Cubs Wrigleyville Neighbors Day: A Photo Essay

by Al Yellon on Oct 2, 2010 2:37 PM CDT in Chicago Cubs News

This morning and early afternoon, the Cubs hosted a few hundred neighbors -- people who live in the zip codes immediately surrounding the ballpark -- for an hour of walking on the grass, throwing a baseball (or in some cases, I saw a football) around, and lunch of hot dogs, chips and soda or beer. There were quite a few families with young kids enjoying the day, and I was lucky enough to be invited to go.

After the jump, some more photos of places you're familiar with, but not necessarily from this close.

The one above deserves a bit of explanation. I believe someone else here posted a similar photo when we were discussing the foul pole; this one shows clearly that the foul line exactly bisects that pole -- until you get to the yellow line above the basket. If a ball hits the yellow portion, it's a home run. If it hits below the pole, it's fair or foul depending on which side of the line it hits on.

Click on photos to open larger versions in new browser windows. Photos by Al Yellon

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This is so cool

Dammit Al, now you’re making me wish I lived in Lakeview/Wrigleyville.

A LO PROFUNDOOO...NOO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NOO...DIGALE QUE NO A ESA PELOTA!!!
GANAN LOS CACHORROS DE CHICAGO!!

by Azul Cachorro on Oct 2, 2010 2:40 PM CDT reply actions

very very nice - thanks

If the Cubs still have a chance, no matter how small, it’s still Go Cubs, damn the math and pass the KoolAid.

by eths on Oct 2, 2010 2:41 PM CDT reply actions

It was cool to throw the ball around the infield and outfield...

… and from the pitcher’s mound and bullpen mound. You don’t realize how close everything is and how fast the game moves until you’re actually on the field.

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

by Al Yellon on Oct 2, 2010 2:46 PM CDT reply actions

They let you go on the mound huh?

That was the only thing they didn’t let the Cubs Club members do.

"Pounding sand since 1982...."

by cubswynn on Oct 2, 2010 3:42 PM CDT up reply actions

Yep.

The entire field was available. They didn’t let us into the clubhouses because they still have a couple of tour dates left, today being one of them.

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

by Al Yellon on Oct 2, 2010 3:49 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm guessing they're going to remove the mound for the football game, yes?

If that’s the case, then yeah – no harm in letting the likes of Al “Don’t call me Howry” Yellon throw a few from the bump.

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

by ballhawk on Oct 2, 2010 4:20 PM CDT up reply actions

LOL

Yes, they are flattening the mound for the football game, as well as fill in all the dirt. It will be an all-grass field on November 20.

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

by Al Yellon on Oct 2, 2010 4:41 PM CDT up reply actions

Wow - that surprises me.

I would have thought that one football game, while quite traumatic to the top layer with all the cleats and stuff, would be less damaging than digging it all up, putting in sod, and then having to re-create the infield later.

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

by ballhawk on Oct 2, 2010 5:03 PM CDT up reply actions

They won't have to "re-create" the infield.

I’m sure they’ll just fill in the dirt with turf. They surely know where the infield cutout goes. The only thing that’ll have to be recreated will be the mound.

In any case, if the field gets dug up by football cleats it’ll likely have to be resodded anyway.

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

by Al Yellon on Oct 2, 2010 5:08 PM CDT up reply actions

I don't get invited just because I live in Old Town?

that is hardly fair. I truly believe that I have been better to the Cubs than they have to me. Wait til next year!

by holy mackeral on Oct 2, 2010 2:48 PM CDT reply actions

Depends on what your zip code is.

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

by Al Yellon on Oct 2, 2010 2:51 PM CDT up reply actions

60613?

How come I didn’t hear about it :(

by NOLACubs on Oct 2, 2010 3:36 PM CDT up reply actions

Don't know.

If you are on a Cubs mailing list and they have your address, you should have gotten an email about it.

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

by Al Yellon on Oct 2, 2010 3:49 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm on Cubs mailing list, get their community surveys, part of Cubs Club, on Alderman's mailing list

…and I didn’t get anything about this event.

Guess they figured I wouldn’t want to see the inside of Wrigley Field…

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

by ballhawk on Oct 2, 2010 4:18 PM CDT up reply actions

you should have stood outside waiting for Al to throw you one

Chronologically inept since 2060
"I could be writing this crap!" -- Crow T. Robot
Me: Q: I can run but not walk. Wherever I go, thought follows close behind. What am I?
Wrigster A: Theriot

by Cubbie-Tim on Oct 2, 2010 4:28 PM CDT up reply actions

Weird.

Surprised you didn’t get notified, based on all that.

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

by Al Yellon on Oct 2, 2010 4:42 PM CDT up reply actions

Good pic tho Al!

Thanks a bunch!

by NOLACubs on Oct 2, 2010 3:38 PM CDT up reply actions

Feel the same way.

And I don’t even live in Chicago. :) I bet I made it to more games than some of the neighbors.

♪♫ It's a beautiful day for the ladies, so throw all your dishes away. ♪♫

by katie casey on Oct 2, 2010 2:55 PM CDT up reply actions

Great photos!

Thanks for sharing. It’s the next best thing to being there.

♪♫ It's a beautiful day for the ladies, so throw all your dishes away. ♪♫

by katie casey on Oct 2, 2010 2:50 PM CDT reply actions

so they dont believe it is important to invite those of us in 78741

see how i vote when they ask for more night games

great pics Al, thanks.

i think this is a great gesture by the Cubs and shows that Ricketts understands the importance of having a good relation with the neighborhood, could be very important in the future

Chronologically inept since 2060
"I could be writing this crap!" -- Crow T. Robot
Me: Q: I can run but not walk. Wherever I go, thought follows close behind. What am I?
Wrigster A: Theriot

by Cubbie-Tim on Oct 2, 2010 3:26 PM CDT reply actions

Glad you got the LF foul pole

For comparison’s sake, here’s the RF one, as provided by AlSpangler here.

"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root

by Clutch16 on Oct 2, 2010 3:34 PM CDT reply actions

That's the photo I remember.

Too bad that door is in the way.

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

by Al Yellon on Oct 2, 2010 3:35 PM CDT up reply actions

Thanks again for the pic of the line below the foul pole.

It’s an odd kind of thing and I guess charming because of that. Seems much easier to have a foul pole yellow all the way down instead of creating a foul space that is so tiny to judge…even with instant replay I don’t know you could ever tell completely whether a ball was fair or foul in that small space. Interesting stuff.

Starlin Castro singles on a pop up to catcher Jason LaRue.
Ryan Theriot scores. Two out -Gameday 7/23/10

by Sandberg's evil twin on Oct 2, 2010 4:23 PM CDT up reply actions

easy enough to do - just "paint" it with a thin coat of something before every game

Grounds crew chalks the line every game, wouldn’t be that much more effort paint the line on the wall before every game. Something white or yellow and sticky/tacky that doesn’t dry fast. Then if a ball hits close to the line, umpire can just examine the ball and look for mark.

They can call it the Nippy Jones rule…

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

by ballhawk on Oct 2, 2010 4:38 PM CDT up reply actions