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Cubs Win Flag

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132-563: The Cubs Win Flag is a victory flag that is flown at Wrigley Field after every Chicago Cubs home win. The flag is variously referred to by approximately a dozen names, combining: either Cubs or Chicago Cubs; Win, W, White, White W, or W Win; and flag, banner or banner flag. Other common names for the symbol include Chicago Cubs W Flag and Chicago Cubs Win Banner Flag . It has become an important symbol for fans, and tradition of flying

264-489: A Chicago White Sox jacket. Missouri started playing games at Busch in 2009 when they defeated SLU . The Tigers have also played at Busch in 2010, 2017, and 2018. The Cardinals have allowed local high school teams to play each other on the field following select weekend afternoon games. So far, only 3 homeruns have been hit by high school students. The first was on May 7, 2011, by Johnny Wilson of Marquette Catholic High School against Farmington High School . The second

396-514: A Wrigley Field renovation since buying the team and the stadium in 2009. During the annual Cubs Convention in January 2013, the family revealed the 1060 Project, which called for a $ 575-million, privately funded rehabilitation of the stadium to be completed over the course of five years. The proposal was vast and included planned improvements to, among other things, the stadium's façade, infrastructure, restrooms, concourses, suites, press box , moving

528-742: A baseball game occurred August 6, 2022, when 48,581 fans watched a game between the Cardinals and the New York Yankees , a 1-0 Cardinals victory. In the first season of the new stadium, the Cardinals hosted the San Diego Padres in Games 3 and 4 of the National League Division Series . In Game 3 on October 7, San Diego defeated St. Louis 3–1. The Cardinals won the next night by the score of 6–2, clinching

660-426: A baseball gets into the ivy and gets stuck, the batter is awarded a ground rule double . Outfielders often raise their arms up when the ball goes into the ivy, signaling to an umpire to go out and rule on the play. However, if the ball becomes dislodged or the fielder reaches into the vines to try and retrieve it, it is considered in play and the runners can advance. The distances from home plate to various points in

792-665: A crowd of 46,556 St. Louis hockey fans. On June 12, 2019, the stadium hosted a watch party for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals when the Blues beat the Boston Bruins and won their first ever Stanley Cup. The Cardinals offered the stadium for use as it was empty that evening (the Cards were at Miami for a series) and the Blues' main watch party at Enterprise Center had sold out within a minute for Game 7, with many of

924-588: A crowd of 48,263, to date the 2nd largest attendance at a sporting event at the stadium. Later that year on November 18, Busch hosted a friendly between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Argentina ; before a crowd of more than 30,000, many of which were members of St. Louis' large Bosniak community, Argentina beat Bosnia 2–0, with Sergio Agüero scoring both goals. On April 4, 2015, the United States Women's National Soccer Team defeated New Zealand 4–0 in front of over 35,000 fans. On November 13, 2015,

1056-514: A game won in walk-off fashion by a David Freese home run, then the deciding Game 7, which was taken by the Cardinals in a 6–2 final, giving the team the 2011 World Series title. Busch Stadium hosted two postseason games vs. the Washington Nationals in the 2012 National League Division Series. The two teams split the two games at Busch, before the Cardinals won two of the next three games at Nationals Park . The Cardinals then won

1188-433: A holdout against night games for decades, not installing lights at Wrigley until 1988 , after baseball officials announced that the park would be prohibited from hosting any future postseason games without lights. Before then, all games at Wrigley were played during the day. Night games are still limited in number by agreement with the city council. In 1942, then-owner Philip K. Wrigley had planned to install lights, but

1320-467: A license and began to regulate the venues. In 2003, relations between rooftop owners and the Cubs worsened when the team put up a large screen to block the view of the rooftops, exemplifying what is known as a spite fence . The Cubs then sued most rooftop businesses that year, claiming they were stealing from the team's product and "unjustly enriching themselves". In 2004, the building owners agreed to share

1452-436: A portion of their proceeds with the Cubs. Rooftop owners were required to pay the team 17% of their gross revenue in an agreement lasting until 2023. The Cubs obtained permission from the city to expand the ballpark's own bleachers out over the sidewalks and do some additional construction on the open area of the property to the west, bordered by Clark and Waveland, and to close the remnant of Seminary Avenue that also existed on

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1584-557: A result, it is not uncommon to see vendors selling discounted bags of peanuts and bottles of soda and water, or even scalpers including a box of Cracker Jack with tickets. The ballpark features a make-your-own-mascot store featuring Fredbird , the Cardinals' team mascot . Operated by St. Louis-based Build-A-Bear, the store was first located in the right-field lower deck before it was moved to center field across from Ballpark Village in 2015 to allow it to be open on non-game days. After St. Louis Post-Dispatch sportswriter Rick Hummel

1716-475: A single game basis, with amenities running the gamut from the ritzy Champions Club (offering a multiple-course buffet, large screen televisions, a chance to get on television or radio as a broadcast booth is located inside the club, and a full bar) to the more family-oriented Scoreboard Patio (with table seating for four in center field and a cookout-style selection of food). Cardinal management also allows outside food and drink (including soft-sided drink coolers); as

1848-753: A successful pickoff by Koji Uehara on pinch-runner Kolten Wong at first base. The Cardinals led 2–1 after the controversial Game 3 win, but proceeded to drop the next three games to lose the series 4–2. The Cardinals played two games in Busch Stadium against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series. The first two games of the Series were played at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles , and

1980-486: A syndicate including the chewing gum manufacturer William Wrigley Jr. to buy the Chicago Cubs from Charles P. Taft for about $ 500,000. Weeghman immediately moved the Cubs from the dilapidated West Side Grounds to his two-year-old park. In 1918, Wrigley acquired the controlling interest in the club. In November 1926, he renamed the park Wrigley Field. In 1927, an upper deck was added, and in 1937, Bill Veeck ,

2112-522: A very symbolic emblem for devout Cubs fans. Some retailers sell slightly different versions that also have the Cubs logo at the bottom. Flying a flag over Wrigley Field to denote wins and losses is a longstanding tradition. Currently, the Win Flag is composed of a large blue letter "W" on a white background while the Loss Flag is a large white letter "L" on a blue background. Early in the 21st century,

