Tag / Wrigley Field

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Fitbit 12 – Week 18

Yet another great week as I pushed my 30,000-step week streak to fifteen and my streak of 4000+ step days reached 90, a full three months.  The week got off to a good start on Sunday thanks to a trip to Rate Field for the final installment of the first Crosstown series of the year, finishing 35 steps shy of 5600.  Monday saw a small decrease, dropping down to 4500 steps.  A lunchtime walk while I changed kept things rolling on Tuesday, ending 27 steps away from 6900.  Wednesday was the best day of the week, thanks to a season holder event at Wrigley Field in the afternoon followed by the Cubs game that night, wrapping up with 8400 steps.  Thursday used a walk to Walgreens to pick up a prescription to finish with 6100 steps.  A slow-ish Friday got the holiday weekend off to a decent start with 4400 steps.  The week wrapped up on a high note on Saturday with 6600 steps.

Total steps: 42,577

Daily average: 6082.4

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150 Years Of Cubs Baseball – Outfielders Part 2

Originally founded in 1869, the Chicago Cubs became a charter member of the National League in 1876.  Over the next 150 seasons, the Cubs have played more than 22,000 games, scored over 103,000 runs and recorded more than 200,000 hits, more than any other team in baseball history.  Nearly 2,300 players have worn a Cubs uniform, earning eight division titles, 17 NL pennants, and three World Series championships.

Fans have witnessed generations of unforgettable players, from historical heroes like Joe Tinker, Gabby Hartnett, Ernie Banks, and Billy Williams to more recent stars like Ryne Sandberg, Derrek Lee, Kerry Wood, and Anthony Rizzo.  The team has called Wrigley Field home for 110 of those 150 seasons.

To celebrate this milestone, the Cubs are holding a fan vote to select the franchise’s anniversary team.  Each week, we will go through the provided options for each position and declare who should, and, if different, who will, win the fan vote.  We continue today with the second eight selections for outfielder.

Jason Heyward signed an 8-year, $184 million contract with the Cubs in December of 2015.  His place in Cubs lore was set when he was credited with leading an inspiring, players-only meeting during the 17-minute rain delay towards the end of Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, after which the Cubs stormed out and took the lead in the 10th inning, leading to their first championship in 108 years.  While he never quite produced enough to justify his lofty contract and the team failed to duplicate their 2016 success, he became as much of a scapegoat as anyone else on the roster, eventually seeing his playing time reduced.  In addition to his World Series ring, Heyward won Gold Glove awards in both 2016 and 2017.

King Kelly emerged as one of 19th‑century baseball’s first true superstars as a member of the White Stockings.  He led the NL in runs scored for three consecutive seasons, from 1884 through 1889 and also won the NL batting title in both 1884 and 1886.  During his seven years with the franchise, they won five NL pennants.  In 1945, he was elected to the Hall of Fame.

Bill Lange spent his entire seven-year MLB career with the Colts/Orphans, becoming a full-time center fielder in 1894.  He retired at age 28 to marry a woman whose father had forbid her from marrying a ballplayer, finishing his career with a .330 batting average.  In 1897, he led the NL in stolen bases.  He is a member of the Cubs Hall of Fame.

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No Bets For You

After just two years, DraftKings announced that they will be shuttering their in-person sportsbook hanging off the side of Wrigley Field on May 31.  In a statement, the company says, “The cost of operating in Illinois, including its high tax structure, makes it more difficult to justify continued investment in a standalone retail sportsbook.”  The sports bar part of the operation will continue, as will the DraftKings sponsorship.

As part of this change, the area should become a little more accessible.  With the removal of the sportsbook, the requirement to be 21 to enter should be removed.  Additionally, fans will be able to enter and exit into the ballpark itself eventually, similar to Gallagher Way.  That change will likely limit the building on game days to those with a ticket.

Short term, there should be no financial impact for the Cubs.  The original deal was $100 million for ten years and, while the two sides shared some revenue from food and beverage sales, the Cubs were not involved in the gambling end of the partnership.  Long term, I’m sure that $100 million figure included some expectation of revenues to be generated from the sportsbook, and it seems unlikely that a renewal will touch that amount.

Nearly three years since the building first opened as a sports bar, I’ve only been inside once, and that was just for a quick walkaround.  The next dollar I spend there will be my first, and I don’t envision that changing anytime soon.

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150 Years Of Cubs Baseball – Shortstops

Originally founded in 1869, the Chicago Cubs became a charter member of the National League in 1876.  Over the next 150 seasons, the Cubs have played more than 22,000 games, scored over 103,000 runs and recorded more than 200,000 hits, more than any other team in baseball history.  Nearly 2,300 players have worn a Cubs uniform, earning eight division titles, 17 NL pennants, and three World Series championships.

Fans have witnessed generations of unforgettable players, from historical heroes like Joe Tinker, Gabby Hartnett, Ernie Banks, and Billy Williams to more recent stars like Ryne Sandberg, Derrek Lee, Kerry Wood, and Anthony Rizzo.  The team has called Wrigley Field home for 110 of those 150 seasons.

