Happy Thanksgiving From BCB
by Al Yellon on Nov 26, 2009 10:00 AM CST
in History
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PrintWhile you are enjoying your Thanksgiving Day, check out another historic photo of Wrigley Field, this one from 1975. A few things to look at before you go past the jump and find out exactly what day this picture was taken:
- Note the people in the RF corner sitting in the sunshine, while almost no one is sitting anywhere in the shade. This was a common practice in the 1960's and 1970's in the colder months of the season, when you could sit virtually anywhere in the ballpark. You can also see the corner of the upper deck, again, closed.
- Note the fashionable shoulder-length haircuts on many of the men in the foreground.
- Also note, not far from there, that some men in the mid-1970's still came to the ballpark in jackets, ties and fedoras. Some of these men were well-known in the bleachers as "the gamblers", and some of the characters in the play "Bleacher Bums", which was first performed in 1977, were based on these men.
- The basket, which had been installed only five years earlier, extended only to the edge of the bleacher seating area, not all the way to the foul line.
- Note the complete absence of anything on the rooftops.
After the jump you'll find out what day this photo was taken, despite the lack of any on-field clues.
Photo courtesy George Castle
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After George sent me this photo, we exchanged a few emails to determine what day it was taken. He remembered that it was during a homestand in late April vs. the Phillies, Cardinals and Mets. It couldn't have been either of the Cardinal games -- the Cubs opened the upper deck for weekend series. Taking a look at the rest of the games in that homestand, the only one that matches both the weather conditions and attendance was the last game of the homestand, May 1 vs. the Mets. Attendance was 5,637 -- as George told me, probably half of those were in the bleachers, and the game-time temperature was 50 degrees, warm enough to be in shirtsleeves in the sunny bleachers, but cool enough that fans in the other side of the park would have wanted to find any sun they could. Given the angle of the sun in the RF seats, this photo was probably taken fairly late in the game.
On that day, Steve Stone threw 5.1 decent innings and the bullpen shut down the Mets the rest of the way for a 5-2 win. It made Stone 4-0 with a 1.47 ERA -- after only 18 games! The Cubs were 13-5 after that win, and after defeating Houston on May 15, were 20-10, 3.5 games in first place.
It was a mirage. The '75 Cubs had a decent offense, finishing tied for third in the league in runs, second in walks (650 -- still the team record) and third in OBA. But the pitching staff was horrendous -- allowing 827 runs, 88 more than anyone else. From May 15 to the end of the season the Cubs went 55-77 and finished fifth. Stone went 8-8, 4.36 the rest of the year, although his overall 12-8, 3.95 season was the best of his three years on the North Side.
Hope you enjoyed this little slice of Cubs and Wrigley Field history. Happy Thanksgiving.
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From me to you,
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I hope you are able to enjoy the holiday with someone you love.
Also, I reference this quote which I posted in dmlichte’s Thanksgiving Thread about our American armed forces and men and women in uniform (it first appeared in Acme Packing Company, the SB Nation blog for the Green Bay Packers):
Furthermore, I am thankful for those in harm’s way who do not enjoy this luxury as they defend our country. As much as we discuss toughness and heroes in relation to football, we cannot imagine the toughness and bravery of our men and women fighting for the freedoms that we enjoy. You have my thanks, and I will forever keep you in my thoughts.
"I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart."
-Anne Frank-
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Nov 26, 2009 10:15 AM CST reply actions
Are they just meant to eliminate fan interference?
Or were they trying to shorten the distances? I think I remember Joe Morgan saying that they had something to do with Ernie Banks but I can’t remember what it was.
"I always tell the truth -- Even when I lie"
Joe Morgan flat-out lied on national TV.
They had nothing to do with Banks. They were to stop people from throwing trash on the field and to stop people from walking on top of the bleacher wall.
They also had nothing to do with fan interference — that wall is 12 feet high, way too high for anyone to interfere with an outfielder. See below for more.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
I'm thinking that in Morgan's case and the remark regarding Ernie....
it’s more just absolute stupidity, and the complete inability to do any prep work, rather than a lie……
by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Nov 26, 2009 10:34 AM CST up reply actions
And they never did make him apologize and correct the mistake.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
I believe the baskets do prevent fan interference
A fan in the first row of the bleachers before 1970 could easily reach over the wall and catch or deflect a ball that otherwise would have hit high off the wall. A play such as the Jeffrey Maier interference in the 1996 ALCS (video link, then click on “1996: The Kid”) was possible before the basket was installed.
Right, but..
… that outfield wall is higher than the one at Yankee Stadium. I can’t recall a single instance of fan interference, though it was mentioned in the Tribune article I found about the installation of the basket.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Unfortunately, no.
