Cubs Historic Photos: 22nd In A Series
by Al Yellon on Jan 30, 2010 8:30 AM CST
in History
77 comments
At first glance, you might think there aren't enough clues in this photo to figure out when it was taken. Think about it again and you'll realize it's actually fairly simple. (And yes, unlike a couple of recent photos, this time I'm 100% certain.)
Click on photo to open a larger version in a new browser window
The key to figuring this one out is the identity of the third baseman. If you know your 1980's Cubs history (and this has to be the 1980's, given the Cubs uniform style and the Atlanta road uniform), you'll recognize Keith Moreland. Moreland played 195 games at 3B as a Cub, 150 of them in 1987 as the regular 3B. As a third baseman, Moreland was a much better outfielder, but he had to move from RF to 3B in '87 to make room for Andre Dawson.
So that makes 1987 the likely year of this photo -- and the proof of that is the Atlanta road uniform; Moreland was traded to the Padres after the 1987 season and 1987 was also the first year that the Braves wore those road uniforms after many years of wearing powder-blue road uni's.
If you followed baseball closely in the 80's, you'll recognize Dale Murphy as the sliding baserunner. The Braves played five games at Wrigley Field in 1987 -- the sixth scheduled one was postponed and not rescheduled. So which game was it?
The size of the crowd is your next clue. The first Cubs/Braves series in 1987 took place on a weekend -- May 22, May 23 and May 24. Attendance at those games was, in order: 28,667, 33,225 and 37,259 -- all far too large to have as many empty seats as you see in the photo.
So it has to be the one other date -- August 27, when the teams played a doubleheader in front of 19,006. There are several possibilities given the game logs for game one and game two -- Murphy was on base several times. But the only one that truly makes sense would be a play in the fourth inning of game one. Murphy was on second base and retired at 3B on an attempted sacrifice; that's the only reason Moreland would have been facing toward the plate on the play.
The teams split the doubleheader. After winning game two the Cubs were at .500 -- 63-63. In somewhat typical fashion for that era, they then collapsed and went 13-22 the rest of the way to finish last in Andre's MVP season.
Reminder: you can buy this and other historic Cubs and Chicago photos on eBay from seller "suntimesphotoarchive".
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No, I know it was a clue
I just meant that it was still surprising to see. Obviously I’m used to seeing Wrigley packed.
That was pretty common in that era.
Wrigley didn’t start to routinely sell out until 2003.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
I disagree with this
Attendance increased dramatically in 1984, and the only years that they drew less than 2,000,000 since then were 1985 and the strike-shortened years of 1994 and 1995.
Additionally, until 1993, the National League counted attendance as those who actually went through the gates, not tickets sold, as is used today.
An empty Wrigley Field really wasn’t all that common in the late 1980’s. A glance at Moreland’s sleeves suggests the weather wasn’t that great for August, which likely had a lot to do with it – and a cursory glance at weather records suggests August, 1987 was a rainy one in Chicago.
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 Jan 30, 2010 12:41 PM CST up reply actions
The infield dirt looks a little "tacky", also suggesting that it was rainy
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 Jan 30, 2010 12:43 PM CST up reply actions
You're right about August 1987 being rainy.
That is the month that holds the record for the most rain in a single month in Chicago history, also IIRC the biggest single rainstorm (over 9 inches).
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Good thing it wasn't snow . . . .
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 Jan 30, 2010 12:49 PM CST up reply actions
I remember August 1987 very well
I was a route driver for Hinckley & Schmitt Bottled water and I was soaked every day. It really sucked. It basically rained every day for a month.
"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse
You're right about attendance figures, however....
… I stand by my statement regarding “routine sellouts”. 2 million attendance would mean an average of about 25,000 per game, which would be far below daily sellout level.
Only since 2003 have the Cubs sold out virtually every game on a routine basis.
And there were many seasons where games drew less than 20,000 on a regular basis, until after 1998, when attendance again increased dramatically.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Yes, you did say sellouts.
I agree with that part of your statement. Still, the stadium wasn’t that empty on a routine basis at that point.
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 Jan 30, 2010 12:47 PM CST up reply actions
Respectfully disagreeing with you again...
… as I was there on a regular basis in that era. Many home games drew 20,000 or less, except in the summer months. Even as late as 1998 (before the Sammy thing got going), you could see a crowd of 15,000 or so on a weekday — that’s how many saw Kerry Wood’s 20-K game.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Al, there's no way there are 15,000 people in the park at the time of the photo
It’s only 1 corner of the place, but it looks like 5000 maximum.