2244-405: A win or loss flag over the stadium began soon after the construction of the scoreboard in 1937. The flag has used two different color schemes with the letter "W" on a solid background, and there is a loss indicator flag with a letter "L". Additionally, the flags have been complemented by different color schemes of indicator lights. The flag is also changed after each Cubs win. The flag has become

2376-424: Is 368 feet (112.2 m). It is closer to true center field than its right-center counterpart is. True center field is unmarked and is about 390 feet (118.9 m). The center field marker, which is to the right of true center field and in the middle of the quarter-circle defining the center field area, is 400 feet (121.9 m) and is the deepest point in the outfield. Right-center field is 368 feet (112.2 m),

2508-646: Is 600 feet (180 m) above sea level . Baseball executive Charles Weeghman hired his architect Zachary Taylor Davis to design the park, which was ready for baseball by the home opener on April 23, 1914. The original tenants, the Chicago Whales (also called the Chi-Feds), came in second in the Federal League rankings in 1914, and won the league championship in 1915. In late 1915, Weeghman's Federal League folded. The resourceful Weeghman formed

2640-525: Is a ballpark on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois . It is the home ballpark of Major League Baseball 's Chicago Cubs , one of the city's two MLB franchises. It first opened in 1914 as Weeghman Park for Charles Weeghman 's Chicago Whales of the Federal League , which folded after the 1915 baseball season . The Cubs played their first home game at the park on April 20, 1916 , defeating

2772-461: Is a baseball stadium located in St. Louis , Missouri . It is the home of Major League Baseball 's St. Louis Cardinals . It has a seating capacity of 44,383, with 3,706 club seats and 61 luxury suites. It replaced Busch Memorial Stadium (aka Busch Stadium II) and occupies a portion of that stadium's former footprint. A commercial area dubbed Ballpark Village was built adjacent to the stadium over

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2904-534: Is a multi-phase residential and entertainment complex located on the site of the former Busch Memorial Stadium across the street from the new ballpark. Despite several years of delays, groundbreaking occurred in February 2013 and the first phase was completed in time for Opening Day 2014. During a weather incident during a July 2006 game vs the Atlanta Braves , portable concession stands were knocked over,

3036-416: Is a third generation scoreboard operator whose grandfather began working in the hand-turned scoreboard at its inception. Directly over the main entrance to the stadium stands a large, red, art deco -style marquee , with "Wrigley Field, Home of Chicago Cubs" painted in white. The marquee was installed in 1934, and was originally painted green with changeable sections to announce upcoming games. By 1939, it

3168-490: Is interwoven into our nation's story and a key part of what has become America's beloved pastime for over a century". On May 26, 2015, Cubs rookie third baseman Kris Bryant became the first to hit the new left field videoscreen with his 477-foot (145 m) home run. On October 13, the Cubs clinched a playoff series at home in Wrigley Field for the first time in franchise history, with a 6–4 victory in game four of

3300-414: Is known by many names, with none being more prevalent than the rest, and may often be referred to by more than one name by the same manufacturer. "Chicago Cubs W Win Flag" is the name used on Amazon.com , however the company also refers to the flag as Chicago Cubs 'W' Banner Flag in their marketplace section. CubWorld.com also refers to the flag by the name Chicago Cubs 'W' Banner Flag. Other retailers use

3432-615: Is most iconic, with a large "bridge" resembling the Eads Bridge arching over the entrance. The exterior of the stadium contains historical plaques of Cardinals logos, the STL insignia and a Busch Stadium logo behind home plate. After complaints from fans that not all out-of-town games could be placed on the Daktronics out-of-town scoreboard at one time, following the inaugural season a number of advertisement panels were removed to expand

3564-478: Is now solid red). The marquee uses red neon lights at night, showing "Wrigley Field" in red, with the rest of the sign in darkness. A Budweiser Beer slogan was on the lower panel in the early 1980s, around the time when the team added the LED signage. The Chicago Transit Authority Addison street platform that serves Wrigley Field uses an image of the marquee painted on walls to announce the destination. In November 2010,

3696-431: Is one of the last parks to maintain a hand-turned scoreboard. A number turner watches the score changes on a computer (a ticker tape machine was used in the past), and updates the scoreboard by manually replacing the numbers from within the scoreboard. The scoreboard is made of sheet steel. The numbers that are placed into the inning windows are also steel, painted forest green, and numbered with white numerals. The box for

3828-509: Is the only stadium in the league without padded walls because of the ivy. In 2004, the ivy was specifically included in Wrigley Field's Landmark Designation by the Chicago City Council . Although the ivy appears to "pad" the bricks, it is of little practical use in this regard. There have been occasions of fielders being injured when slamming into the wall while pursuing a fly ball. Under the ground rules of Wrigley Field, if

3960-422: The 2015 NLDS . After Anthony Rizzo hit what would be the game-winning and series-winning home run in the sixth inning, Kyle Schwarber's seventh inning home run ball landed on top of the right field scoreboard. The ball was left in place, encased in clear plexiglass to protect it from the elements, but was removed in 2016. During the 2014 season , the Cubs celebrated the centennial of Wrigley Field. Each decade

4092-609: The 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup . The United States won 5–0 in front of 35,761 spectators. On March 9, 2016, the National Hockey League announced that the St. Louis Blues , for the first time in their 50-year history, would host an outdoor game. The 2017 NHL Winter Classic was held at Busch Stadium on January 2, 2017. The Blues won the game by a score of 4–1 against the Chicago Blackhawks . Despite thick fog and spotty rain, Busch Stadium sold out to

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4224-496: The Chicago City Council in July 2013. To help fund the project, the team planned to more than double the amount of advertising signage in and around the stadium to about 51,000 square feet (4,700 m ), including additional signage to be placed beyond the outfield walls – a move that was opposed by many owners of the rooftop clubs surrounding the stadium, who worried that such signage would obstruct their sightlines. Before work on

4356-632: The Cincinnati Reds 7–6 in 11 innings. Chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr. of the Wrigley Company acquired the Cubs in 1921 . It was named Cubs Park from 1920 to 1926 , before being renamed Wrigley Field in 1927 . The stadium currently seats 41,649 people and is the second stadium to be named Wrigley Field, as a Los Angeles ballpark with the same name opened in 1925. In the North Side community area of Lakeview in

