photo via Library of Congress/edit

Bismarck Gardens was the most popular German-American owned and operated beer garden in the city at the time.

image - Wrigley Field: Year by Year

text images above - Wrigley Field: Year by Year

postcard via Ebay of the West Side Grounds

postcard - Ebay

A Scorecard

images - Ebay

The Training Camp

Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce

postcard - Ebay

'It didn’t take long for [William] Wrigley to introduce his other passion to the island: the Chicago Cubs first visited Catalina Island in 1920, kicking off what would be three decades of spring training on the island along with the Cubs promoting Catalina Island and, to a lesser extent, Catalina promoting the Cubs. By the middle of the ‘20's, Wrigley had built a spring training field that matched the dimensions of Chicago’s Wrigley Field and by the end of that decade, he had also constructed a clubhouse that would eventually become the Catalina Island Country Club, one of the island’s most beautiful buildings.' Read more from the link above.

The Chicago Staleys

photo - The Staley Musuem

[A football team called the] 'Staleys moved to Chicago from Decatur, Illinois in 1921. George Halas, who was given the team and $5000 by [A.E.] Staley to keep the name Staley for another year, made the move that year. In the 1921 season, the Chicago Staleys finished first in the league and captured their first league championship. In 1922, Halas changed the team name to the Bears to reflect baseball's Chicago Cubs, the team's host at Wrigley Field'.- Wikipedia

The Year 1921

William Wrigley, Jr.

the first sole owner 1921-1932

photo via Vintage News
His Story ...

image above via 'Wrigleyville' by Peter Golenberg

From Soup Salesman to Owner

‘Since the chewing gum business was highly competitive in the late 1800’s, William Wrigley Jr. spent more than a million dollars a year in advertising. He combined gum with other items like lamps, pocket knives, cookbooks and fishing tackle’ – The Vintage News. By the turn of the 20th century he would center is advertising to one very profitable product, his chewing gum. Interesting the similarity of the importance of advertising with the present owner of the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field, the Ricketts Family in selling a product.

1922 image - Chicago Public Library

His factory in 1933

once located at 3535 S Ashland Avenue

text above - Wrigleyville by Peter Golenbock

text - Wrigleyville by Peter Golenbock

text below - Wrigleyville by Peter Golenbock

Wrigley Family Residence

1200 N Lake Shore Drive

1927 photos - Chicago History Museum

via Explore Chicago Collection

The Year 1922

construction plan for a second story

... and concerts at the ballpark

upper decks addition

via ZacharyTaylorDavis.com

a 1923 Sanborn Fire Map view

Prior to the Plan

'The grandstand featured one deck, and foul line seating did not extend to the end of the field, nor were the seats angled towards home plate. The outfield was not rounded, as most ballparks weren’t at the time. The center and right field bleachers went up about 10 to 12 rows and the benches were made of wood. After an unusually high number of home runs were scored in left field opening day, the fence was moved back 25 feet before the next day, requiring the demolition of an adjacent building’s porch. When the field first opened, it could hold 14,000 spectators. Since opening day, fans informally gathered in and on nearby buildings with a view of the field on Sheffield and Waveland to watch games. The outfield bleachers were not very tall, allowing residents of third floor apartments across the street to watch the game from their windows. [It] also featured open areas around the outfield for fans to stand and watch the game.'

Enter the Bears!

Wrigley Field would be the home

of the Chicago Bears until 1970

image below - Wrigley Field: Year by Year

... and from the Bearswire/USA Today, ‘The Decatur Staley's relocated to Chicago and took on the name that they still have today, the Chicago Bears. Their original name, Staley's, came from the food starch company team out of Decatur, Illinois and the Bears still use ‘Staley’ today as the name for their team mascot ‘Staley Da Bear’. The name change came after George Halas bought the full rights to the team (for a whopping $100) and moved them to Chicago where they played at Wrigley Field. The name ‘Bears’ came from the Chicago Cubs, who are of course just the young offspring of Bears in nature. With the name change came a change in color for the team (Blue & Orange) which came from the University of Illinois where Halas was a student and they are still using that same color scheme today. The Bears found success right away in the league when they won the NFL Championship in 1921 and didn’t even have a losing season until 1929. Halas won eight NFL championships in total with the Bears (six as a coach and two as an owner) and is even honored by the league with the George Halas Trophy.’

