Wrigley Resodding Project - Up Close And Personal, 11/14

by Al on Nov 14, 2007 3:35 PM CST in 2007 Wrigley Resodding Project

With the sod actually being laid today, I thought it was time to go to the ballpark and have a look at what's going on there.

The "knothole" is open, obviously to give the workers access, and as you will see in the photos below, to get the sod from outside to inside.

It was cold and windy, but it still felt like baseball.

Left to right:
Rolls of sod lined up along Sheffield
Closeup of a roll of sod next to the outfield wall
Closeup of the infield -- you can clearly tell that the crown has been leveled
Sod lined up inside park, workers installing sod in infield, closeup of RF wall -- the padding has been removed, to be replaced later

Photos by Al

(as always, click on thumbnail to view full-size in new browser window. If you are using IE, you may have to click the lower-right corner of the image in the new window to expand it to its full size; in Firefox click anywhere on the image.)

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I need...

To walk over there and snatch a corner off one of those rolls!

by Yepsen on Nov 14, 2007 3:28 PM CST 0 recs

Better hurry.

They're bringing them inside pretty quick.

And there's a security guard nearby.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Nov 14, 2007 3:30 PM CST up 0 recs

There and Back!

I was able to pinch off a few blades from a roll against the wall, mostly out of the view of the guard. That guard I might add, was not very imposing!

Nice little addition to the museum!

by Yepsen on Nov 14, 2007 3:51 PM CST up 0 recs

There and back so fast

....where do you live? Im over at Irving and Western but am moving into a house my buddy is buying two block down on Kenmore. I CANNOT WAIT. I am excited to watch the first inning from my house and then low ball the scalpers in the second inning. (headphones to avoid missing things)

"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry "I strongly dislike Steve Stone." ---Hammer

by Hammer on Nov 14, 2007 3:56 PM CST up 0 recs

I live really close..

Newport & Seminary to be exact...

by Yepsen on Nov 14, 2007 3:59 PM CST up 0 recs

Nice

Yeah I will be just about 1.75 blocks away. 6th house from the end where Kenmore deadends.

"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry "I strongly dislike Steve Stone." ---Hammer

by Hammer on Nov 14, 2007 4:05 PM CST up 0 recs

That's pretty sweet...

Had to have been a pretty penny your friend laid down... Sounds like a good friend to have!

by Yepsen on Nov 14, 2007 4:05 PM CST up 0 recs

Yeah

Him and his Dad are buying it. His Dad buys lots of real estate and when he sells a property it has to be invested within 30 days to avoid being taxed. That plus a jumbo loan and he should be the proud owned of an incredible 3 flat. He will live on the top floor his brother in the middle and me and my girlfiend on the bottom.

Should be fun. AND YES. He could turn and sell that place in 10-15 years for more than double.

I hope one day to get a bunch on BCBers over for pre/post game.

"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry "I strongly dislike Steve Stone." ---Hammer

by Hammer on Nov 14, 2007 4:09 PM CST up 0 recs

I think it's time

to diversify my friend portfolio, I need some more valuable equity in the "buying awesome houses" department.

by Yepsen on Nov 14, 2007 4:13 PM CST up 0 recs

HA

Ha, he is a smart guy. Ive been friends since high school and I hope to pick his brain on this real estate crap.

Hes a good friend to have, AND HE IS HOSTING POKER THIS FRIDAY NIGHT. What a combo.

"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry "I strongly dislike Steve Stone." ---Hammer

by Hammer on Nov 14, 2007 4:22 PM CST up 0 recs

Speaking Entirely Superficially...

Your friend seems to be full of win.

by Yepsen on Nov 14, 2007 4:31 PM CST up 0 recs

Hi neighbor!

typing to you live from Newport & Racine...

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Nov 14, 2007 7:21 PM CST up 0 recs

Well howdy!

Good to see a fellow Newporter!

by Yepsen on Nov 14, 2007 9:06 PM CST up 0 recs

Nice theory on that low balling the scalpers

in the second inning thing but in practice... You have a better chance of just finding a fan with an extra. The scalpers are pretty hard assed about not dropping prices.

by TR on Nov 14, 2007 7:32 PM CST up 0 recs

Good advice......

Isnt it funny how they would rather make no money that a little less......EGO MUCH

"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry "I strongly dislike Steve Stone." ---Hammer

by Hammer on Nov 15, 2007 8:28 AM CST up 0 recs

I love...

...the warning tracks in foul territory. How many times have we watched a player chase a ball and wonder if he'll knock himself out needlessly?

by Flatley on Nov 14, 2007 3:30 PM CST 0 recs

Dem rolls look mighty tasty.

