Bearing
the moniker “The Friendly Confines”,
Wriggly field is the third-smallest ballpark
being used in North America. Soon to celebrate
its 100th Birthday, the field has a capacity
of just under 40,000 and is the second
oldest major league ballpark currently
in use. Starting out with a capacity of
only 14,000, the field has been expanded
over the years to adapt with the times
and to accommodate a more modern baseball
fan. The field is so old that it didn’t
have lights installed by 1988, at which
point the Cubs management threatened to
move the team.
Built in 1914 for a team called the “Chicago
Whales”, Wrigley Field was known
as Weeghman Park. Named after its owner,
Charlie Weeghman, he eventually acquired
a baseball team called the “Chicago
Cubs”. The field then changed its
name to “Cubs Park”, keeping
the name until 1925.
But
that was in 1919, years before the park
became “Cubs Park”; Mr. Weeghman
sold the park to a chewing gum tycoon
called William K. Wrigley, who is still
famous for his most popular product. Originally
investing as one among a group, Mr. Wriggly
eventually gained full control of the
baseball park and in 1926 named it after
himself, calling it by its current name
“Wriggly Field”. During its
years of service the field saw two world
wars and the Great Depression, and is
the only field left in operation that
can still be affected by the weather (i.e.
games can still be “rained out”).
Wrigley
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