4488-656: The Kansas City Packers , whom the Federals played on April 23, 1914. On July 14, 2022, the United States government filed a lawsuit against the Chicago Cubs, operator of the stadium, for alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act , claiming that the stadium did not accommodate spectators with disabilities, primarily those in wheelchairs. The lawsuit states that, during recent renovations,

4620-552: The Milwaukee Brewers 6–4 behind an Albert Pujols home run and winning pitcher Mark Mulder . In 2004, then- Anheuser-Busch president August Busch IV announced that the brewing giant had purchased 20-year naming rights for the stadium. Team owner William DeWitt Jr. said: "From the day we began planning for the new ballpark, we wanted to keep the name 'Busch Stadium.' August Busch IV and Anheuser-Busch share our vision for continuing that tradition for our great fans and

4752-530: The Missouri state government signed a contract with the team, proposing a ballpark in downtown St. Louis, but a subsequent funding bill was struck down in May 2002, leaving the saga open. Team owners sought a location near Madison, Illinois , adjacent to Gateway International Raceway , until the city of St. Louis drafted a financing plan for the team to construct the new stadium in downtown St. Louis. The stadium

4884-692: The United States Men's National Soccer Team defeated St. Vincent and the Grenadines 6–1 in the first match of the fourth round of qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in front of a crowd of 43,433. Another international friendly was hosted at Busch in 2016: Italian side A.S. Roma , bolstered by a goal from Bosnian star Edin Džeko , defeated Liverpool F.C. 2–1. The United States women's national team returned on May 16, 2019, for another friendly against New Zealand as part of their preparations for

5016-563: The Wrigleyville neighborhood, Wrigley Field is on an irregular block bounded by Clark and Addison streets to the west and south, and Waveland and Sheffield avenues to the north and east. Wrigley Field is nicknamed "The Friendly Confines", a phrase popularized by Hall of Fame shortstop and first baseman Ernie Banks . The oldest park in the National League , it is the second-oldest in the majors after Fenway Park (1912), and

5148-453: The bullpens and clubhouses, as well as the addition of restaurants, patio areas, batting tunnels , a 5,700 square foot (530 m ) jumbotron , and an adjacent hotel, plaza and office-retail complex. After months of negotiations between the team, local Alderman Tom Tunney , and then- Mayor Rahm Emanuel , the plan obtained the endorsements of both the city's Landmarks Commission and Plan Commission before receiving final approval by

5280-412: The $ 10 tickets being picked up by scalpers who sold them on secondary markets at inflated prices. More than 25,000 fans viewed the game on the main scoreboards while braving a heavy rainstorm that hit the area during the 1st period. Southern Illinois University and Southeast Missouri State played each other in the first ever football game at Busch Stadium on September 21, 2013. The announced attendance

5412-403: The 2015 season as part of phase one of the 1060 project.  At around the same time, advertising signs above the corners of the left and right field wall were installed, raising the bleachers by about three feet. It is a widespread misconception that the recently added signage are in-play and a part of the wall, neither of which are correct. The distance from where the front row bleachers are to

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5544-712: The Cardinals beat the Phillies 5–3 to tie the series at 2 games apiece. In the NLCS versus the Milwaukee Brewers , the Cardinals won 2 of the three games they played at home (Games 3, 4, 5). The Cards ended up winning the series on the road in Milwaukee to advance to the World Series. (This was the second time the Cardinals had defeated the Brewers in a postseason series, the first being the 1982 World Series , when Milwaukee

5676-603: The Cardinals in the NLCS 4–1, and move on to an appearance in the 2014 World Series against the Kansas City Royals . The Cardinals hosted two postseason games at Busch Stadium in 2015. In the National League Division Series, they won game 1 on October 9, 2015, but lost game 2 against the Chicago Cubs . The Cardinals then lost games 3 and 4 to the Cubs at Wrigley Field to lose the series 3–1. The Cardinals hosted four postseason games at Busch Stadium in 2019, in

5808-549: The Chicago Cubs logo beneath the W can be found under the name Chicago Cubs Win W Banner. The Cubs' then-owner Philip K. Wrigley ordered the reconstruction of the bleachers and the building of the manually operated scoreboard in 1937. The scoreboard's "masthead" was in place by 1938, displaying the American flag at the top and flags representing the eight clubs of the National League on the left and right strands of

5940-607: The Cubs advanced to the Series instead of the Padres, the Detroit Tigers would have hosted games 1, 2, 6, and 7 (on Tuesday and Wednesday nights), while the Cubs would have hosted games 3, 4, and 5 (on Friday, Saturday and Sunday), with all three games in Chicago starting no later than 1:30 p.m. CST . Since the Padres wound up winning the 1984 NLCS, these plans proved moot. In the late 1980s, Cubs management insisted that

6072-410: The Cubs are performing poorly the tradition has led to parody and satire, such as stories of the Cubs retiring the win flag due to signs of neglect. While not having the popularity of the Win Flag, the Loss Flag has become increasingly popular with clubs who traditionally have rivalries with the Cubs, such as the St. Louis Cardinals , Milwaukee Brewers , or Chicago White Sox . Fans of those teams wave

6204-479: The Cubs in 2015 would another no-hitter be pitched at Wrigley. In the seventh inning of Ken Holtzman 's first no-hitter, on August 19, 1969, Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hit a ball that looked headed for the bleachers, but the wind caught it just enough for left fielder Billy Williams to leap up and snare it. With the wind blowing out, some true tape-measure home runs have been hit by well-muscled batters. Sammy Sosa and Dave "Kong" Kingman broke windows in

6336-556: The Cubs won for the 10,000th time in the history of the franchise on the road against the Colorado Rockies . Like the 9,000th win, the 10,000th win came in a 7–6 victory at Coors Field . The Cubs were the second franchise to achieve 10,000 regular season wins; the San Francisco Giants /New York Giants were the first. The franchise flew a special 10,000th win flag along with a Cubs Win flag to commemorate

6468-574: The NLCS against the Dodgers, including a 9–0 shutout win in Game 6 to take the series 4–2. In the World Series, the Cardinals hosted Games 3–5 against the Boston Red Sox . Game 3 on October 26 ended in an obstruction call when Allen Craig was impeded by Will Middlebrooks at third base, thus awarding him a run after umpire Jim Joyce ruled obstruction on the play. The next night Game 4 ended on