To celebrate this milestone, the Cubs are holding a fan vote to select the franchise’s anniversary team.  Each week, we will go through the provided options for each position and declare who should, and, if different, who will, win the fan vote.  We continue today with the eight selections for shortstop.

Javier Baez was drafted by the Cubs in the first round in 2011 and debuted with the big-league club in 2014.  He became a starter in 2016, helping the Cubs end their 108-year championship drought by winning the World Series.  His best season came in 2018, when he led the league in RBI and finished second in MVP voting.  His tenure with the Cubs ended in 2021, traded to the Mets for a young prospect named Pete Crow-Armstrong.  During his time on the north side, he was a two-time All-Star, the 2016 NLCS MVP, and won both a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger.

Ernie Banks played his entire 19-year career with the Cubs, earning back-to-back MVP honors in 1958 and 1959.  At the time of his retirement following the 1971 season, he ranked ninth all-time in career home runs with 512.  He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1977 and became a team ambassador, never seen without a smile on his face.  Known as Mr. Cub, his #14 was retired by the team in 1982, making him the first Cub to receive that honor.

Bill Dahlen spent eight seasons with the Colts and Orphans through most of the 1890s.  Playing in a dead ball era, he had a good amount of power, finishing among the NL’s top ten players in home runs four times and in slugging percentage three times.  He set a new record with a 42-game hitting streak in 1894.  He was traded away following the 1898 season.  He is considered to have the most career WAR of any eligible player, except those tainted by scandal, to not be in the Hall of Fame.

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Building An Arch

The Cubs are starting construction today on a new archway entrance to Gallagher Way that will honor the franchise’s three World Series championship teams from 1907, 1908, and 2016.  The arch will be on the southwest corner of the park outside of Wrigley Field, facing the corner of Clark and Addison.  Currently called Champions Gate, although I’m sure a corporate sponsor will be added at some point, the new entryway is expected to be completed by July 18, when the Cubs will honor the tenth anniversary of the 2016 team.

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Fitbit 12 – Week 15

Another great week as I pushed my 30,000-step week streak to twelve, my 40,000-step week streak to two, and my streak of 4000+ step days reached 61.  The week got off to a great start on Sunday as a neighborhood walk left me with 6800 steps.  Monday saw a slight downturn but was still 21 steps away from 5200.  Things kept rolling on Tuesday as a mid-day walk while charging the car put me back up to 6500.  Trips to the office, and the associated nearly six hours spent commuting, left with 5000 and 5800 steps on Wednesday and Thursday respectively.  Unseasonably cool temperatures on Friday limited me to 4600 steps, my first day under 5000 steps in more than two weeks.  An afternoon trip to the Wrigley Field on Saturday wrapped up the week just under goal, coming in with 7400 steps.

Total steps: 41,515

Daily average: 5930.7

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150 Years Of Cubs Baseball – Third Basemen

Originally founded in 1869, the Chicago Cubs became a charter member of the National League in 1876.  Over the next 150 seasons, the Cubs have played more than 22,000 games, scored over 103,000 runs and recorded more than 200,000 hits, more than any other team in baseball history.  Nearly 2,300 players have worn a Cubs uniform, earning eight division titles, 17 NL pennants, and three World Series championships.

Fans have witnessed generations of unforgettable players, from historical heroes like Joe Tinker, Gabby Hartnett, Ernie Banks, and Billy Williams to more recent stars like Ryne Sandberg, Derrek Lee, Kerry Wood, and Anthony Rizzo.  The team has called Wrigley Field home for 110 of those 150 seasons.

To celebrate this milestone, the Cubs are holding a fan vote to select the franchise’s anniversary team.  Each week, we will go through the provided options for each position and declare who should, and, if different, who will, win the fan vote.  We continue today with the eight selections for third baseman.

Kris Bryant was selected by the Cubs as the second-overall pick in the 2013 draft.  An injury to Mike Olt early in the 2015 season got Bryant called up to the big leagues and he did not waste time making his presence felt.  Hitting .275 with 26 HRs and 99 RBIs, Bryant won the Rookie of the Year award while leading the surprising Cubs to the NL Wild Card and an appearance in the NLCS.  Things were even better the following year, as Bryant won the NL MVP and the Cubs ended their 108-year title drought by defeating Cleveland in the World Series.  Unfortunately, neither Bryant nor the Cubs could replicate the highs of that year.  He was traded to the Giants at the trade deadline in 2021, finishing his time on the north side as a four-time All-Star and winner of the 2016 NL Hank Aaron Award.

Stan Hack spent his entire 16-year career with the Cubs, becoming the full-time third baseman in 1934.  He appeared in four World Series for the Cubs, losing efforts in 1932, 1935, 1938, and 1945.  When he retired following the 1947 season, he ranked second in team history behind Cap Anson in games played, at bats, and hits.  He twice led the National League in stolen bases and was a five-time All-Star selection.  He is a member of the Cubs Hall of Fame.

