Righting History

SDN-003242, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago Historical Society
The Cubs played in the ballpark you see above before they were even known as the Cubs, beginning in 1893. When the century turned, they began the greatest period of baseball dominance in team history, and one of the greatest ever by any team -- winning four pennants in five years and two World Series, and winning 104 games in the year they didn't win the pennant (1909).
After "Lucky" Charlie Weeghman bought the Cubs as one of the results of the settlement of the Federal League lawsuit, he moved them, in 1916 into the park he had built for his Federal League Chicago Whales, two years earlier. Charles Murphy, who sold the Cubs to Weeghman, kept his West Side ballpark, which would host amateur games and even the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show:

DN-0066934, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago Historical Society
In 1919, Murphy sold the park and the land to the State of Illinois for $400,000 and the stands, mostly made of wood, were sold for scrap. The state built a medical building now known as the UIC Medical Sciences Building on the site.
And for more than 90 years, there has been nothing at that location to commemorate the Cubs and baseball history that happened there a century ago.
Tomorrow, that changes. Mike Reischl and The Way Out In Left Field Society has worked for several years to try to get an historical marker remembering the history of the Cubs at West Side Grounds, and tomorrow, Saturday, September 6, there will be a dedication ceremony beginning at 10 am at 912 S. Wood in Chicago. I'm going to be there and will post some photos tomorrow afternoon. Here's Mike's explanation of how the phrase "Way Out In Left Field" originated:
The phrase "way out in left field" has evolved to mean an eccentric, odd, misguided or peculiar statement or act. Although the origin of the phrase has been challenged and debated over the years, the most logical and realistic explanation comes from an extinct baseball park called West Side Grounds that the Chicago Cubs called home from 1893 to 1915. As legend has it, a mental hospital called the Neuropsychiatric Institute was located directly behind the left field wall. The Institute housed mental patients who could be heard making strange and bizarre comments within listening distance of players and fans. Thus, if someone said that you were "way out in left field," the person was questioning your sanity and comparing you with a mental patient.
Whether you believe that or not, kudos to Mike Reischl and the Society for working hard to right this historical omission. It's way past time.
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39 comments
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Comments
So...
Way out in left field might refer to Cubs fans too, huh? :)
Nice.
"Manny Trillo is coming in to pinch run. You know, for a lot of teams, you would pinch run for Manny Trillo." - Harry Caray
by Archie on Sep 5, 2008 9:14 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
LOL
Not necessarily!
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
by Al on Sep 5, 2008 9:16 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Don't you usually sit in left field, Al?
:) hehehehehe
After I hit a home run I had a habit of running the bases with my head down. I figured the pitcher already felt bad enough without me showing him up rounding the bases. ~Mickey Mantle
by Jettero2112 on Sep 5, 2008 9:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
LMAO
But not WAY out in left field!
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
by Al on Sep 5, 2008 9:40 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh, that's ballhawk?
Disposable dixie cup drinkin... I'm hiding out in the big city blinking...
by N Oakley on Sep 5, 2008 9:46 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
so would people on the rooftops be WAAAY out in left field
considering how much rooftops cost for some games I could see that.
---AC 00 00 00 - Believe
by mjk83 on Sep 5, 2008 10:26 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I dunno
you sit about as far out in left as you can possibly get!
Our 2008 Chicago Cubs -- FINDING WAYS TO WIN!
by drewishdrewid on Sep 5, 2008 12:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Second!
Cool pics!
Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand. - Homer J Simpson
by MikeOxbyg on Sep 5, 2008 9:16 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
That Wild West Show
looks like where Marty McFly prepped to travel back to 1885.
by daeviant on Sep 5, 2008 9:16 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Interesting Stuff
I especially liked the pictures of the cub bear on the field and of Murphy in what seems to be the equivalent of a skybox back then. Look forward to the ceremony pics also.
i’ve also buzzed up
Go ahead, Z me.
by tony412 on Sep 5, 2008 9:30 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Very cool.
I always knew the old field was on the “west” side of town, but never knew the location until this year. Can’t wait to walk by after the sign is up.
Disposable dixie cup drinkin... I'm hiding out in the big city blinking...
by N Oakley on Sep 5, 2008 9:31 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
The picture gallerys on that website are amazing.
The “pennant raising ceremony” is a great shot.
http://bc1000.com/graphics_twoilfs/gallery06.htm
Disposable dixie cup drinkin... I'm hiding out in the big city blinking...
by N Oakley on Sep 5, 2008 9:45 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Thanks
Great Photos in the Gallery – be sure to look at the others (#01 – 05)
Cubs Win!! Cubs Win!