a 1923 view via Sanborn Fire Map with upper decks

The Year 1923

not everyone is happy

a postcard view - from my personal collection

about the expansion ...

image below - Ebay

Da' Bears

photos via Chicago Tribune

1920's photo with 'Red' Grange in the background - Ebay

above photo - Calumet 412 Bears vs Giants

below possible press photo - 'Red' Grange with model

The Year 1924

Wrigley, Jr. buys the land under the field and

radio announcements from the ballpark

text below - Wrigleyville by Peter Golenbock

The Tale of Ed Froelich

retold by 'Wrigleyville' by Peter Golenbock

This is part of his story:

These were the days when employees could become baseball players if the opportunity arose and baseball players would have part-time jobs off the field.

The Year 1925

snipped from Living History of Illinois & Chicago-Facebook

photo below - Bleed Cubbie Blue

Below is a photo of the Chicago Bears playing the Chicago Cardinals six year before the Cardinals would call Wrigley Field their home field - from 1931 to 1939 season via Marty Swartz, Living History of Chicago and Illinois-Facebook

The Year 1926

religion comes to town,

the main event occurred at Soldier Field

program - Ebay

The Year 1927

in pictures

photo via Chicago Tribune

1927 photo - Chicago History Museum

via Explore Chicago Collection

Wrigley and Mayor William 'Big Bill' Thompson, who by the way, was a resident of Lake View near the harbor

photos via Chicago Tribune

a 1927 advertisement below - Chicago Public Library

The Year 1928

photos via Chicago Tribune

in the words of Wrigley, Jr. ...

(His comment was to simply explain women demand more.)

text above - Wrigleyville by Peter Golenbock

photo of fans - Calumet 412

a 1928 scorecard below

a scorecard from my collection

Bears poster - Ebay

view the entire 1928 program

via LakeView Historical-Facebook

Bears Newsletter

much like the Cubs the Bears had their own

This newsletter was sold on Ebay by a British seller

for $1,750 in 2019

images - Ebay

The Year 1929

A World Series Year

The series was in the same month of the

Great Depression of 1929

text - Wrigleyville by Peter Golanbock

via Ebay

a 1929 rendition of another expansion planned in 1922

Chicago History Museum via Explore Chicago Collection

That year marked the beginning of a

world-wide economic depression and a halt to development.

text - Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

Hack Wilson

image -Des Moines Register via Ebay

The Year 1929 in Pictures

via Chicago Tribune & Chicago Public Library

1929 photo - Chicago Public Library

via Explore Chicago Collection

photo - Chicago History Museum

photo - Ebay

1929 photo - Chicago Public Library

via Explore Chicago Collection

photo via Chicago Tribune

the old bleacher section
photo - Chicago Public Library
via Explore Chicago Collection

the announcer Pat Pieper
1929 photo - Chicago Public Library
via Explore Chicago Collection

photo via Chicago Tribune

The Year 1930

ushers on parade

photo - Chicago History Museum

via Explore Chicago Collection

The Year 1931

Three teams call it home

a 1931 article

The Chicago Cardinals, a south-side team would use Wrigley Field for their home games 1931 through 1939

text - Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

Ladies Day Only in 1931

an advertisement above - Chicago Public Library

image below - Steward Warner Collection

The Year 1932

William Wrigley, Jr. is Dead

Chicago Daily News Reports It

images from another article

An Article of Praise

National League Champions this year
photo is part of my collection

Chicago Sunday Tribune via Ebay

images - David Zorning
via Forgotten Chicago Discussion Group

on the reverse side

below photo - Chicago Bears pose - Ebay

A Chicago Cardinals/Bears Schedule

image - Ebay

Some photos from the 1930's

photo - via Chicago Tribune

postcard - Ebay

photo - 'Ballpark of Baseball'

photos - via Chicago Tribune

photo - part of my personal collection

photos via Chicago Tribune

A Boxing Venue

The Coal Yard across the Street

an interesting location for coal yard silo's

but it did predate the ballpark

The RR tracks predated the ballpark by 60 years. The now defunct & removed RR was once used used for freight and called the Evanston branch of the