It’s in the Chicago Public Library online archive of the Tribune, but you need a CPL card to get in.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
There had been some trouble...
… with fans walking along the top of the wall (which at that time was flat) in April 1970. During a road trip that lasted from April 27-May 5, 1970, the Cubs put the current top on the wall (angled, to prevent people from walking on it) and finished installing the basket on May 6.
So, the first game at Wrigley Field with the basket was May 7, 1970, a 5-2 loss to the Reds. Only one HR was hit that day, by the Reds’ Bernie Carbo, and I don’t know if that one landed in the basket.
I’ll see if a little research can come up with what was the first HR hit into the basket. Will post if I can figure it out.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
I believe "This Old Cub"
has footage of fans jumping over the beacher wall and onto the field after a game
by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Nov 27, 2009 12:25 PM CST up reply actions
I've been away a while
just wanted to stop by and say Happy Thanksgiving. I’m ready for the hot stove to pick up.
"Booze, broads, and bullshit. If you got all that, what else do you need?" Harry Caray
by CubbieintheSouth on Nov 26, 2009 10:39 AM CST reply actions
Happy Thanksgiving to you too.
"I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart."
-Anne Frank-
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Nov 26, 2009 10:44 AM CST up reply actions
Happy Thanksgiving to all in BCB-land!
Oh, and BTW, Joe Morgan sucks ;)
Peace to all…
"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse
Happy Thanksgiving to you too.
Re: Joe Morgan: I think we’ve all known that since he started broadcasting.
"I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart."
-Anne Frank-
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Nov 26, 2009 10:44 AM CST up reply actions
That's simple.
Because ESPN is stupid. They don’t care how bad it is as long as he makes them think he knows what he’s talking about.
"I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart."
-Anne Frank-
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Nov 26, 2009 8:51 PM CST up reply actions
why would you not want the greatest 2b of all time* broadcasting for you
*who is currently not a minor league manager, ofcourse
1 Aaron down, 1 to go
by jesus christos on Nov 27, 2009 1:58 AM CST up reply actions
Happy Thanksgiving and
thank you for the picture. It invokes fond memories.
Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.
- The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll -
by eths on Nov 26, 2009 10:51 AM CST via mobile reply actions
What are we thankful for?
There’s a whole lot, too much to list. But on this site, I’m thankful for the forum bleedcubbieblue and all the hard work Al does to keep this as the best. Happy Thanksgiving all!
(BTW, Comcast is replaying the Cubs-Indians game this afternoon.)
This is only the beginning....Lou Pinella end of '07 season and Chicago Transit Authority (the band when they were really good).
Happy Thanksgiving from Afghanistan...
BCB continues to make my day.
Fantastic, Jim. Another middle infielder!
Happy Thanksgiving to you!
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Nov 26, 2009 11:56 AM CST up reply actions
We give thanks to you, Mapanator
and all who serve with you.
Cubs Supreme in Baseball World.
by Emelie on Nov 26, 2009 1:35 PM CST up reply actions 3 recs
rec's
too bad we can only make it green, not red, which and (cubbie) blue
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
I'm thankful that there are still
men and women out there who do what you do, Mapanator. You’re a cut above the rest of us.
Stay safe and God bless you.
"Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things." ~Winston Churchill
Happy Thanksgiving to you too.
Thank you for your service. Keep safe.
OK I don't know shit about basketball.
by SoulEater7 on Nov. 5, 2009 9:51 PM CST
Al, not that I doubt your deductive prowess...
…but can you definitively conclude the upper-deck was closed based on just one empty section? all the way at the end to boot.
Or were there more recollections in your exchange with George that support that conclusion?
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Well...
… I happen to know from personal experience that the upper deck was almost always closed on weekdays in the early part of the season in the 1960’s and 1970’s, unless they thought they were going to sell enough tickets to open it.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Oh, I don't doubt that...
it’s just that you eliminated the Cardinals games right off the bat because those were weekend games and as you say, the Cubs opened the upper deck for weekends. I was just wondering if it could have been a weekend game and nobody happened to be sitting in the end sections.
What’s your recollection on the weekend games back then – did they fill up the upper deck pretty good when it was open or was it foul ball paradise for the kids?
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Depends on the weekend.
Some, like Cardinals, drew more than others. But other games, it was half empty. You’d have loved foul-ball-hawking up there in that era.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Al
When did you first get season tickets?
"I've never complained about it. I'm thankful to have a jersey." Mark DeRosa, 22 Aug 2007
1992.
That’s when they first started selling bleacher season tickets.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
How many times have you sat between the dugouts?
Or do you just like the bleachers that much that you never go into the main grandstand?
