Wrigley Field and the Cubs are very much a part of Northwestern culture. Pictures of the Cubs’ stadium fill university brochures and one can’t go far on campus without seeing Cubs’ hats. But the one time each year when Northwestern and the Cubs cement their marriage is NU Day at Wrigley: Students throw out the first pitch, make the right-field baseline resemble the Ryan Field student section, and then invade the Wrigleyville bars after the final out (and often before).
For students who will visit the Cubs’ home today for the first time, here’s a quick guide to Wrigley Field, the Cubs and their Tuesday opponent, the San Diego Padres.
Wrigley Field: Opened in 1914 as the home of the short-lived Chicago Whales, the stadium now known as Wrigley Field has always competed with Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium for the title of America’s most beloved ballpark — though its most famous feature, the ivy covering the outfield wall, was only planted in 1937. Nicknamed the “Friendly Confines,” the park’s capacity of 41,118 makes for an intimate setting in a big city. Wrigley Field is also notable for being the last ballpark to get lights. To this day, the Cubs still play the most day games (by far) in baseball.
But what really sets Wrigley Field apart is the surrounding area: After a game, Wrigleyville boasts some of Chicago’s best bars, with the Cubby Bear, Murphy’s Bleachers, and Sluggers typically having long lines. Some fans leave the game early to beat the bar rush. Underage students should be careful though, as these bars tend to card harder than the Deuce or the Keg.
The Cubs: Now that the Red Sox have won a World Series, the Cubs hold the distinction of holding the longest World Series drought in baseball. The Cubs have not won a championship since 1908, and have not even been to the World Series since WWII.
The team has gotten close to winning the league pennant numerous times since, only to lose in freakish ways and rip out the hearts of their loyal fans. Most recently, in 2003, the Cubs were just a few outs away from heading to the World Series. But they instead gave up eight runs to the Florida Marlins and lost Game Six of the league championship series, before dropping Game Seven as well. Some Cubs fans blame Game Six on fan Steve Bartman, who allegedly prevented Cubs’ left fielder Moises Alou from catching a foul ball that would have been the second out of the inning. Umpire Mike Everitt ruled that there was no interference on the play, and the Marlins went on to score eight runs. Bartman, not surprisingly, was escorted by police from the ballpark. (And loyal fans visiting Wrigley still post somewhat bitter YouTube videos showing where Bartman sat.) But honestly, Cubs fans, Alou probably would not have caught the foul ball anyway.
Curses involving goats aside, the Cubs continue to be one of the most popular teams in America — the franchise may be worth $600 million or more, according to some estimates. Hopes remain high that this will finally be the team that makes it to the World Series. The Cubs currently have the best record in the league, and feature one of the best lineups in the majors. The fan favorite is first baseman Derrek Lee, while other popular players include third baseman Aramis Ramirez and pitcher Carlos Zambrano. One player you might see Cubs fans booing is left fielder Alfonso Soriano, who signed a $136-million contract in 2007 but has hit just .232 with only four homers this year. The newest sensation is outfielder Kosuke Fukudome, who arrived via Japan this season. Fukudome is batting .321. You can also make funny signs with his name.
Padres: The Cubs will face off against the San Diego Padres, one of the most disappointing teams in the National League. Last year, the Padres blew a one-game playoff against the Colorado Rockies and seem to have never recovered. They are in last place in the N.L. West with a 14-25 record and have lost seven of their last 10 games.
Pitching for the Padres will be Shawn Estes. This bodes well for Chicago. Estes is making his first start since 2006 and has spent the majority of the last two seasons rehabbing from an elbow surgery.