Chicago, Milwaukee, & St. Paul Railroad

photo via Bleed Cubbie Blue

a 1894 Sanborn Fire Map of the coal yard
a more zoomed view below

below is a 1923 slice view of the yard under another name
The Collin & Wiese Company - coal yard

a more zoomed view below

photo below - Hank's Trunk Farm

Coal Yard exists the Landscape by 1962

Enter PK Wrigley

the second owner 1932-1977

photo - Alchetron

The like 'things not people'

text image - Wrigleyville by Peter Golenbock

but a big NO on night games

photo - Sport Seer

PK Wrigley did entertained lights in the park in late 1941 spending $185,000 on a light system including 165 tons of steel but the WWII was declared in December of that year. PK donated the steel and other materials to the government according Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy.

a Cubs program for that year

images - Ebay

The Year 1933

Da' Bears playing a home game

photo via Man on Five

Bears v Cardinals

The Year 1934

photo - John Quin via Forgotten Chicago-Facebook

text and photo - Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

Game 3 of the 1935 World Series below

Phil Cavarretta

1934-1953

He played for the Cubs for continuously for almost 20 years

photo - Brace Collection via Ebay

Pennants of the 1930's

from my personal collection

The Year 1935

National League Champions that year
photo is part of my collection

photo - Chicago Railroad Historians
with a zoomed view some folks
overlooking the crowds below

photo - part of my personal collection

Da' Bears

photos via Chicago Tribune

A Cubs program book

from Ebay

another scorecard - Ebay

Cardinals v Detroit

The Year 1936

... was the last year for the original scoreboard

photo - Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

1936 photo below via Chicago Tribune

Western Union Ticket Buys ...

photo below via Ball Park of Baseball

Chicago Bears vs the Chicago Cardinals

both home teams at Wrigley Field from 1931-39

the front cover advertised next weeks game.

images - Ebay

The Year 1937

a year of renovations

which included the bleachers

but there other prior renovations ...

It Began in July

photo above - Baseball Yesterday and Today

photos below Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Peter Pathy

More Photos of the Construction

photo - via Skcelton

photos via Wrigley Report-Facebook

photos via Ball Park of Baseball

and a video below

Also that Year

There was Bear and Cardinal news ...

as you recall the Chicago Cardinals had their home games at Wrigley Field during the 1930's

The Year 1938

National League Champions that year
this photo is part of my collection

image - Ebay

photo & text - Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Peter Pathy

images - part of my collection

photo via Chicago Tribune
aerial view from a United Airlines airplane or blimp

press photo - part of my personal collection

Flagstaff Videos

video 1 via Bleacher Nation

video 2 via Bleacher Nation

video 3 via Bleacher Nation

video 4 via Bleacher Nation

video 5 via Bleacher Nation
and that coal yard across the street ...

postcard - part of my collection

images - Ebay

press photo - my personal collection

images - part of my collection

a Snowy and Empty Wrigley Field

via Wrigley Report-Facebook

The Year 1939

1939 photo - Calumet 412

Catalina Island,California would be off-limits to the Cubs during the wars years of 1942-1945 due to national security

from my personal collection

text & photo - Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

press photo - my personal collection

images - part of my collection

Baseball's New Names by Art Krenz

... and the last year for the Cardinals at Wrigley Field

images - part of my collection

Last Game at Wrigley for the Cardinals

The Year 1940

Active Ancients by Sords via Ebay
Cubs Managers to Date ...

image - Chicago Sunday Times via Ebay

Home Teams (football) Schedule in 1940

the team for 1940
part of my personal collection

The War Years

Dec. 1941 - Aug. 1945

The World at War

photos via 'Chicago World War II' by Images of America

Cub News in May 1941

newsletter is part of my collection

image - Philip Roeda via Original Chicago-Facebook

'Le Roy Paige first played for the semi-professional Mobile Tigers from 1924 to 1926. He began his professional baseball career in 1926 with the Chattanooga Black Lookouts of the Negro Southern League and became one of the most famous and successful players from the Negro leagues. While his outstanding control as a pitcher first got him noticed, it was his infectious, cocky, enthusiastic personality and his love for the game that made him a star.' - Wikipedia