And Wood’s 20K game was during a cool, rainy day.
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 Jan 30, 2010 12:51 PM CST up reply actions
True regarding the 20-K day.
The attendance on the day in question was 19,006. Remember, you are looking at only three sections, in the farthest corner of right field. It could well be that many of the other seats were filled, including the bleachers.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Also, keep this in mind.
This was a doubleheader played on a Thursday — after, as you can see from the Cubs day by day 1987 game log, they hadn’t played for three days.
I checked a 1987 schedule. The Cubs were supposed to have played the Braves in a 3-game series that Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday. Tues & Wed were rained out and they managed to play only the two games on Thursday. As you note, it appears the weather was still crappy that day, and it being the fourth inning of the first game, perhaps people still expecting the normal 1:20 start hadn’t arrived yet.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Yes, that all makes sense
So it comes down to unusual circumstances. Crowds under 20,000 weren’t unheard of, but again – that’s a pretty empty ballpark.
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 Jan 30, 2010 1:00 PM CST up reply actions
And, being a DH in the pic, not all fans were there for all of both games
I think we agree on most of this . . . but it really doesn’t look like 19000 fans there when the picture was taken. My 5000 estimate may be low, but I don’t know by how much.
You’re completely right about 2003, but that’s still a pretty empty ballpark for most days post-1984.
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 Jan 30, 2010 12:59 PM CST up reply actions
Again...
… you are looking at three empty sections. It’s likely, as I said above, given that was the top of the fourth inning of an unscheduled doubleheader on a cloudy day in a rainy week, a lot of people might not have arrived yet.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
I'm guessing it just looks less crowded from that angle.
Those seats are rather far away. If I was going to a game where there were only 19,000, I would take better seats if they were available. Maybe it was more crowded in closer sections.
"Fasten those seatbelts"-Pat Hughes
Those are a lot more than three sections
The club boxes aren’t even full.
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 Jan 30, 2010 3:45 PM CST up reply actions
It's still only a small fraction of the ballpark.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Hmm... I sense a HANNIE nomination in the making here...
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Agreed, Al.
With few exceptions there would only be crowds over 30,000 on weekends during this period when the Cubs weren’t very good. Summer weekdays would differ according to weather and what team was in town. Weekdays when kids were in school could dip under 10,000 easily.
These make-up doubleheaders had noon starts and not much of a crowd had usually gathered until the middle of game one. Plus, as of ’87, the ushers were only beginning to get into full Nazi mode concerning sitting in your assigned seat so everyone crowded around the infield and it thinned out from there toward the foul poles.
Your point about 2003
Should also be posted in the Mark Prior thread, as a rebuttal to all the people who say he “stole” from the Cubs. Not a coincidence that 2003 is the year that pushed ticket sales to the limit.
by Orval Overall on Jan 30, 2010 2:11 PM CST up reply actions
True, but obviously, it wasn't just Prior's efforts...
… although, he had a marvelous season.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Miss those days
Before Wrigley got so damn crowded all the time.
I recognized Moreland immediately. He was a bit of a joke at third. I remember my brother and I wondering why the heck they moved him there (obviously because Dawson had joined the team and there was nowhere else for Moreland to play). But I think he made about 30 errors at third that year.
"They found a delivery in my flaw." - Dan Quisenberry
28 errors, to be exact.
He was awful. The Cubs had no other choice at the time, and traded him after the 1987 season was over — for Goose Gossage, who was also awful.
Man, the Cubs made some terrible trades in that era.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
28 errors
I was pretty good. 30 was just a guess. I have a good memory for Cub mediocrity.
Gossage was a total bust. I never heard anyone booed so loudly by the Wrigley crowd (this was before the days of Todd Hundley and Mel Rojas, mind you). All Goose had to do was get up from the bullpen bench and start stretching and the boos would start. I was one of the booers. In retrospect, I’m sorry about that. He was a classy guy who had a wonderful career. He was just on the way down, and the Cubs were struggling, so he was an easy target (he also was making way over $1 mln a year, which was still big money then, so that added to our anger).