6600-572: The National League Championship Series against the Washington Nationals, losing every game including the first two at Busch. The stadium hosted the 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game on July 14, 2009. The American League defeated the National League in that game, 4–3. Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Carl Crawford won MVP. President Barack Obama threw out the ceremonial first pitch wearing

6732-612: The National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves. After splitting the first two games in Atlanta, the Cardinals lost Game 3 to be down 2-1 in the series, but secured the win in Game 4 after a walk-off sac fly by Yadier Molina who had also tied the game late in his previous at bat. St Louis would finish off the Braves and the series with a 10-run thumping in the 1st inning of Game 5 winning 13-1. The Cardinals next played

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6864-535: The National and American Leagues) of the 12-game, 24-team scoreboard (reflecting the MLB from 1969 to 1976), so up to three games (one NL, one AL and the interleague) each day cannot be posted. Those games may eventually be part of the auxiliary video board currently on the right field that may also be added in left field. Most Cubs players support the concept of a video board, and work on two additional scoreboards began at

6996-459: The agreement rooftop owners had with the Cubs. In January 2017, he was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison. In 2013, the owners threatened suit when the team announced plans to renovate the stadium and potentially disrupt the sight lines. In May 2014, when the rooftop owners did not agree to a scaled down plan for renovations, the Cubs' owners announced their intentions to implement the original 2013 plan for renovations even if it meant battling

7128-471: The apartment buildings across Waveland Avenue several times, and Glenallen Hill put one on a rooftop. Batters have occasionally slugged it into, or to the side of, the first row or two of the "upper deck" of the center field bleachers. Sosa hit the roof of the center field camera booth on the fly during the 2003 NLCS against the Florida Marlins , some 450 feet (140 m) away. The longest blast

7260-682: The ballpark. The 1984 World Series was scheduled to start in the National League park, but the MLB actually had a contingency plan to instead start the Series at the American League park in the event that the Cubs won the NLCS against the San Diego Padres . This would have allowed the Wrigley Field-hosted (i.e. daytime) games to be held over the weekend; in return, only one night game (game 3 on Friday) would have been lost. Had

7392-555: The baseball Cardinals, and the National Football League (NFL)'s team of the same name (now the Arizona Cardinals ) moved to a new multi-purpose stadium , named Busch Memorial Stadium (Busch Stadium II). In 1995, St. Louis Cardinals team ownership began to lobby for a new ballpark in downtown St. Louis , but the team was unable to acquire funding for the project for several years. In June 2001,

7524-427: The bleachers, the brick walls were extended toward the field, and new seating was added in the vacated bullpen areas. A visiting team "batting tunnel" was also added. Partial façade replacement and concourse restoration was completed along Addison Street, along with structural improvements to the right field bleachers. The outfield turf was replaced just weeks before the start of the season. The Cubs Plaza building just to

7656-571: The blue flag after their team defeats the Cubs at Busch Stadium or Guaranteed Rate Field . However, because of the enormous fan base that the Cubs hold, it is not uncommon to see fans at games on the road waving their "W" flags during Cubs wins on the road. Another of the Cubs' rivals, the Pittsburgh Pirates , actually co-opted the Cubs Win Flag for themselves by waving a Jolly Roger pirate flag after each Pirates win. The flag

7788-521: The case of a doubleheader split, both flags are flown. It is customary to fly flags from sunrise until sunset , unless they are directly illuminated. At the beginning of each day, the cross-shaped "masthead" atop the center field scoreboard displays the American flag at the top, and three strands of flags bearing the colors and nicknames of each of the National League clubs, one strand per Division in order of that day's standings. Immediately after

7920-433: The close of the extended 2015 season , work began on phase two of the project. Exterior renovations of the park seek to restore design elements present before the 1960s. These details include ornamental muted-green grill-work and red Ludowici terra cotta roofing. Phase three of the 1060 Project was completed before the start of the 2017 season . The left and right field bullpens were relocated to enclosed areas under

8052-566: The construction of the Budweiser Terrace in the right field upper deck. The Terrace is a multi-level general admission standing area with two full bars, a BBQ outlet and social areas in the concourse, and a stage area for pre- and in-game entertainment. Outside the Gate 3 entrance stands a bronze statue of Cardinals legend Stan "The Man" Musial . Other Cardinals statues that previously surrounded Busch Memorial Stadium are now displayed at

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8184-534: The corner of Clark and 8th streets, outside the Cardinals' team store. The statues are of former Cardinal players and Hall of Fame inductees Enos Slaughter , Dizzy Dean , Rogers Hornsby , Red Schoendienst , Lou Brock , Bob Gibson , Ozzie Smith , and Ted Simmons ; former St. Louis Browns player and Hall of Fame inductee George Sisler ; former Negro league St. Louis Stars player and Hall of Fame inductee Cool Papa Bell ; and former Cardinals radio broadcaster and Hall of Fame honoree Jack Buck . Fans at

8316-470: The crossbar of the masthead so that the Chicago 'L' passengers would be able to see the outcome of Cubs home games after sunset. In his autobiography, Veeck remembered the colors as green for a win and red for a loss. Hartell's book acknowledges Veeck's comments, but reports that contemporary newspapers stated that the colors of the lights were blue and white, as they are now. Eventually the original lights on

8448-497: The current scoreboard, although at least three have come close: Roberto Clemente to the left side on May 17, 1959; and Bill Nicholson and Eddie Mathews to the right on August 22, 1942, and April 22, 1953, respectively. In 2010, the Cubs considered adding a video screen to the stadium, but the hand-turned scoreboard cannot be moved due to the park's landmark status, which also prohibits even simple facelifts, such as adding two more games on either side (there are 15 teams in both

8580-418: The deepest in the major leagues. It is 355 feet (108.2 m) to the notch in the wall just beyond the left field foul pole. The point where the bleacher wall begins to curve inward in left-center field, one of the two "wells", is an unmarked 357 feet (108.8 m). The front part of the left-center "well" is the closest point in the outfield, about 360 feet (109.7 m). The marked left-center field distance

8712-468: The end of the 2014 season. On March 21, 2013, it was announced that Alderman Tom Tunney wanted to demolish the scoreboard to clear the view for nearby residents, who watch games from their rooftops. "Demolishing the landmark old scoreboard has never been part of any plan discussed or envisioned by the Ricketts family," said Dennis Culloton, a spokesman for Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts . To date, there

