Spring Has Sprung 2010

[R-V]

Just so all of the misguided romantic nitwits are clear, Wrigley Field as it "originally" was would have been indistinguishable from Wrigley Field in 1990, let alone today.  The sentiment that the "structural integrity" or the "charm" or the "history" needs to remain as it has always (falsely) been-- a notion harbored not only by the shut-ins at BCB but pretty much everywhere--needs to wither and die.  I used to care about jumbotrons, but I couldn't give a fuck anymore.

Let's see:

They did all kinds of work when Wrigley bought the team from Weeghman. Redid the outfield at least 3 times culminating in the bleacher configuration of 1937.

Added the upper deck in 1927 and 1928.

Redid the seating in the early 1960s and again in the early 1980s when TribCo bought the park.

Installed concrete panels in the 1970s.

Put an electronic marquee up in the early 1980s.

Put an electronic board under the CF scoreboard when TribCo bought the aprk.

Put Budweiser billboards alongside the electronic board under the scoreboard in 1982.

Installed football press box sometime in the 1940s.

Put in electronic scoreboard on LF upperdeck sometime in 1960s.

Renvovated baseball press box in the early 1970s and converted old football press box into an owner's box. Dallas Green used to hang out up there and he'd pace wildly, and be visibly upset when things went bad.

Installed lights in 1988.

Opened two restaurants (Sheffield Grill and Friendly Confines Cafe) and gift shop in early 1980s.

Renovated dugouts in early 80s.

Built new clubhouses in early 80s.

Installed seats in LF and RF between foul poles and bleachers to accommodate groups (RF) and teetotalers (LF).

Installed skyboxes and built new press box in time for 1989. Also renovated a concession area in upper deck.

Put in TVs and scoreboards in the terrace section to accommodate those whose views were further obstructed.

Took away several feet of foul territory to add seats in 2005.

Redid the bleachers in 2006, adding seats the knothole, etc.

Added LCD displays along both foul lines in 2004 or so.

Replaced bleacher electronic board with more modern LCD display in 2004 or so.

Put in out of town scoreboards in upper deck in early 2000s.

Added "Captain Morgan Club" last year.

Put cartoonish "Hey Hey" on foul poles in 1998, same year they put cartoonish Harry Caray likeness over TV booth.

Saw the neighborhood change dramatically. Christ, Mike talks about 1990 to now. Holy crap, the difference in atmosphere for a Cubs game from 1990 until now is night and day. 1982 until 1990, it changed dramatically as well.

If you went to Wrigley in 1965 and came back in 1981, it would be very similar. If you went to a Cub game in 1981 and came back in 1989, you'd barely recognize the place. If you went to a Cub game in 1981 and didn't return until 2008, you'd hardly recognize it (least of all, the team on the field).

Ricketts will be talking new stadium within the decade.

Did you just type all that from memory? You and Mike Dictionary need to get brain scans done so we can compare them to this:

[morpheus]

TOP men are working on it.

[Chuck to Chuck]

I'm uncomfortable with this....   Jewish.... ritual.

[Quality Start Machine]

The only thing that has been consistent with this fucking ballpark since the day it opened it is the fact that World Championships have been celebrated elsewhere.

Not true!

Best thing about Der Schting (other than Marilyn Lange) playing in Wrigley was scrounging up ticket stubs to take to Laschet's Inn for a free pitcher.

15-year-old winners were we.

[fiveouts]

The only thing that has been consistent with this fucking ballpark since the day it opened it is the fact that World Championships have been celebrated elsewhere.

Not true!

Best thing about Der Schting (other than Marilyn Lange) playing in Wrigley was scrounging up ticket stubs to take to Laschet's Inn for a free pitcher.

15-year-old winners were we.

Karl Heinz-Granitza was the balls. 

[MAD]

Karl Heinz-Granitza was the balls.  

Bah.  He had more to do with the '84 champs than the '81 champs, which was all Pato Margetic, mang.

[Slaky]

Did anyone ever eat an Ovaltine Crunch Bar? Sounds phenomenal.

[Internet Apex]

This thread was off to a horrible start. Then soccer happened. But that team photo is pretty awesome.

[Jon]

Ryan Theriot is dumb

Ryan Theriot was in the minority. Theriot believes a Jumbotron could change the ballpark forever, adding extraneous noise, doughnut races and a "Kiss Cam."

"If you're going to do that, you might as well change the whole park and modernize everything," Theriot said. "The way it is now is the way it's been for years, and the way it's meant to be, so you might as well leave it the way it is. I know things change and times change, but from a historical standpoint, that Wrigley vibe, that feel ... a Jumbotron would change everything."

How dare the Cubs do something that would change everything! They might actually *gasp* win a world series if they change everything. BLEED GRIZZLY PINK

Whatshisname deleted it or something.  I was planning on rocking that thing every once in a while. 

I most certainly did not.

http://bleedgrizzlypink.blogspot.com/

[Pre]

I love baseball season.

[JD]

Ryan Theriot is dumb

Ryan Theriot was in the minority. Theriot believes a Jumbotron could change the ballpark forever, adding extraneous noise, doughnut races and a "Kiss Cam."

"If you're going to do that, you might as well change the whole park and modernize everything," Theriot said. "The way it is now is the way it's been for years, and the way it's meant to be, so you might as well leave it the way it is. I know things change and times change, but from a historical standpoint, that Wrigley vibe, that feel ... a Jumbotron would change everything."

How dare the Cubs do something that would change everything! They might actually *gasp* win a world series if they change everything. BLEED GRIZZLY PINK

Whatshisname deleted it or something.  I was planning on rocking that thing every once in a while. 

I most certainly did not.

http://bleedgrizzlypink.blogspot.com/

That's weird.  I tried going there not long henceforth back when and found it, not.  Now, could you put up what I was gonna write, please.  I was quite tickled about it.

[Jon]

Ryan Theriot is dumb

Ryan Theriot was in the minority. Theriot believes a Jumbotron could change the ballpark forever, adding extraneous noise, doughnut races and a "Kiss Cam."

"If you're going to do that, you might as well change the whole park and modernize everything," Theriot said. "The way it is now is the way it's been for years, and the way it's meant to be, so you might as well leave it the way it is. I know things change and times change, but from a historical standpoint, that Wrigley vibe, that feel ... a Jumbotron would change everything."

How dare the Cubs do something that would change everything! They might actually *gasp* win a world series if they change everything. BLEED GRIZZLY PINK

Whatshisname deleted it or something.  I was planning on rocking that thing every once in a while. 

I most certainly did not.

http://bleedgrizzlypink.blogspot.com/

That's weird.  I tried going there not long henceforth back when and found it, not.  Now, could you put up what I was gonna write, please.  I was quite tickled about it.

I did. But then I accidentally deleted it and replaced it with the oddest goddamn blog I have ever been connected to.

[MAD]

I love baseball season.

It went from Brick to Harry and then straight to Len, completely bypassing that dark period between 1998 and 2005.  Ha.

Up yours, Chip, you animatronic douche.

[Slaky]

I love baseball season.

It went from Brick to Harry and then straight to Len, completely bypassing that dark period between 1998 and 2005.  Ha.

Up yours, Chip, you animatronic douche.

Good catch - that's a +1 for the marketing team at WGN.

[Yeti]

I love baseball season.

It went from Brick to Harry and then straight to Len, completely bypassing that dark period between 1998 and 2005.  Ha.

Up yours, Chip, you animatronic douche.

Hearing Len gave me a boner for April 9th