article & illustration by Jack Sords via Ebay

photo - Ebay

photo - City at War: Chicago

'Real Cubs fans never called him Swish. To us, he was Big Bill, or Nick. The Swish nickname originated in Brooklyn. The big left handed hitter always leveled his bat across the plate several times when stepping in to face an opposing pitcher. Dodger fans would yell, "Swish, swish, swish," in unison with his practice swings. The name caught on on the east coast, but was soundly rejected in Chicago. Because news is made in New York, the Swish designation has survived and Big Bill has been all but forgotten. But you won't see Swish used here. Nicholson was the archetypical home run hitter of the 1940's. His numbers don't look impressive today, but in that low octane era, 20 homers was a big deal. He led the Cubs in home runs eight seasons in a row, a mark that was tied by Ernie Banks and finally broken by Sammy Sosa. From 1940 through 1944, he never finished lower than fourth in the National League in home runs. Although he topped 30 only once, he led the league in homers and RBI's in back to back seasons, 1943 and 1944.' - text from the film

The Year 1944
image - Ebay

1944 photo - Ebay

ski jumping in 1944
photos - Calumet 412

The Year 1945

the Year of that damn Goat

National League Champions that year
photo is part of my collection

photo - Cera Chicago

photo - Calumet 412

watch the highlights

photo via Chicago Tribune

article & photo via The Seattle Times

The Cubs lost to series in game 7

text - Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy
photo & text below - Calumet 412

Read an accounting of the last game

by the Associated Press

The Blame Game
text - Wrigleyville by Peter Golanbock

pin - from my personal collection

Bears vs Packers 1945 program booklet

images - Ebay

split pages

The Year 1946

heading to the game via El
press photo - part of my personal collection

A Move to Riverview Park??

photo - Digital Research Library of Illinois History Journal

text above - Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

below 1940's photo - Art Institute of Chicago

The Year 1947

part of my personal collection

The Year 1948

painting by Norman Rockwell

images via Calumet 412

images - part of my collection

The Year 1949

photo & text - Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

below photo - part of my personal collection

The Year 1950

images - part of my collection

Chicago Cubs v Chicago White Sox Scorecard

images - part of my collection

The Year 1951

aerial photo view - Chicago History Museum

... a rodeo comes to town

photo via Wrigley Report-Facebook

slides of the event is part of my personal collection

program - part of my personal collection

photo below via Chicago Tribune

new manager 1954-1956 and field player 1932-1947

image by City-Autograph

The Year 1952
First increase of box seats since 1919

The Year 1953
Enter Ernie Banks ...

1956 postcard - seller 'greg morris cards' via Ebay

text below from Wrigleyville by Peter Gozenbock

a video tribute

photo below - Brace Collection via Ebay

photo below via Chicago Reader

a 1970 photo - my personal collection

below photo of Ernie Banks with Pearl Jam in 2016
and part of my personal collection

Chicago Tribute video honoring him on Opening Night 2015

Others views for 1953

photos - part of my personal collection

The Year 1954

March 29, 1954 The Cubs fire skipper Phil Cavarretta after he tells reporters the team had little chance to finish in the first division. The 36-year-old player-manager, who compiled a 169-213 (.442) record during his three years at the helm, is the first person to lose a managerial position during spring training. The dismissal was all the more bitter for him since it came after an exhibition game in Dallas, where at the time he made his home and owned a children’s amusement park. - Marty Swartz, Living History of Chicago & Illinois-Facebook

playing the St Louis Cardinals

RBK Kodachrome 3D stereo photo slide via Ebay

The Year 1955

press photo - part of my personal collection

the year of my birth - images from Ebay

Cleaning up after a Bears Game in December

part of my personal collection

selected pages

images - my personal collection

The Year 1956
a experiment that failed after one season
photos - Calumet 412

the rendering above

The Year 1957

Ground-Keeper Bobby Dorr Dies

text below - Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

A part of Bobby Dorr was saved when the Ricketts Family decided to renovate his home in 2017

images - part of my collection

The Year 1958

photo - part of my personal collection

Lights at Wrigley Mentioned

Boxing Continues at Wrigley

image - Ebay

press photo - part of my personal collection below

southwest corner of Sheffield/Addison - late 1950's

The Year 1960

scorecard - part of my collection

text images - Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

No Lights Yet!