"They found a delivery in my flaw." - Dan Quisenberry
Another reason I didn't like him
was that I was still ticked at ANYONE who was on the ‘84 Padres, and the Goose was a star on that team. But you’re right Danimal, he deserved better. I will say this though—I liked him a heck of a lot better than I liked Calvin Schiraldi…wow talk about damning with faint praise…
"Before Wrigley got so damn crowded all the time"
I hear ya…..on my days off during the week, I would wake up at around 11, had no money and nothing to do, so I’d call my friends and see who wanted to go to a game, we were there by 1.
baseball.........is Kool Aid the remedy, or the cause of my desire for it
by cooliogirl47 on Jan 30, 2010 4:08 PM CST up reply actions
Also, regarding attendance....
the 1987 Cubs, if I’m not mistaken, are the only last-place team in history to draw over 2 million fans for a season, and I think the playoff team of 1989 was the first time they hit 2.5 million. After hitting 2 million for the first time in 1984, it just continued to grow every year. Still, in the 1980’s, I remember days where the park was only half full or less, but this was usually early and late in the season when school was in session. I think when Al says Wrigley didn’t sell out consistently until 2003, the key word is “sell out”. I remember in the ’80s and ’90s, if they announced a crowd as 37,000 or higher, that was a huge crowd. But, as was pointed out earlier, they also counted actual attendance, not tickets sold. The bottom line is that Cub fans have been very consistent with attendance since 1984, and it has continued to grow every year for over 25 yeas now.
"Don't complain to me about the stormy weather, boys. Just bring the ship into port." --Steve Stone, September 2004
Hard to believe for the 1980's maybe
but that actually looks crowded compared to a lot of games during the 1960’s and 1970’s. They used to close off the upper deck (an Andy Frain usher, usually a high school kid, would be stationed up there to retrieve foul balls) and most of the crowd would be concentrated around home plate with almost no one sitting beyond the dugouts and behind the bullpens. Back then 19,000 would have been a good house. There was a an old joke that Billie Williams and Ernie Banks were standing waiting for a game to start one day. Billy turned to Ernie and asked, “How many fans you think are here today, Ernie?” to which Ernie replied, “I don’t know, Billie. Let me count them. One .. two … three …”
One of Lee Elia's 15%
by waiting4cubs on Jan 30, 2010 9:43 AM CST up reply actions
The B&W photo.........
……….is the only thing that gave me pause in my answer, but otherwise the flowing locks are clearly those of Keith Moreland, and Dale Murphy’s mug is overtly displayed.
Funny, but if the uniforms were reversed, that could be Bob Horner on 3B (although not in 1987). He and Moreland were similar in stature.
I always liked Murph. One of the best CFs of the 80’s.
"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day." ~ Frank Sinatra
CF?
He mostly played right, if I remember correctly. Dernier was in CF most of the time in the mid-80s.
"They found a delivery in my flaw." - Dan Quisenberry
I never understood it but some guys
wore those long sleeves no matter what. Like they considered them part of the uniform, like their hats. Similar to an earlier historic picture in which an umpire is pictured in a suit, it took a really really hot day for a lot of players to not wear those long sleeves, just like it took a scorcher for the umps to take off their suit coats.
One of Lee Elia's 15%
by waiting4cubs on Jan 30, 2010 9:49 AM CST up reply actions
It was late August.
Note that it’s a cloudy day. By late August you can occasionally get a day in the upper 60’s when, after a hot summer, that might feel pretty cool.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
weather on Aug. 27, 1987
High was 64, low was 62. Damn right that would feel cold after typical August weather in the 80s.
August 1987 was a strange weather month for Chicago. It was one of the wettest months in Chicago history, with 9 inches of rain falling in one day in mid-August. Lots of rain tends to cool things off quite a bit, so no surprise that temps on Aug. 27 were well below normal.
The next summer, 1988, was a scorcher, with several 100-degree days.
"They found a delivery in my flaw." - Dan Quisenberry
Summer of 1988....
… set the record for the most 90+ degree days. Interesting story: the record had been tied sometime in August — 46 days — and then sat there for a month.
One day in September it got to 91, breaking the record.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
weather
I didn’t know that, Al. Interesting. I do remember going off around the Midwest late that summer to look at colleges with my parents, and everywhere we went it was just scorching and uncomfortable. Funny how in that drought summer, the only time it rained heavily was on the night of Aug. 8. Coincidence? Maybe.
"They found a delivery in my flaw." - Dan Quisenberry
Maybe.