by Ihatethecards on Sep 5, 2008 9:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
looks like a short porch in right
but they need to put up a basket to keep the hordes from jumping onto the field.
and maybe some coloration on the walls of some sort
by tim815 on Sep 5, 2008 10:15 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Nice touch, Al...
with the exra little context to the Magic Number. Here’s hoping we see Jose Cardenal (or whoever) up there very soon.
"This field, this game...it reminds us of all that once was good, and it could be again." ~ Terence Mann
by chr15 on Sep 5, 2008 10:21 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Showing my age and era
- and I think Glen Beckert.
by rlpete on Sep 5, 2008 1:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ooops meant to type 18
But a # in front caused a formatting problem.
by rlpete on Sep 5, 2008 1:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, so do I.
Which is why I chose a different player.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
by Al on Sep 5, 2008 1:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Very nice Al...
need a little history lesson to get my mind off our pitching staff woes, thx
You ARE freaking out MAN!
by crw89 on Sep 5, 2008 10:48 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
only regret
The only regret about the West Side grounds was that they never won a World Series on their home field. Both clinchers came at Detroit. Does anybody know if there is a plaque for Bennett Park in Detroit? I’d like to go there and stand next to the place where the Cubs won the Series!!
"It's a funny old world. Man's lucky if he gets out of it alive." W.C. Fields
by KedzieKid on Sep 5, 2008 10:50 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
that's interesting
taking it a step further I wondered..obviously the white sox won the 1906 world series in chicago(beating the cubs), but what about ’17 and ’05? The AL had homefield advantage in ’05 and the Sox swept, winning the clinching game in Houston. In 1917 the Sox beat the giants 4-2, winning the clinching game at Polo Grounds in NY.
the only time a Chicago team has clinched a world series championship in chicago was in 1906 when it was a city series
---AC 00 00 00 - Believe
by mjk83 on Sep 5, 2008 11:07 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Great work and a small correction
Murphy didn’t sell the Cubs to Weegham. Murphy sold control of the team in 1914 to Charles P. Taft, who had been bankrolling Murphy the whole time.
Taft, who was the half-brother of the former president, had absolutely no interest in owning a baseball team, and only bought the Cubs as a favor to the other owners, who were sick of “Chubby Charlie” Murphy and wanted him out of the game.
As a Cub owner, Taft was the Sam Zell of his era, owning the team only with the purpose to sell it. Taft was only too happy to sell to Weegham as a condition of ending the war with the Federal League.
Borowy . . .Sutcliffe . . .Harden?
by Josh77 on Sep 5, 2008 11:26 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Anyone have a guess as to what is happening in the top pic?
It looks like the visiting team has just hit a two run homer. Anyone? Anyone?
The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been . . . baseball.
by Weeghman Park on Sep 5, 2008 11:52 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Is that Howry walking off the mound?
The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been . . . baseball.
by Weeghman Park on Sep 5, 2008 11:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Could be...
..his great grand father. I’ll bet he only had one pitch as well.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
by MPH73 on Sep 5, 2008 2:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Al, the buzz is in the upper right hand corner
Not way out in left :)
by GoCubbies34 on Sep 5, 2008 12:20 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
The Left Field legend
As a UIC grad (MSME 1985), I’d heard that “Out of Left Field” explanation before. Makes sense to me.
Thanks for posting this, Al.
by thermal54 on Sep 5, 2008 12:42 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Also...
…the photo of the cattle and horses made me LOL at my desk. I dunno, reminded me of “Blazing Saddles” maybe. Heh.
by thermal54 on Sep 5, 2008 12:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
'Scuse me while I whip this out!
"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris
by willie mays hayes' gloves on Sep 5, 2008 1:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Camptown ladies sing this song...
Disposable dixie cup drinkin... I'm hiding out in the big city blinking...
by N Oakley on Sep 5, 2008 1:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think it's "sing dis song"
Rock Ridge! Rock Ridge!
The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been . . . baseball.
by Weeghman Park on Sep 5, 2008 2:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Mongo only pawn in game of life.
"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris
by willie mays hayes' gloves on Sep 5, 2008 2:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
"I get no kick from champagne."
The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been . . . baseball.
by Weeghman Park on Sep 5, 2008 2:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
'laurel and hardy'
handshakes all around
by tim815 on Sep 5, 2008 1:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Was that the funniest movie ever made when it came out?...
The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been . . . baseball.
by Weeghman Park on Sep 5, 2008 2:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

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