8844-588: The entire St. Louis community." It is the third stadium in St. Louis to carry the name Busch Stadium. Sportsman's Park was renamed Busch Stadium in 1953; then-team owner August Busch Jr. had planned to name it Budweiser Stadium, but at the time league rules prohibited naming a venue after an alcoholic beverage. Busch named the stadium after himself, and the Anheuser-Busch corporation later introduced " Busch Beer ". The first Busch Stadium closed in 1966 and both

8976-571: The equipment was instead diverted for the World War II effort. On July 1, 1943, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League 's first midseason All-Star Game was played under temporary lights at Wrigley Field, between two teams composed of South Bend Blue Sox and Rockford Peaches players versus Kenosha Comets and Racine Belles players. It was also the first night game ever played in

9108-446: The field, including the newly placed signs, is still 15 feet. When Wrigley Field was constructed, the buildings along Waveland and Sheffield avenues gave spectators a view of what was going on inside the ballpark, but did not become popular spectator areas until the 1929 World Series . The 1938 World Series brought paying spectators to the rooftops, however, fans typically sat in lawn chairs and brought their own food and beverages. In

9240-558: The first in 38 years. The Cardinals won the first in 1934 , and the Tigers won the second in 1968 ; each went the full seven games. Because the American League won that year's All-Star Game , the Tigers were granted home field advantage , meaning the Cardinals would host Games 3, 4, and 5. This proved fortuitous for St. Louis, as they won every game at home, clinching their 10th World Series championship in Game 5 on October 27, by

9372-471: The first official night game took place the following evening against the New York Mets , whom the Cubs beat 6–4. On November 7, 2022 Wrigley Field upgraded to LED field lights. Busch Stadium 44,494 (2018–2019) 45,529 (2017) 45,538 (2016) 45,399 (2014–2015) 43,975 (2006–2013) Busch Stadium (also referred to informally as " New Busch Stadium " or " Busch Stadium III ")

9504-505: The first time in 3 years, the Cubs' victory tune, Go Cubs Go! became more popular among the fans. Due to the song's growing popularity, after wins at home, Cubs TV broadcasters Len Kasper and Bob Brenly would have their microphones shut off, while the camera pans around the stadium to view the jubilant fans as Go Cubs Go! plays in the background. After fans discovered this, they started purchasing "W" flags and waving them after wins at home as an attempt to get on TV. However, in seasons when

9636-436: The first two home games against the San Francisco Giants to take a 3–1 series lead, but lost Game 5 and went on to lose the series in Game 7 at AT&T Park . The Cardinals hosted nine postseason games at Busch Stadium in 2013. In the National League Division Series, they won Games 1 and 5 against the Pittsburgh Pirates , with the latter game capping off a series comeback after trailing 2–1. They would win every home game of

9768-470: The flag color scheme matched the Win flag color with the honored colors of the retired number flags, as the white-on-blue Cubs "team flag" was retired. Subsequent retired Cubs numbers for Ron Santo , Ryne Sandberg and Ferguson Jenkins / Greg Maddux also match this color scheme. In addition to the flags, Wrigley authorized Bill Veeck , the leader of the bleacher reconstruction project, to add colored lights on

9900-476: The four new luxury clubs. The seating area behind home plate was reconstructed to locate another of the new clubs. The final upper level club was planned for the 2019 season . The Hotel Zachary, just across Clark Street, was open for business in time for the Cubs' first home game on April 9, 2018. Near the start of the renovations, the Ricketts applied for National Historic Landmark status for Wrigley Field in 2013. A similar plan had been successfully pursued by

10032-494: The game might be like. This is less of a factor for night games, however, because the wind does not blow as hard after the sun goes down. With the wind blowing in, pitchers can dominate and no-hitters have resulted. The last two by a Cubs pitcher occurred near the beginning and the end of the 1972 season, by Burt Hooton and Milt Pappas respectively. Not until Cole Hamels of the Philadelphia Phillies no-hit

10164-408: The game playing at Wrigley uses yellow numerals for the current inning. The clock, which sits at the top center of the scoreboard, has never lost time in its 83-year existence. Standing over the clock are three flagpoles, one for each division in the National League . There are 15 flags, one for each National League team, and their order on the flagpoles reflects the current standings. The entrance to

10296-499: The game, one of the strands of flags is lowered, and either the W or the L-lettered flag is raised in its place. The W-lettered flag is raised on the left field side of the board, above the blue light that also indicates a win. The L-lettered flag is raised on the right field side of the board, above the white light that indicates a loss. Once the Win or Loss Flag has been raised, the other flags are lowered and also stowed away inside

10428-507: The gross revenues. In May 2014, the Cubs announced they would pursue the original 2013 plan to modify the park. Over the course of the next three years, the Ricketts family began to purchase many of the rooftop locations. Phase one of the 1060 Project began on September 29, 2014. During the offseason, the bleachers in both outfields were expanded and the stadium's footprint was extended further onto both Waveland and Sheffield Avenues. A 3,990 sq ft (370 m ) Jumbotron scoreboard

10560-405: The harsh Chicago winters better than its English cousin. Cuttings from the ivy were sold by local vendors. The Cubs attempted to grow the ivy on the outside of Wrigley Field as well, but the plantings were often stolen, so the Cubs abandoned the plans. Following a later change in MLB rules, which requires all outfield walls to be padded, Wrigley Field was grandfathered into the rules, meaning it

10692-411: The infield rain tarp was damaged, and plastic sheets used to protect the press box were dislodged. As a result of the storm at least 30 spectators were injured, of whom five were taken to the hospital. After the storm happened, the stadium designated shelter areas for such disasters which are located throughout the ballpark. Following Juan Encarnación 's face injury on August 31, 2007, workers extended

10824-560: The issue in court. Cubs owner Ricketts said Wrigley has "the worst player facilities in Major League Baseball...I am saying it is the time to invest in Wrigley Field and do the things that our competitors do." By the end of the 2016 season, the Ricketts family had acquired ten of the rooftop locations, with a financial stake in an eleventh. Some of the rooftops became legendary in their own right. The Lakeview Baseball Club, which sits across Sheffield Avenue (right-field) from