It was 99 degrees on August 8 — that storm that came through dropped the temperatures to only near 80 the next day.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
I remember the summer of 1988 very well
It rained around Mother’s Day and that was it until August. Many 100’s and 90’s. The only good thing was no skeeters that summer lol
"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse
well, it's not like I was an all-conference secondbaseman at NIU or anything...
…but when I played (high school, summer and college), I always wore long sleeves no matter what. Sweated up a storm sometimes, but it always felt good keeping the arms nice and warm.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
I dunno
I think its personal preference mostly. Ernie Banks used to say that he wore long sleeved thick shirts because his body would regulate its temperature. I agree with this myself – during spring training I almost always wear a long sleeved undershirt – and find I stay cooler than without it. In general I wear long sleeves, I think it just depends on what a person likes.
"Ask Dad. He'll know. And on the off chance he doesn't, he'll make something up"
Reason #1,675,493 the Cubs have gone more than a hundred years...
without a World Series championship: for a significant period of time, Keith Moreland was considered a big gun — and occasionally THE big gun — in the middle of the lineup.
On a championship contender, he would have been a scary number seven hitter.
Joe, you coulda made us proud!
by copingwiththecubs on Jan 30, 2010 11:30 AM CST reply actions
Huh.
I could have sworn Keith Moreland played on a team that won 96 games and the NL East title in 1984, batting (mostly) 4th or 5th.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
I could have sworn I wrote "championship contender"...
not fluke team sneaking into a division title between the end of the Phillies’ run and the beginning of the Mets’ and Cardinals’ run. And, by the way, a team that didn’t even get to the World Series.
We all have to demand more of this team.
Joe, you coulda made us proud!
by copingwiththecubs on Jan 30, 2010 9:15 PM CST up reply actions
1984
Coping -
You have a point, but I disagree. That 1984 club was good enough to have repeated in at least 1985 before guys like Cey and Bowa and Sanderson got too old. It was losing 80% of the starting staff to injury in June 1985 that derailed them. They were in first up till then, if you recall.
Maybe not a dynasty, because guys like Dernier, Durham and Zonk were playing a bit above their heads for a while, but perhaps more than the flash in the pan you argue for.
"They found a delivery in my flaw." - Dan Quisenberry
reminds me of '09
baseball.........is Kool Aid the remedy, or the cause of my desire for it
by cooliogirl47 on Jan 30, 2010 9:54 PM CST up reply actions
could it have been May 23, 1987?
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN198705230.shtml
16th inning. Moyer walked Murphy and then Griffey. They both advanced on a wild pitch. This COULD be that play, with Moreland positioned to receive a throw from the catcher. Attendance was 33,225, but by the 16th inning many might have left or moved up to better seats. The May date might also explain the long sleeves.
I remember the May 23, 1987 game very well.
At the time, it was the longest game I had attended in one piece (i.e. that wasn’t suspended and finished later due to darkness).
Two reasons it can’t be that play:
1) I remember that as a VERY cold day.
2) Moreland wasn’t in that game in the 16th inning — he had been double-switched out in the 9th.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
These last two pictures remind me how much I really miss the stirrups.
To me it just finishes off the uniform.
"Fasten those seatbelts"-Pat Hughes
you got me on that one-8/27/87 it must be
Here’s an article describing the record rain that month: http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2007/aug/13/news/chi-mxaweatherbottom081307aug13
Thanks for finding that.
Confirms my recollections.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
At least they managed a crowd of 35,000
when they retired Billy William’s # a few weeks before.
"Fasten those seatbelts"-Pat Hughes
Position of Moreland on Play
Seeing as how Moreland wasn’t a regular 3rd baseman, maybe that explains his positioning here…
Were there runners on 1st and 2nd on the sacrifice attempt? Because it appears that Moreland is waiting for a throw on a force play. If it was a tag play, he should be straddling the base so he can get his glove down to tag the runner. If you take out the background, he looks like a first baseman stretching for a throw on a ground out.
Moreland wasn't a GOOD third baseman.
But he was the REGULAR third baseman all that season.
And yes, there were runners on first and second, so yes, he was waiting for a force throw. Check the PBP in the boxscore link.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
'87 Cubs best last place team ever with .472% winning percentage?
Much is made of Dawson being the only MVP of a last place team. But they weren’t all that bad, finishing 76-85 (the rainout of the Braves game not made up, as mentioned above). It is my belief that their .472% winning percentage is the best all time for a last place team. Somebody has to hold that distinction, and it was unlikely to occur before 1969 division play. I challenge anybody to find a different last place team that fared better. Dawson took MVP, Sutcliffe just missed the Cy Young Award, in the closest vote ever, losing to Phillie Steve Bedrosian. As Al wrote, they collapsed after Labor Day, a common theme in the 70’s and 80’s. This led GM Dallas Green to rip the team in September, saying they “quit with a capital Q”. Green himself quit/fired a month later.