The Year 1961

While the coal yard is gone the RR tracks of the

Evanston branch of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul

photo - Chicago History Museum

photo below - Manny Manotas Velez

via Original Chicago-Facebook

photo below via Bleed Cubbie Blue

The Year 1962

photography by Algimantas Kezys via Calumet 412

Kodachrome photo - Vintage Everyday

press photo - part of my personal collection

When Rooftoppers were Residents

part of my personal collection

Lights Mentioned

images - part of my collection

a Chicago Tribune Advertisement

photo below - Ebay

The Year 1963

unknown publication via Ebay

clearing the field of tons of snow
photo - part of my personal collection

photo above - Geoff Schultz

via History of Chicago & Illinois-Facebook

Marty Swartz, via Living History of Chicago and Illinois-Facebook, mentioned that the "Chicago Bears relied on their defense to defeat the New York Giants 14-10 and win the national football championship. The heart of the 1963 Bears' league-leading defense - and of the entire team - was its corps of linebackers: from left, Larry Morris, Bill George and Joe Fortunato. - Ray Gora, Chicago Tribune" with photos

the game via YouTube

photos via Marty Swartz

photo - part of my personal collection

text - Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

pennant - part of my personal collection
and Bears ticket stubs - Ebay

The Year 1964

photo via Chicago Tribune

Halas yes, Wrigley no sure

press photo - my personal collection

A Food Hangout for 20 Odd Years
Franksville Restaurant
1110 W Addison/on Sheffield
1964-1980

photo & text - Ebay

1966 Chicago Tribune ad
zoomed address below

Enter Leo Durocher ...

one of the controversial managers

1966 photo - part of my personal collection
He managed the Cubs from 1966-1972

text below - Wrigleyville by Peter Golenbrock

The Year 1965

photo - Calumet 412

Video of Gale Sayers in December of that year

The Year 1966

photo - Marty Swartz via

Living History of Illinois & Chicago-Facebook

'The Wrigley Duo' by Algimantas Kezys' 1966, Calumet 412

The Year 1967

waiting for tickets at 3am

part of my personal collection

The Year 1969

1 inch pin - ausports2 via Ebay

'Between 1967 and 1972 one of the best teams ever assembled played in the friendly confines of Chicago’s Wrigley Field. The Cubs during those years were perennial favorites to win at least the National League championship. Anchored by three Hall of Fame players—Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, and Ferguson Jenkins—and a Hall of Fame manager, Leo Durocher, they should have dominated the league. A late arrival to the Hall of Fame, Ron Santo, also played for them. But they never even made the playoffs.'

Read more from this blog article from the link above.

image - plaquelady via Ebay

text from Wrigleyville by Peter Golonbock

Ron Santo catching a foul ball - Chicago History Museum

The Year 1970

1970 photo - Chicago History-Facebook

YouTube video of May 12th

photo via Chicago Tribune

booklet - part of my personal collection

text - Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

photo - part of my personal collection

images - part of my collection

"The Chicago Bears played their final game at Wrigley Field in 1970, bringing to an end their nearly 50-year relationship with the stadium. The Bears began playing at Wrigley back in 1921 when the team was still the Chicago Staleys and the field was called Cubs Park. The growing popularity of the team and the sport itself led to consistent overcrowding at the affectionately dubbed “friendly confines.” Portable bleachers and folding chairs were crammed into every available space to accommodate the mass of spectators. But the close proximity of players and fans at Wrigley Field fostered a unique level of connection between the two, and the Bears enjoyed many successes as a result. In fact, they won a total of eight championships while at Wrigley. However, in 1971, amid growing safety concerns, the addition of television cameras, and the NFL’s desire to accommodate 60,000 fans, the Bears finally uprooted and moved to their current home at Soldier Field, where they brought home the championship in 1986. The posted photo is Gale Sayers greeted by fans near the ivy." - Marty Swartz via Living History of Illinois & Chicago

A Protest Across the Street

‘There was a tee-pee outside of Wrigley Field in the ‘70's, and it had nothing to do with Cleveland or Atlanta baseball teams. It was put there by a group of Native Americans protesting poor social services and housing conditions for Native Americans relocated to Chicago. But it wasn’t at Clark and Addison – it was on the other side of Wrigley Field at Seminary and Waveland. The protest began in May 1970 when a Menominee woman named Carol Warrington and her six children were evicted from their apartment on North Seminary for refusing to pay rent. [Ms.] Warrington was withholding rent to pressure the landlord into improving the building’s living conditions.' according to the article written by WTTW corespondent Erica Gunderson with full article above.