10956-521: The ivy turns red. On April 7, 2013, Total Pro Sports named Wrigley Field the "Best Place to Catch a Game in 2013", owing the award primarily to its architecture and ivy-coated fields. In 1937, the stadium was renovated and P. K. Wrigley discussed beautification with then-Cubs President Bill Veeck , who suggested planting ivy on the outfield walls. The ivy was originally English ivy , but was later changed to Parthenocissus tricuspidata , commonly called Boston ivy or Japanese bittersweet, which can endure

11088-506: The landmark achievement for the franchise. This was unusual not just for the 10,000th win, but also for flying the flag in reference to a road game. The special flag flew from the afternoon of April 24, 2008, until immediately prior to the next home game on April 29, 2008, at 7:05pm against the Milwaukee Brewers . After the flag was taken down, it was autographed by all members of the 2008 Chicago Cubs and auctioned off for charity. Wrigley Field Wrigley Field / ˈ r ɪ ɡ l i /

11220-469: The left field corner to the right field corner and causes all sorts of havoc. Depending on the direction of the wind, Wrigley can either be one of the friendliest parks in the major leagues for pitchers or among the worst. This makes Wrigley one of the most unpredictable parks in the Major Leagues. Many Cubs fans check their nearest flag before heading to the park on game days for an indication of what

11352-412: The location of the outfield wall. The ballpark's outfield walls are covered by ivy . In the first weeks of the baseball season, the ivy has not leafed out, and all that is visible are the vines on which it grows. However, as the baseball season progresses further into spring, the ivy grows thick and green, disguising the hard brick surface of the outfield wall. In the autumn, generally during postseason,

11484-550: The marquee was painted purple with an Allstate Insurance logo for the Northwestern Wildcats , who played as the home team against the Illinois Fighting Illini in a Big Ten football game. In 2015, a Toyota emblem was placed on the lower panel just below the LED sign on the marquee; previously, the area was used for logos of transient corporate sponsors and team initiatives. Toyota, one of

11616-419: The masthead were replaced by lights directly on the top of scoreboard, still visible from outside Wrigley field. The lights complement the flags by helping night time passersby learn the result of that day's Cubs game at a glance. The current blue and white Win/Loss lights were added atop the scoreboard in 1978, while the "Wintrust W" light on the left-field video board was implemented in 2015. On April 23, 2008,

11748-497: The masthead, four apiece. In the 1940s, the practice of raising the Win/Loss flags was begun. The flags were originally a white "W" on a blue flag and a blue "L" on a white flag. This matched what was then the color scheme of the Cubs "team flags" that flew on the foul poles, and the many little "W.F." flags that flew on the grandstand roof (all of them serving to give the players a sense of the wind speed and direction). Ernie Banks

11880-440: The mid-1980s, rooftop owners began to organize more formally as businesses, seeking to extract more revenue by updating the rooftops with bleacher-style grandstands. The Sky Box on Sheffield opened in 1993, originally catering primarily to corporate groups. Today, it is complete with a two-tier roof deck, indoor clubhouse, fully staffed bars on three levels, and an elevator. In 1998, the city started requiring rooftop owners to have

12012-504: The names Cubs Win W Flag, Chicago Cubs Win 3' x 5' Flag, Cubs W Flag, or (Chicago Cubs) W Flag in the case of Sports Fan Warehouse. One retailer even sells an item called the Chicago Cubs W Fan Banner. Another retailer sells two versions of the flag listed as Chicago Cubs Win W Flag and Chicago Cubs Win Flag, yet its advertisements mentions celebrating a Cub win with the Chicago Cubs White "W" Flag. An alternate version that has

12144-499: The new bleachers. It has remained in place ever since, and has only seen minor technical and cosmetic modifications. The clock was added in 1941, and a fifth row of scores was added to each side in 1961, with a sixth by 1969. A set of light stands facing onto the scoreboard was added in 1988 with the introduction of night games. Along with Fenway Park 's scoreboard and Minute Maid Park , Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum , Coors Field and Oracle Park 's out of town scoreboards, Wrigley

12276-457: The notch of the right-center "well" is an unmarked 363 feet (110.6 m), and the right field foul line is 353 feet (107.6 m). As of 2004, the backstop is listed in media sources as 55 feet (17 m) behind home plate. Although that distance is standard, the relatively small foul ground area in general gives an advantage to batters. The ivy-covered walls in the left and right field corners were reduced from 15 to 11 feet in height prior to

12408-501: The number of years since the Cubs' last division championship as of the end of the previous season ( 2008 ), the next two digits indicating the number of years since the Cubs won the National League Pennant ( 1945 ), and the last three digits indicating the number of years since their last World Series win ( 1908 ). After winning the World Series in 2016, the sign was updated to "AC0000000". In April and May,

12540-414: The only remaining Federal League park. The park was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2020. Wrigley Field's features include its ivy-covered brick outfield wall, distinctive wind patterns off Lake Michigan , the red marquee over the main entrance, and the hand-turned scoreboard. The stadium is situated in a primarily residential neighborhood without parking lots, and spectators have views from

12672-418: The outfield have remained essentially unchanged since the bleachers were remodeled during the 1937 season. They were originally marked by wooden numbers cut from plywood, painted white, and placed in gaps where the ivy was not allowed to grow. Since the early 1980s, the numbers have been painted directly on the bricks, in yellow. Although the power-alley dimensions are relatively cozy, the foul lines are currently

12804-465: The outfield wall, the base of which is about two feet down from the top of the wall and the top of which projects out at an angle, primarily used to keep fans from interfering with balls in play. Called "the Basket" by players and fans alike, the rules of the field state that any ball landing within the basket is ruled a home run, making the distance to hit a home run in Wrigley Field actually shorter than

12936-510: The owners of Fenway Park in Boston. To achieve landmark status, the renovations had to respect and reflect the historic character of the stadium. The benefit to the owners is that landmark status allows them to claim tax credits for the renovation. National landmark status was awarded in 2020, with the U.S. Secretary of the Interior commenting that "the historical significance of Wrigley Field

13068-408: The phrase "White flag time at Wrigley!" was used to explain that the Cubs had just won that day's home game. More recently, at least as early as the 2015 season, the Cubs have used the phrase "Fly the W!"; an accompanying social media hashtag "#FlyTheW" has been heavily promoted by the team and its fans. The flag is raised by a scoreboard crew member immediately after the completion of a game, and in

