Quote:
Originally Posted by staff
I know exactly what you mean. 
Fact is, this is probably the situation for most stadiums of larger (and smaller) clubs in the world. |
well, it's not exactly the same for just any big stadium in any big city. what i was trying to say is that wrigley's magic goes beyond the purely visual, it's the history, the ambiance, the physical connection stretching across the previous century back to baseball's beginnings.
- it's the realization that you're watching baseball in 2008 on the same field that babe ruth played on.
- it's the fact that that your food options at wrigley are a hot dog or nachos, there ain't no creature comforts here, this is a ballpark, this place is all about beer and baseball, the two greatest things in the universe.
- it's the fact that when the game is over you drunkenly stumble through a vibrant, thriving, urban neighborhood, and not just some meager instant neighborhood that developed when they built the new ballpark downtown, but one that has been growing and developing along with its stadium for nearly a century.
- it's the fact that wrigley still uses a hand operated scoreboard instead of a 10 billion watt jumbo tron and a real stadium organ instead of crappy hair band rock from the 80s blasted over a shitty stadium sound system.
- it's the fact that wrigley's outfield wall employs natural growing ivy to protect players from crashing into it instead of vinyl covered gym mats that you see in most other ballparks.
- it's the bleachers. this place cannot be described with words.
- it's the roof tops on the buildings across sheffield and waveland. a game at wrigley is so big and important that even the other buildings in the neighborhood get in on the act.
- it's the fact that when i'm there, i'm cheering on my cubbies and knocking back several jugs of suds just as my great-grandfather used to do back in the early 20th century. that kind of history, that kind of connection to the past cannot be created, it can only come with the passing of the decades. america is a new nation relatively speaking, and chicago is even newer itself as a city, we don't have a lot of stadiums like wrigley left in america.
this isn't to say that wrigley is the only unique sports stadium in the world or the only one with a long history, but wrigley, along with fenway, is one of the singular classic american ballparks, and for that it's more special than just any big old stadium in any given big city. i urge you to visit chicago and to check this place out on a game day for yourself.
CHICAGO | Wrigley Field
here's to a great season:
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