"I've never complained about it. I'm thankful to have a jersey." Mark DeRosa, 22 Aug 2007
Good question.
I’ve probably sat in places other than the Wrigley bleachers less than 10% of the games I’ve been there.
I do often sit in other areas when I go to other ballparks; the different perspective is definitely useful.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Let me know if you want to try Coors Field.
"I've never complained about it. I'm thankful to have a jersey." Mark DeRosa, 22 Aug 2007
Happy Thanksgiving
I hope the Cubs can win today versus the Indians
"I hate to sound like a broken record, but I guess it's better than sounding like a broken mp3 player because then you would'nt hear anything." - Len Kasper
Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone
I just enjoyed my classic traditional Thanksgiving meal of a Burger and a Beer here at the Sheraton Hotel, Ankara, Turkey. “Only” 28TL ($18) for the burger, but since I have access to the Club Lounge and that was closed for a muslim holiday today, the beers were free. :)
Hope everyone stuffs themselves with Turkey and remember – deep fry that thing OUTSIDE! :)
The day we lose our will to fight - Is the day we lose our Freedom.
First Basket Home Run
According to Bob Logan in the May 11, 1970 Chicago Tribune, Billy Williams hit the first basket home run. It occurred in the fifth inning of a game on May 10 vs. the Reds.
In addition, I found a number of occasions before the basket where bleacher fans interfered with fly balls. The following game dates had potential home runs called ground-rule doubles because of fan interference— 5/22/39, 8/2/47, 9/17/47, 7/14/58. The following game dates had disputed home runs because of potential fan interference, but the umpires had the final say, calling them home runs—5/4/40, 7/24 or 7/25/51, 8/5/51, 6/6/54.
Thanks for the research.
According to the boxscore of that game, it was to right field.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Happy Thanksgiving to all here at BCB!
…..I love these older photos. It always amazes me how much the “landscape” has changed on Waveland and Sheffield. It almost hard to remember when they were just brick three flats instead of the modified corporate entertainment structures that they are now.
looked at the Picture...
but I didn’t see Papa Carl, Marv or any of the people I used to see in the bleachers in the day, but I didn’t sit out there in Right Field regularly (at least on Sundays) until 1977. Thanks for posting this and bringing up some good memories from back then.
See the Cubs 2010 schedule at http://cubsbythenumbers.com/sched2010.html
Also see what old Cubs Scorecards looked like at http://cubsbythenumbers.com/scorecards.html
The Baskets didn't need to go any further in those days
The areas beyond the bleacher seats were catwalks that IIRC were only accessible by the Andy Frain Ushers or the vendors, so the regular fans were not allowed in these areas, so no extra protection from the fans was needed.
See the Cubs 2010 schedule at http://cubsbythenumbers.com/sched2010.html
Also see what old Cubs Scorecards looked like at http://cubsbythenumbers.com/scorecards.html
Another thing you'll notice from the photo.
Almost no women. Before the 1980’s the bleachers were virtually all-male.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Thank you...
…to all of our soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, and coast guardsmen who are eating sand (and hopefully turkey) today far away from their families
…to all of our policemen, firefighters, doctors, and nurses who are taking their shifts today instead of eating turkey with their families
…to Al, for keeping BCB such a great place to “hang out”, especially during the Hot Stove season
…to all BCB posters for keeping the conversation going
Happy Thanksgiving!
"I've never complained about it. I'm thankful to have a jersey." Mark DeRosa, 22 Aug 2007
by DeRoMyHero on Nov 26, 2009 2:05 PM CST reply actions 3 recs
Rec'd.
"Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things." ~Winston Churchill
Happy Thanksgiving BCB!!
Al and everyone have a great day and Go Cowboys! Lol.
Harry Caray sold me on the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field. I bought with all I had to give as a 14 year old, my soul.
by Zy Toro Young on Nov 26, 2009 2:32 PM CST via mobile reply actions
At present,
Cowboys are leading 17-0.
Packers won 34-12 in Detroit, so I have lots to be thankful for today.
"I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart."
-Anne Frank-
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Nov 26, 2009 4:45 PM CST up reply actions
Thank God I'm not a serious Lions fan, or I'd have gone a nutsy Fagan by now...
Now only 12,859 on the "Cubs Season Tickets Waiting List"...
Thankful to be Here even without hair
Back in the 1970s I had long hair, too, but not any more. Now, after being kicked in the head by a horse and almost crashing an airplane, I’m just happy to be here to celebrate Thanksgiving with my wife of 36+ years and two great kids. Next year we’ll have a World Series championship to be thankful for as well! Al, thanks for BCB.
Make a wish
Check out the article on cubs mobile or probably on dot com. Good read
There goes one over the fence...a Tru-Link fence.
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