13200-399: The project began, the team wanted the rooftop owners to agree not to pursue legal action challenging the construction and continued to negotiate privately with them – offering to reduce the size and number of signs to be built – in order to gain their assent. The team could not come to terms with the rooftop owners who had a lease agreement with the team until 2023 in exchange for paying 17% of

13332-551: The property. The rooftop seats are now effectively part of the ballpark's seating area, although they are not included in the seating capacity figure. In July 2016, former rooftop owner R. Marc Hamid was convicted on nine counts of mail fraud and illegal bank structuring. Hamid had been underreporting attendance at the Sky Box on Sheffield from 2008 to 2011, and covered up over $ 1 million in revenue while also avoiding hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes and royalties that violated

13464-399: The remainder of the former stadium's footprint. The stadium opened on April 4, 2006 with an exhibition between the minor league Memphis Redbirds and Springfield Cardinals (both affiliates of the St. Louis Cardinals), which Springfield won 5–3 with right-hander Mike Parisi recording the first win. The first official major league game occurred on April 10, 2006, as the Cardinals defeated

13596-468: The road to show support. The fans wave them after victories at Wrigley Field, and they hang them in the stands during playoff series. Some fans fly a win flag in place of or in addition to the Flag of the United States on days when the Cubs win. Since 1998, the flags have become ever more popular, with demand reaching a level where they are sold at Wrigley Field. In 2007, with the Cubs in playoff contention for

13728-612: The rooftops behind the outfield. Additionally, it was the last Major League park to have lights installed for night games, in 1988 . From 1921 to 1970 , the stadium was also home to the Chicago Bears of the National Football League , and from 1931 to 1938, it was the home of the Chicago Cardinals (now the Arizona Cardinals ) of the National Football League. The elevation of its playing field

13860-404: The score of 4–2. Busch Stadium hosted only one postseason game in 2009, a 5–1 loss versus the Los Angeles Dodgers on October 10, to complete a sweep of the Cardinals. In 2011, Busch Stadium hosted two postseason games in the National League Division Series versus the Philadelphia Phillies . On October 4, the Phillies won 3–2, to take a 2–1 game lead over the Cardinals. The next night, the 5th,

13992-467: The scoreboard and also create a secondary video board. In 2016, the entire original scoreboard and fascia-board system was replaced, creating two full HD video boards: the main board, which took up the entire area of the original scoreboard and video board, measures 4,800 sq ft (40 ft x 120 ft), with the out-of-town scoreboard measuring 3,280 sq ft (40 x 81 ft). 2019 saw the installation of LED floodlights with light-show capabilities, as well as

14124-531: The scoreboard is a trap-door on the bottom. On the reverse of the scoreboard, visible from the CTA elevated trains, is a blue Cubs pennant in white outlined in red neon. The scoreboard was extensively rehabilitated for the 2010 season. Unlike the home of the Red Sox, the scoreboard at Wrigley is mounted above the centerfield bleachers, rather than at ground level, making it harder to hit during play. No players have hit

14256-409: The scoreboard. The symbolism of the flag now serves a wide variety of purposes. It is commonly reproduced in 3-by-5-foot (0.91 by 1.52 m) dimensions, and car flag versions are also sold. The flag is also available in 2-by-3-foot (0.61 by 0.91 m) dimension versions. The flag has become a celebratory symbol for Chicago Cubs fans who purchase reproductions and take them to games at home and on

14388-531: The series win. In the 2006 National League Championship Series the Cardinals hosted the New York Mets in Games 3, 4, and 5. St. Louis won Game 3 and Game 5, and eventually clinched their 17th National League pennant by defeating the Mets on the road in Game 7, 3–1. The Cardinals faced the Detroit Tigers in the 2006 World Series . This was the third meeting between the two ballclubs in the Fall Classic, and

14520-578: The son of the club president, planted ivy vines against the outfield walls after seeing the ivy planted at Perry Stadium, Indianapolis . In June 2024, Wrigley Field announced a multiyear partnership with Invenergy , and their community solar company, Reactivate, to launch clean and renewable energy systems at the park. The agreement will establish the stadium as an "anchor" for community solar projects in Wrigleyville, marking its first ever use of solar power. The Ricketts family aggressively pursued

14652-453: The stadium displayed a sign that read "Eamus Catuli!" (roughly Latin for "Let's Go Cubs!"— catuli translating to " whelps ", the nearest Latin equivalent), flanked by a counter indicating the Cubs' long legacy of futility. The counter was labeled "AC" for "Anno Catulorum", or "In the Year of the Cubs". Prior to the team's 2016 championship, it read "AC0871108", with the first two digits indicating

14784-469: The stadium have access to a large amount of food and drink options, ranging from standard ballpark fare like bratwurst, nachos and peanuts to St Louis-area favorites such as pork steak sandwiches and toasted ravioli . Budweiser holds the beer contract for the stadium as one would expect, but local craft breweries such as Saint Louis Brewery , Urban Chestnut, and 4 Hands all are available at multiple outlets. Tickets for multiple all-inclusive areas are sold on

14916-421: The stadium operator removed the best wheelchair seating, failed to add wheelchair accessibility to premium club rooms, and stuck the wheelchair seats behind railings, which could obstruct the view of those in wheelchairs. The Chicago Cubs, however, released a statement, saying that "Wrigley Field is now more accessible than it was in its 108-year history". Wrigley Field follows the jewel box ballpark design that

15048-406: The team was in danger of leaving Wrigley if lights were not installed, and Major League Baseball threatened to make the Cubs play postseason "home" games at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. After 5,687 consecutive day games played by the Cubs at Wrigley, the lights were finally lit on August 8, 1988, for a game against the Philadelphia Phillies . However, that game was rained out after 3½ innings, and

15180-412: The team's "legacy partners", began displaying other signage in and around the park in 2016, including branding on all of its parking lots. The marquee was temporarily removed and restored for the 2016 season, including new paint, a new LED display board, and new neon lights. The back of the sign was given a new green paint job as well, which can now be seen from inside the terrace level. The Cubs were

15312-574: The teams each won a game there. The Series then moved to Busch Stadium, and the Cardinals won the next two games, to win the Series 3-1 and advance to the National League Championship Series. The Cardinals opened the National League Championship Series at Busch Stadium on October 11, 2014, against the San Francisco Giants . The teams split games 1 and 2 played at Busch Stadium, and the Series moved to AT&T Park in San Francisco . The Giants won games 3, 4, and 5 in their home ballpark, to defeat