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 Chicago Cubs starting outfield: Soriano-Pie-Fukudome. Let it be.

by dat cubfan daver on Nov 14, 2007 3:36 PM CST 0 recs

thanks al

this project has been fun to watch and it's always neat to see the how it looks from the different angles, plus your pics are obviously much higher quality than the web cam.

AC 00 00 00 - BELIEVE

by mike on Nov 14, 2007 3:40 PM CST 0 recs

I am such a loser LOL

A beautiful 80º day in Chandler and what am I doing? Watching people lay sod at Wrigley Field!

Thanks Al and others for the photos and the links. This is so cool.

"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse

by BigJohnAZ on Nov 14, 2007 3:43 PM CST 0 recs

FYI

your not the only 'loser' around, there are many more of us in the same boat!! Your boat just happens to be a whole helluva lot warmer than anybody elses!!

I propose a toast to the great 100th anniversy gift known to mankind - A CUBS WORLD SERIES VICTORY!

by BigZ 4 Cy on Nov 14, 2007 3:49 PM CST up 0 recs

Cubs fans are a different breed

aren't we? What a fantastic initiation it would be to win the World Series on the new turf. Maybe this was the "real" curse all along ??? lol

"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse

by BigJohnAZ on Nov 14, 2007 3:55 PM CST up 0 recs

There's no such thing as a loser

in an 80F climate, mid Nov.

Wish I was near the ballpark like some of the others but hey 80F is pretty good also.

Our grandparents used to say, "I hope the Cubs win the Series before I die". Now teenagers are saying it. Let's change that next season!

by blackhawk24 on Nov 15, 2007 6:42 AM CST up 0 recs

? for anybody in the know!

does anyone know what they are doing with the scaffolding in the third and fourth photos?? is that just general maintenance that they do every year?? or is it related to the resodding?? (I cant see how t would be)

Wish I could be there sitting in the bleachers with a winter coat on and drinking old stlye right now! Oh.... it makes work go by sooooooooooo slow just knowing what I could be doing...............

I propose a toast to the great 100th anniversy gift known to mankind - A CUBS WORLD SERIES VICTORY!

by BigZ 4 Cy on Nov 14, 2007 3:45 PM CST 0 recs

From the live views

it looks like they are really aggressive today in getting the sod laid. I can see the sprinklers going in left field. I know there is only about a half hour until sunset there. Anyone think they will work under the lights and finish tonight???

"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse

by BigJohnAZ on Nov 14, 2007 3:59 PM CST 0 recs

Probably not.

But they'll be working all day tomorrow and Friday, and maybe over the weekend. I still think they'll meet their goal of Thanksgiving.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Nov 14, 2007 4:02 PM CST up 0 recs

It definitely looks like they will

meet the deadline. All they need after that is a nice, couple of days of soft showers.

"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse

by BigJohnAZ on Nov 14, 2007 4:05 PM CST up 0 recs

Dog

I love the pic with the dog in it. I want my dog to lift his leg on the Wrigley sod!

Eamus Ursuli!

by WGNstatic on Nov 14, 2007 4:27 PM CST 0 recs

As long as its a leg lift and not a squat

Female pee kills the grass, male doesn't. My vet explained that to me 14 years ago when we got "Pebbles", our Beagle/Dalmation but I can't remember the explanation.

Hey, any sightings of the cover material they're putting over the sod?

Our grandparents used to say, "I hope the Cubs win the Series before I die". Now teenagers are saying it. Let's change that next season!

by blackhawk24 on Nov 15, 2007 6:45 AM CST up 0 recs

None so far.

I imagine they have to get the sod in before they start trucking that stuff in.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Nov 15, 2007 9:08 AM CST up 0 recs

THE THRILL OF THE GRASS

This is the title story in W.P Kinsella's short story collection which I urge all of you to run and buy ( or order on the internet). THE THRILL OF THE GRASS is the most beautiful ode to baseball sod and baseball fans you will read. I don't want to give too much away but it concerns a group of anonymous fans who decide to take the opportunity afforded by a baseball strike to sneak in late at night and replace Astro Turf with grass one square at a time.
Equally important is that this is the same book which contains the short story THE LAST PENNANT BEFORE ARMAGGEDON which is easily the greatest piece of fiction ever written about the Cubs.
So seriously get copy of this book ASAP.

"It's the Cubbies. There's always a vibe. It's the greatest vibe in baseball." Greg Maddux on Cub fan's optimism even after the 06 debacle.

by jessica on Nov 14, 2007 4:29 PM CST 0 recs