And Then One Year Later ...

An Agreement by August

The Year 1971

images - part of my collection

LAST YEAR FOR

text - Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

images - Pro Football at Wrigley Field
by Beth Gorr/photos by Ron Nelson
(this book is part of my personal collection)

The Year 1973

text below - Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

images - part of my collection

'And ... the Torco sign

I ain't lookin' it up and prefer that it always be a mystery company or brand or whatever it was. When I was little my Dad was in the Air Force, and he always insisted that we not live on the air bases but rather, we were constantly buying houses and selling houses.We were stationed in Hawaii for 3 glorious years, and when we moved sold our house (which was on a lake and a short drive to the beach) for... $16,000.Long time ago, but...I equate the value of that real estate with the location of the Torco sign. Wouldn't you love to know what Mr. Torco paid to have his sign up for all those years? Across the street but basically the same place that Anheuser Busch is now actively helping Tom Ricketts pay for Yu Darvish or Anthony Rizzo.' - by Cubby Blue

The List of Advertisers

1914-2012

text below - Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

The Year 1974

part of my personal collection

images - part of my collection

The Year 1975

photo - Bob Rehak Photography

photo above via Chicago Tribune

photo below - Calumet 412

images - part of my collection

The Year 1977

PK Wrigley dies

text - Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

mid 1970's photo - Ebay
Pitching Quarters on Seminary Avenue
1977 photo - Greg Tilson via Original Chicago-Facebook

Enter William Wrigley III

the third owner 1977-1999

There is very little about him online other then what appears on Wikipedia. I am assuming his interest was more about his grandfathers company then Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field.

Inside the Scoreboard in 1977

photos - Ebay

The Year 1978

photo - part of my personal collection

trying to catch the ball in the fencing along with the garbage

photo below - Calumet 412

The Year 1979

Jack Brickhouse

text below - Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

book called Blizzard '79

this snowstorm last two days - January 13-14th

On May 17th

Dave Kingman hit 3 home runs and the Cubs scored a total of 22 runs but lost to the Phillies 23-22

video from Greg Siewert via Original Chicago-Facebook

photo - part of my personal collection

The Year 1980

A smiling George Halas, 85, throws out the ceremonial

first pitch at the Cubs’ home opener in 1980.

photo - Marty Swartz, Living History of Illinois & Chicago

scorecard from my collection

a Danish photographer, Dirk Bakker,

takes his fashion shot for this company

photo - Art Institute of Chicago

The Year 1981

a transitional year

According to the New York Times, ‘The Chicago Cubs, one of major league baseball's least successful franchises on the field in recent years, were sold yesterday for $20.5 million by William Wrigley to the Tribune Company, parent of The Chicago Tribune and The Daily News in New York. In announcing an agreement for the transfer of his 81 percent ownership and all remaining 1,900 shares in baseball's only publicly owned corporation, Mr. Wrigley, a Chicago chewing gum manufacturer, ended a family association with the National League team that began when his grandfather became a minority shareholder in 1916. That family tie, which was strengthened when the grandfather acquired a majority interest in 1921, was the oldest in major league baseball.’

photos - Man on Five

The Chicago Sting (1974-1988)

would occasionally play at Wrigley Field

a 1981 video - YouTube

text - Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

photo - part of my personal collection

The Year 1982

opposition to night games intensifies

photo - Mears Auction

text below - Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

But There Were Lights

from a book called 'The Cubs Light Up' via GE Reports

A Chicagology View: year by year

photo - Jody Avirgan via Twitter

The C.U.B.S.

Photographer Jim Dow View

image - Art Institute of Chicago

The Year 1983

part of my collection

bleacher fans in record number

photo below - Calumet 412

The Year 1984

photo - part of my personal collection

a Sanberg Game of Games

The First Concert

images - Ebay
view the non-ballgame events in my other post

The Year 1985

photo - part of my personal collection

Northside vs Southside: a 1985 article

The Year 1986

photo - part of my personal collection

The Year 1987
the son of the first president dies

the other Bill Veeck
text below - Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

Mayor Harold Washington Steps In
text below via Wrigleyville by Peter Golenbock

shirt - Ebay

the apparent mood of the time ...