The Cubs, of course...
… were not the worst team in the NL in 1987. The Braves lost 92 and the Padres 97.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You see? You see? We’re actually trying to put a happy face on a last place finish! My good god, we’re all responsible for this 100-years-without-a-championship mess!
Ergo, my new comment signature.
We have to demand more!
by copingwiththecubs on Jan 30, 2010 9:22 PM CST up reply actions
No
The Nationals finished 81-81 in 2005 in the NL East.
by Liverpoolcubsfan on Jan 31, 2010 11:28 PM CST up reply actions
Somewhat OT: Just did a walkaround of Wrigley (had to get my weekend Big Gulp...)
Ice rink still there and open for business. Saw about 20-25 people skating around. Not sure, but think I saw Theriot out there trying to land a double-clutch axel…
Back of the scoreboard still the same – scaffolding all the way up but doesn’t look like much has been done. Maybe at this point they’re doing more cleaning than replacing.
Looking inside from the knothole in right, something’s going on down the left field line. Starting at about the Cubs bullpen and going all the way down, the wall and looks like the first few rows of seats are all covered up. Perhaps they’re rebuilding the wall – maybe making it safer somehow? Bill Mueller would approve…
Some concrete panels were missing above Gate D by the Harry Caray statue. Some heavy equipment parked there and the whole area is fenced off so looks like there’s going to be some extended work done there.
White smoke was coming from one of the chimneys. Maybe they finally selected a CFO…
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
They have been rebuilding that LF wall all offseason.
I was watching on the webcams for a while, but the cams are now offline.
I drove by the park yesterday, you’re right about the scoreboard — nothing much going on except for the scaffolding. My understanding is that they are replacing and shoring up the metal underpinnings of the back of the board; once that is done they’ll repaint it exactly as it was. So it’ll look the same, only newer.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Might not have been what you meant but
wasn’t Mueller hurt along the wall in St. Louis?
Good news to hear any of the concrete panels are missing. Hope they have no plans to replace them.
If Mayor Daley was a Cub fan his wrought iron fencing friends would have had Wrigley Field looking as spiffy as 1935 years ago.
I thought it was at Wrigley.
I’m not positive but I recall him going over and sliding into the wall while trying to catch a foul ball. Got his leg bent under him and all twisted up after hitting the wall. I thought it was at Wrigley but maybe not. Anyone know for sure?
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
It was definitely St. Louis
May 13, 2001 – from Retrosheet – Cubs lose 13-4 at Busch. Mueller hurt in second inning – see below:
CARDINALS 2ND: Pujols singled to left; Drew walked [Pujols to
second]; COOMER REPLACED MUELLER (PLAYING 3B); Bonilla walked
[Pujols to third, Drew to second]; Mueller broke patella
hitting railing, out 2 months; Lankford struck out; Matheny
walked [Pujols scored, Drew to third, Bonilla to second]; Andy
Benes struck out; Vina tripled to right [Drew scored, Bonilla
scored, Matheny scored]; Polanco was called out on strikes; 4 R,
2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Cubs 2, Cardinals 4.
"They found a delivery in my flaw." - Dan Quisenberry
Interesting inning
I just noticed Wood struck out the side that inning despite allowing 4 runs. He was awful that day. 4 IP, 7 runs.
"They found a delivery in my flaw." - Dan Quisenberry
Definitely the dump that was old Busch Stadium
Cubs were in first place at the time; think it was the final game of a 3 game sweep. More fond memories from St. Louis….
All this talk got me to watch the Andre Dawson game
from the Chicago Cubs Legends DVD collection last night. It was Aug. 1, 1987. It was fun seeing how much things changed. Besides being amazed at how little advertising there was compared to now it was strange to see how little the people in the stands were wearing in the way of Cubs gear. Actually, many weren’t wearing much of anything at all. There were a lot more shirtless guys than you see now. Surprised to see people smoking too. This game was much more crowded than the one above-33,002.
"Fasten those seatbelts"-Pat Hughes
That game was played on a Saturday....
… which would explain the larger crowd. Note, even that wasn’t a complete sellout.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
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