The Cubs' West Side Grounds, Honored At Last

by Al on Aug 20, 2009 3:30 PM CDT in News Comment 39 comments

Almost a year ago, on September 6, 2008, a ceremony was held on the Near West Side of Chicago, at 912 S. Wood Street, which was the site of the West Side Grounds, where the Cubs played from 1893-1915. Both of the Cubs' World Championship teams played there (though neither of their World Series was won there; the clinching games of the 1907 and 1908 World Series were both in Detroit); in all, four World Series were hosted there (1906, 1907, 1908, 1910).

There was some controversy over the wording of the plaque commemorating West Side Grounds that was dedicated that day last year. The wording was changed and a new plaque was placed on the site in late January, with no ceremony involved. I had been meaning to get over there for some time to take a photo of the new marker and post it; today was that day.

At last, perhaps, the restless ghosts of Cubs past can rest peacefully.

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I remember the original plaque...

it’s stupid that they had to remove it just to please a vocal minority that didn’t really have a very good complaint.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 20, 2009 3:37 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

What did the original plaque say?

by Urbanfury on Aug 20, 2009 3:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Search the site for the original story...

… didn’t have time to post a link. There are photos there.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al on Aug 20, 2009 3:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Here...

is the original.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 20, 2009 3:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ah, gotcha.

So they had to change the sign so the (true) origin of a phrase wouldn’t offend anyone?

Censoring history is awesome!

by Urbanfury on Aug 20, 2009 3:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm starting a campaign to edit the chapters of all elementary history books...

removing any mention of Anglos in connection with slavery. Just so nobody gets offended. In fact, I may just try and get them to remove the slavery references completely and replace it with historical accounts of Eskimos.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 20, 2009 3:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

But not the Eskimos that eat Whale.

That might offend the Greenpeace types.

by Urbanfury on Aug 20, 2009 3:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think the Greenpeace people are pretty hands off when it comes to Eskimos.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 20, 2009 4:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

When political correctness collides with political correctness

As the old QT column (in the Sun-Times) used to say.

by Jody Jody Davis on Aug 20, 2009 4:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

As my old sig line said...

“Political Correctness is a doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous press, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.”

Follow me on twitter @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Aug 20, 2009 5:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well at least we still have the picture

of the opriginal plaque.

by 100yearitch on Aug 20, 2009 5:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wow, that was pretty harmless

by Zonk on Aug 20, 2009 3:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, it sure was.

Some people have too much time on their hands.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al on Aug 20, 2009 3:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I love to find out phrase originations...

“way out of left field” where players and fans could hear odd and strange remarks during the games. I never knew that.

Funny how things remain the same. And Al, don’t you sit past the left field fence? lol

Say this much for big league baseball - it is beyond question the greatest conversation piece ever invented in America. ~Bruce Catton

by KaliCub on Aug 20, 2009 5:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

LOL

But not IN left field!

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al on Aug 20, 2009 5:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

We need

restless ghosts of Cubs past to help us over the next 6 weeks.

This is only the beginning....Lou Pinella end of '07 season and Chicago Transit Authority (the band when they were really good).

by mrcubsfan on Aug 20, 2009 3:45 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs

I'd be good with that.

Believe or Leave ~Cubswynn 9/9/2008

by slcathena on Aug 20, 2009 5:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

"Fasten your seatbelts"-Pat Hughes

by katie casey on Aug 20, 2009 3:45 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I remember this story, too.

The new sign looks good.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by dat cubfan daver on Aug 20, 2009 3:46 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Mine looks better...but it's not politically correct.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 20, 2009 3:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, the original language didn't bother me either...

…but I am more physically attracted to the new sign.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by dat cubfan daver on Aug 20, 2009 3:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

You're an adult....

so I guess you can date who or whatever you want man.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 20, 2009 3:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't see how it isn't politically correct

there are no derogatory terms used for either the hospital or the patients. Sad that something that happened over a century ago can’t be spoken about in a straight forward manner.

It never gets to be easy

by chitownhawkeye on Aug 20, 2009 5:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with you.

The sign should have been left alone.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al on Aug 20, 2009 5:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wow, that was pretty harmless

by Zonk on Aug 20, 2009 3:53 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

TWSS

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 20, 2009 3:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

My office

overlooks the old site of the ballpark on Wood street near the UIC medical school. True nostalgia, no doubt.

by magicblue on Aug 20, 2009 4:03 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

my office is a couple blocks east,

in the School of Public Health and Psychiatric Institute, which used to also be a psychiatric hospital. I wonder if it is the same one? Maybe not.

by lalocp on Aug 20, 2009 6:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

submitted w/o comment

Cubs will win 79 to 83 games. Season has been over for weeks. St. Louis will eventually run away with this division. And you can print it. BLou (7/21/09)

This season has long been over. krummy12 (6/30/09)

by joeschmitt on Aug 20, 2009 4:29 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 20, 2009 4:33 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Very nice

Greg Maddux could put a baseball through a Life Saver if you asked him. ~ Joe Morgan

by Sioux City Cubs Fan on Aug 20, 2009 4:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

from the complaints the idiots were making about the original...

you’d think this was what it actually said.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 20, 2009 4:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

LOL

Just to make it clear, SWL’s image is NOT the real original sign.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al on Aug 20, 2009 5:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Cubs will win 79 to 83 games. Season has been over for weeks. St. Louis will eventually run away with this division. And you can print it. BLou (7/21/09)

This season has long been over. krummy12 (6/30/09)

by joeschmitt on Aug 20, 2009 4:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nice work!

Bat-shit crazies!

"He can't hit, he can't field, he can't run—all he can do is beat you."

by Itchy on Aug 20, 2009 4:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The American Bat Society takes exception to that phrase

The vast majority of bats are harmless nocturnal creatures who avoid interaction with humans. The image of bats promulagated
in human culture as dangerous blood sucking or “crazy” animals is extremely offensive to us. The current popular reference to us
relating to fecal material is equally offensive. May I suggest " Human feces crazy" if you must use some phrase of that nature.

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Aug 20, 2009 6:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy
2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
3. No animal shall wear clothes.
4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.
5. No animal shall drink alcohol.
6. No animal shall kill any other animal.
7. All animals are equal.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 20, 2009 6:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs