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There’s no time more magical in Chicago than 1:20 p.m.on Fridays.For the uninitiated, that’s when the hometown Cubs have historically played home games at Wrigley Field before kicking off the weekend.And, after having wanted needed to attend one of these Friday contests for years, I had the pleasure of seeing the North Siders take on their rival St.
Louis Cardinals on Aug.14.It was every bit as incredible as I had expected.From getting off the train at Addison to walking around Wrigleyville to seeing Mr.
T throw the first pitch (!) to hearing the crack of the bat live, the experience not only lived up to my expectations but wholly exceeded them.Watching the Cubbies at Wrigley isn’t your average regular season game; it’s a time machine transporting you to what made you fall in love with the sport in the first place.The sun shines brighter, the crowd cheers louder, the game is more alive here.Heck, even my mom who doesn’t care about baseball exclaimed “wow” upon taking our seats.My wife added “it was so cool to be in an almost-sold-out stadium filled with passionate fans full of respect for the game [Editor’s Note: Cubs faithful really show up for the home team] on such a beautiful day.”Founded in 1914 — making the ballpark the second oldest in the MLB behind the Red Sox’s Fenway Park, which opened their doors in 1912 — Wrigley has undergone a few facelifts over the years but mostly maintains the throwback charm that the stadium such a unique place to witness a baseball game.
The manual scoreboard still sits in centerfield.The organist still plays the classics (and modern hits).
And, yes, the ivy is still on the walls, which makes the whole affair feel like backyard baseball in the best way.Nostalgia runs deep here.Best of all though, there’s no stress.Going to a game at Wrigley is a special type of relaxation that seemingly exists outside of time and space.When you’re in the ballpark, you can tune out and let the game take over.
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