15444-406: The west of Wrigley was finalized, and the "Park at Wrigley", the area above Cubs players dressing rooms, was in use for fans before and during games. Construction of Hotel Zachary along the west side of Clark Street was ongoing. The fourth phase of improvements began at the conclusion of the 2017 season. The dugouts were moved farther down the left and right field foul lines to make room for two of

15576-419: The wind often comes off Lake Michigan (less than a mile to the east), with a northeast wind "blowing in" to knock down potential home runs and turn them into outs. In the summer, however, or on any warm, breezy day, the wind often comes from the south and the southwest, "blowing out" with the potential to turn normally harmless fly balls into home runs. A third variety is the cross-wind, which typically runs from

15708-503: The year. Including all 2,886 standing-room-only tickets for the general public, as well as suites and party rooms, the stadium's total capacity is 46,861. Natural grass turf was installed in March 2006. In the stadium's debut season every Cardinal game was sold out, giving a total attendance of 3,407,104 for the season, the second-largest in team history, but since surpassed in 2007, 2008, and from 2014 to 2017. The largest attendance for

15840-404: Was 14,618. Whereas the previous stadium was enclosed on all sides in the " cookie-cutter " style very similar to Riverfront , Veterans , Three Rivers and Atlanta-Fulton County stadiums, the new stadium is similar to the many other Populous designed "retro-classic" fields. Like all those, it offers a panoramic view of the downtown skyline. The Gate 3 entrance on the west side of the stadium

15972-578: Was Jim Chibnall, who was also the lead designer of Progressive Field in Cleveland, Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Sydney Olympic Stadium , and other notable stadiums throughout the world. The field level (16,880 seats), terrace level (9,150), and bleachers (3,661) were completed in time for opening day, with total capacity on that day of 37,962, not including up to 2,751 standing room tickets. An integrated LED video and scoring system from Daktronics

16104-464: Was added to the left field bleachers, topped with a sign advertising Wintrust Financial , a Rosemont -based bank and a Cubs Legacy Partner; the "W" in Wintrust flashes after every Cubs win. A 2,400 sq ft (220 m ) video scoreboard was also added in the right field bleachers, and the parking lots along Clark Street were excavated for underground players' locker rooms and lounges. After

16236-601: Was financed through private bonds, bank loans, a long-term loan from St. Louis County, and money from the team owners. The development, including the Ballpark Village was projected to cost approximately $ 665 million with the stadium alone costing $ 365 million. New Busch Stadium was designed by Populous (then known as HOK Sport) and built by Hunt Construction with an estimated cost of $ 344.8 million, which proved too low by $ 20.2 million to its final cost of $ 365 million. Populous' senior project designer for Busch Stadium

16368-774: Was honored with the BBWAA Career Excellence Award and induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in 2007, the Cardinals renamed the stadium's press box the " Bob Broeg -Rick Hummel Press Box", honoring the two local writers enshrined in Cooperstown . On October 3, 2021, the Cardinals honored Mike Shannon at his last game in St. Louis by naming the KMOX broadcast booth after Shannon. Shannon had been calling Cardinal games since 1971, and retired in 2021. Ballpark Village

16500-489: Was installed in the stadium prior to its opening, featuring a video display measuring 32 feet (9.8 m) high by 52 feet (16 m) wide and three message displays, as well as more than 100 feet (30 m) of digital ribbon board technology. Construction on the seating area was completed in late May increasing the capacity for the May 29, 2006 game vs the Houston Astros with finishing touches performed throughout

16632-473: Was on April 11, 2018, by Zach Hilboldt of De Smet Jesuit High school against Palmyra High School. The third was on April 21, 2018, by David Olejnik (St. Louis Home School Patriots) against (Marshall County High School, Benton, Kentucky). Busch Stadium hosted an exhibition soccer game on May 23, 2013, between English clubs Manchester City and Chelsea . Tickets for the match sold out within 20 minutes of going on sale, and Manchester City won 4–3 in front of

16764-414: Was popular in the early part of the 20th century. The two recessed wall areas, or "wells", located both in left and right field, give those areas more length than if the wall were to follow the contour from center field. It is also in those wells, when cross winds are blowing, that balls have a habit of bouncing in all directions. In addition, there is a long chain-link fence strip running the entire length of

16896-443: Was probably hit by Dave Kingman on a very windy day in 1976, while with the Mets. According to local legend, that day, Kingman launched a bomb that landed on the third porch roof on the east (center field) side of Kenmore Avenue some 550 feet away. No batter has ever hit the center field scoreboard, but it has been struck by a golf ball hit by Sam Snead using a two-iron. The scoreboard was installed in 1937, when Bill Veeck installed

17028-451: Was repainted dark blue and the original "Home of the Cubs", was replaced with "Home of Chicago Cubs". In years when the Bears played there, the sign was changed appropriately during football season. On March 23, 1960, the Cubs repainted the sign red. In 1982, a two-line announcement board was replaced with an electronic LED message board, and a backlit advertising panel was added below (this

17160-468: Was represented as an American League team; the Brewers switched over to the National League in 1998.) Because the National League had won the 2011 MLB All-Star Game , home field advantage went to the Cardinals as the National League champions, thus allowing the team to host the Texas Rangers for Games 1, 2, 6 and 7. Game 1 was won by the Cardinals on October 19, along with Game 6 on October 27, in

17292-620: Was represented during ten homestands throughout the season. April 23, the 100th anniversary of the stadium's opening, saw the Cubs playing the Arizona Diamondbacks in a throwback game. Each team represented one of the teams that played in the inaugural game at the stadium. The Cubs wore the uniforms of the Chicago Whales (Federals), the original occupants of the stadium, and the Diamondbacks wore uniforms representing

17424-477: Was the first Cub to have his number retired on August 22, 1982, and his number 14 has been flown in blue on a white flag (echoing the pattern of a Cubs home uniform shirt) on the left field foul pole ever since. On August 13, 1987, Billy Williams had his number retired and it flew with the same color scheme, on the right field foul pole. The scheme of the Cubs Win flag was reversed in the early 1980s. The change in

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