A few thoughts about the fights at Wednesday’s Cubs/White Sox game

The two games between the Cubs and White Sox on the South Side this week both drew crowds of over 37,000, the two largest of 2023 for the Sox. I don’t think I’m wrong when I say they won’t have any crowds that large on the South Side the rest of the year.

The ballpark was pretty quiet Tuesday, but Wednesday there were a number of problems that I’d like to tell you about, if you have not yet heard.

A friend of mine, a fellow Cubs season-ticket holder, was jumped by some men in one of the men’s rooms and beaten up. He had to be taken to a hospital for stitches. Fortunately, he’s okay. But this sort of thing should never, ever happen.

A large fight broke out in the section next to the one where I was sitting, near the end of the game, top of the ninth, if I remember correctly. Sox security, the off-duty police who serve in that capacity, were right on it, but a couple of the participants just wouldn’t stop. It eventually spilled onto the concourse behind me. Fortunately, by the time I left the game, it had been cleared up. Nasty business — and that one wasn’t Cubs vs. Sox fans, as far as I could tell those were all Sox fans just fighting each other, over what, wasn’t clear.

There were a couple of other kerfuffles also happening that night:

The latter brouhaha was in one of the suites — theoretically those are the high rollers who have paid a lot of money for those seats, and you’d think, might have a bit more sense.

The very hot, humid night and people being overserved were likely responsible for pushing people over the edge.

My thoughts on this:

• The Sox do have good security and they are generally very quick and proactive about stopping things like this. For Cubs/Sox games, though, they might consider adding even more security. It’s my understanding that the Chicago Police Department doesn’t permit uniformed CPD at these games. I’ve seen games in other cities where uniformed police are in the ballpark and that does seem to be a deterrent to behavior like this. CPD should consider a change in that policy.
• I am somewhat concerned about the two Cubs/White Sox games that will take place at Wrigley Field next month, also two weeknights, Tuesday and Wednesday, August 15 and 16. Here’s hoping the Cubs will bring in extra security for those two nights, though with the Sox in free-fall, perhaps fewer of their fans will show up.
• Limiting alcohol consumption would help, but I suspect that is never, ever going to happen.
• These teams will play on the following dates in 2024: June 4-5 at Wrigley Field (Tuesday and Wednesday) and August 9-10 on the South Side (Friday and Saturday). I’m going to make the call, right here and now, to ask these teams to schedule all of these games as afternoon games — and in particular, the one on Saturday, August 10. A Saturday night game between these teams on the South Side is just asking for trouble. Playing these games during the day would greatly reduce the possibility of these sorts of altercations.

Lastly, from time to time the subject of MLB realignment brings up the possibility that the Cubs and White Sox could be placed in the same division, and thus perhaps play a dozen or more times a year. I cannot emphasize enough how bad an idea that is. If four matchups a year causes this kind of fighting, imagine what multiplying that by three or more times would be. Just don’t do it, MLB.

I am hoping for a couple of quiet games in the stands at Wrigley for Cubs/Sox games next month, with, of course, a couple of Cubs wins.