Spring Has Sprung 2010

[Andy]

Al Yellon is against a jumbotron, which makes me for it.  I hope they mount it in the back row of the left field bleachers right next to the foul pole.

[Dr. Nguyen Van Falk]

Al Yellon is against a jumbotron, which makes me for it.  I hope they mount it in the back row of the left field bleachers right next to the foul pole.

And use it to broadcast Twitter messages.

[Powdered Toast Man]

Al Yellon is against a jumbotron, which makes me for it.  I hope they mount it in the back row of the left field bleachers right next to the foul pole.

And use it to broadcast Twitter messages.

RE:  Jumbotrons

I'm sorry for using an LSU baseball analogy here, but it's kind of my thing and it actually fits the argument for jumbotrons, in a meatheaded simpleton's viewpoint.  At the old Alex Box Stadium, there was no jumbotron.  It sucked when something awesome happened and there was no way to recall it or view it again because of the old park's lack of a jumbotron.  New Alex Box Stadium is just over a year old and I went to a game yesterday and it has a fancy schmancy jumbotron.  Eureka!  Finally, we can relive diving outfield grabs and homeruns and close plays at the plate and borderline ball/strike calls.

My point being is that at the old park, I can always remember saying to myself that it sucked that I couldn't see the replay of the previous play.  With a jumbotron, it's convenient to see what just happened in slow motion.  It doesn't really solve anything on the field.  It doesn't reverse calls.  It's just nice to have.

I just realized I may have not helped at all.  Status quo!

[Quality Start Machine]

Al Yellon is against a jumbotron, which makes me for it. 

I didn't give a shit one way or the other until this. Now they can't put the damn thing up fast enough for my liking.

[flannj]

Al Yellon is against a jumbotron, which makes me for it. 

I didn't give a shit one way or the other until this. Now they can't put the damn thing up fast enough for my liking.

I hope they put up two of them.

[Brownie]

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.

[MAD]

(mutters to self)

distinguishable, you idiot.  DISTINGUISHABLE.

[MAD]

Ricketts will be talking new stadium within the decade.

Either that or a previously-unheard of PSL for an existing stadium for major structural upgrades.

[CBStew]

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.

I used to take a streetcar to get to Wrigley.  Where the hell did they go?

[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.

Put a fucking TGI Friday's in the bleachers for all I care.

[Chuck to Chuck]

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.

Put a fucking TGI Friday's in the bleachers for all I care.

Oh, there've been a few champs seen at Wrigley.

1932 - Wrigley Field sees Yankees win World Series
1945 - Wrigley Field sees Tigers win World Series

[Brownie]

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!

[Dr. Nguyen Van Falk]

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.

Put a fucking TGI Friday's TJ Slaky's in the bleachers for all I care.

Lake County hot-tubber'd

[Brownie]

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.

Put a fucking TGI Friday's TJ Slaky's in the bleachers for all I care.

Lake County hot-tubber'd

TJ Slaky's-Wrigleyville will have all the amenities of the original TJ Slaky's-Vernon Hills, but tomatoes for your bologna sandwiches are $2.50 extra.

[CT III]

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.

Put a fucking TGI Friday's TJ Slaky's in the bleachers for all I care.

Lake County hot-tubber'd

TJ Slaky's-Wrigleyville will have all the amenities of the original TJ Slaky's-Vernon Hills, but tomatoes for your bologna sandwiches are $2.50 extra.

Well, as long as that $2.50 goes to on-field improvements...