photo - Art Institute of Chicago

Thomas Frederick Arndt photographer

The Year 1988:
the year of the lights

photo & text via Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

photo via Chicago Tribune
the first night game was not completed due to rain

page 2

The Installation

images below via Chicago National League Ball Park, Inc.

a booklet called 'Wrigley Field'

This booklet is part of my personal collection

The Neighborhood Protection & Improvement Agreement
This document has been enforce since 1988 in its various forms. One constant in the agreement has been an annual meeting help during the months before the next season. Residents of Wrigleyville, Alderman Hansen/Tunney along with the Cubs organization gather in a grand discussion to speak about the future of Wrigley Field and Chicago Cubs. This annual gathering have been a lively one during the 2014-2019 Wrigley Field/Wrigleyville renovations.
The original document was 34 pages

also that year ...

with a video from YouTube

photo - part of my personal collection

The Year 1989

photo via Chicago Tribune

text via Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

selling dirt from the field that year
postcard - Ebay

below photos - part of my personal collection

The Year 1990

an artist view in July 1990 via Ebay

photo - part of my personal collection

Postmarked in 1991
Seminary Avenue as a parking lot; once a
through street decades ago

postcard - Ebay

The Year 1992

part of my collection

text via Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

The Line Up for the Year

images via Ebay

A Movie that Highlights Wrigley Field

League of their Own

This DVD is part of my personal collection

YouTube clip

The Year 1993

photo - part of my personal collection

The Year 1994

text via Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

an oil canvass in the Addison Street Station

The Year 1996

text via Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

a story about weather

1954 photo via Cut4 via Twitter

2015 photo below by Wisconsin State Journal

The Year 1998

Harry Caray dies

photo via Albuquerque Journal

"Someday the Chicago Cubs are going

to be in the World Series"

that 1991 video

text via Wrigleyville by Peter Golenbock

image above - Princeton Club of Chicago
photo below via ABC News

The Year 1992

scorecard from my collection

The Year 2001

Under the leadership of the Chicago Tribune owners renovation plans begin

photo via Wrigley Report-Facebook

text via Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

What Happened

It is so ready for renovations!

photos - The Urinals of Wrigley Field

Chicago Hopes

landmark status

published by Preservation Magazine 2001

(click on images to enlarge)

page 1

page 2

The Year 2002

Sheffield Avenue would eventually loss space

text via Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

The Year 2005
photo via Chicago Cubs Yesterday and Today

The Year 2006

photo via Chicago Cubs Yesterday and Today
text via Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

The Year 2008
talk of selling the assets

and the worst economic downturn

since the Great Depression

Sam Zell

Sam Zell bought the Chicago Tribune hence the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field in 2007. He tried to sell off the pieces to the highest bidder instead of selling both the Cubs and the baseball field as a package deal.

text below via Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

The Year 2009

Cubs & Wrigley Field Bought

the new owners - The Ricketts Family
photo via The New York Times

Theo Epstein-president with Chairman Tom Ricketts

photo via Zimbio

text via Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

caption/photo - Greg Siewert via Original Chicago-Facebook

"Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane

lead the charge for the Blackhawks"

3701 N Kenmore Avenue
2009 photo via Google Maps

The Year 2010

photo via Chicago Magazine

text via Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

images - part of my collection

The Year 2012

article by NBC News

'"There is no doubt in my mind that if the Cubs were willing to leave Wrigley Field and build a state-of-the-art stadium with all of the amenities that fans have come to expect these days, they would be able to make a deal in the range of $20-25 million per year," he said. "However, if I was running a major corporation and I was asked to buy the naming rights to a renovated Wrigley, I would not touch that deal because of the potential for negative backlash from the Cubs' huge fan base who have known that ballpark as Wrigley Field Field for nearly 100 years.' - per article

the independent roof-top owners & their patrons
photo & text via Wrigley Field: Year by Year by Sam Pathy

Photo Omens for the Next Couple of Years

2013 photos via Chicago Tribune

The Year 2013

The Renovation Years Begin

October 2013 Ceremony

photo via MLB Vineline

The NEXT blog post will not only be about the five year long renovation of Wrigley Field but also the changes to Wrigleyville - for whatever happens to the baseball field happens to the neighborhood. I have a third related blog post on the non-baseball events that occurred, as well.

Scoreboard: its many faces