Randy Jackson spent parts of seven seasons across his two stints with the Cubs.  He debuted in 1950 and earned All-Star nods in 1954 and 1955.  Traded to the Dodgers following that 1955 season, he returned in 1959 for a final season after a knee injury derailed the trajectory of his career.

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150 Years Of Cubs Baseball – Second Basemen

Originally founded in 1869, the Chicago Cubs became a charter member of the National League in 1876.  Over the next 150 seasons, the Cubs have played more than 22,000 games, scored over 103,000 runs and recorded more than 200,000 hits, more than any other team in baseball history.  Nearly 2,300 players have worn a Cubs uniform, earning eight division titles, 17 NL pennants, and three World Series championships.

Fans have witnessed generations of unforgettable players, from historical heroes like Joe Tinker, Gabby Hartnett, Ernie Banks, and Billy Williams to more recent stars like Ryne Sandberg, Derrek Lee, Kerry Wood, and Anthony Rizzo.  The team has called Wrigley Field home for 110 of those 150 seasons.

To celebrate this milestone, the Cubs are holding a fan vote to select the franchise’s anniversary team.  Each week, we will go through the provided options for each position and declare who should, and, if different, who will, win the fan vote.  We start today with the eight selections for second baseman.

Glenn Beckert was called up by the Cubs in 1965, spending the next nine seasons as the team’s second baseman.  He won the Gold Glove in 1968 and was a four-time All-Star.  His best offensive season came in 1971, when he finished third in the NL with a career-best .342 batting average.

Johnny Evers played for the Orphans/Cubs from 1902 through 1913.  Known as “The Human Crab” for his combative play and fights with umpires, he earned a place in baseball history as part of the famous “Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance” double-play combination thanks to the poem Baseball’s Sad Lexicon.  Evers was responsible for alerting umpires to the baserunning mistake that would come to be known as “Merkle’s Boner”.  He was part of three NL pennant winners with the Cubs, winning the championship in 1907 and 1908, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1946.

Billy Herman spent the first eleven years of his career with the Cubs, hitting over .300 in seven of his first nine seasons.  He led the league in games played (twice), hits, doubles, and triples across his nine full seasons.  During that time, he was named an All-Star seven straight times, beginning in 1934.  He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1975.

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Fitbit 12 – Week 13

Things keep moving in the right directions as I kept my 30,000-step week streak alive for the tenth straight week while also running my streak of 4000+ days to 47.  The week got off to a good start on Sunday, needing a mere 2 additional steps to finish with 4600.  Monday was just slightly lower, ending with 4500 steps.  A nice improvement on Tuesday pushed me up to only 7 steps shy of 4800.  A lunchtime walk helped me to 5600 steps on Wednesday.  An additional 22 steps was all that stood between me and 5200 on Thursday.  An afternoon trip to Wrigley Field on Friday put me over my daily goal and just 25 steps away from 7700.  A trip to the Chicago Public Library in Bridgeport for a presentation on Dick Allen helped end the week with 5100 steps.

Total steps: 37,576

Daily average: 5368

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150 Years Of Cubs Baseball – First Basemen

Originally founded in 1869, the Chicago Cubs became a charter member of the National League in 1876.  Over the next 150 seasons, the Cubs have played more than 22,000 games, scored over 103,000 runs and recorded more than 200,000 hits, more than any other team in baseball history.  Nearly 2,300 players have worn a Cubs uniform, earning eight division titles, 17 NL pennants, and three World Series championships.

Fans have witnessed generations of unforgettable players, from historical heroes like Joe Tinker, Gabby Hartnett, Ernie Banks, and Billy Williams to more recent stars like Ryne Sandberg, Derrek Lee, Kerry Wood, and Anthony Rizzo.  The team has called Wrigley Field home for 110 of those 150 seasons.

To celebrate this milestone, the Cubs are holding a fan vote to select the franchise’s anniversary team.  Each week, we will go through the provided options for each position and declare who should, and, if different, who will, win the fan vote.  We continue today with the eight selections for first baseman.

Cap Anson was one of the first superstars of professional baseball.  He joined the Cubs franchise, then known as the White Stockings, in 1876, the first year of the new National League.  In addition to managing the team from 1879-1897, he was the NL batting champion in both 1881 and 1888 and led the league in RBI eight times between 1880 and 1891.  He helped the team to five pennants between 1880 and 1886.  He was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame in 1939.

Bill Buckner joined the Cubs in 1977, moving to first base due to a staph infection in his ankle the previous year.  He would win the NL batting title in 1980 and be named to his lone All-Star team in 1981.  In 1982, he set the major league record for assists at first base with 159.  Following some late acquisitions in 1984, Buckner found himself the off man out and was traded at the end of May.  He is a member of the Cubs Hall of Fame.

Phil Cavarretta spent 20 seasons with the Cubs, making his debut in September of 1934, just two months past his 18thn birthday.  He was a four-time All Star and, in 1945, he won the NL batting title and the MVP award while leading the Cubs to the pennant, their last one for over 70 years.  In his final season with the Cubs, he set the modern franchise record by playing in his 1938th game.  All told, he would hit .317 in three World Series appearances for the Cubs.

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