John Madigan, Tribune Co. executive vice president, said Monday the commissioner`s office is considering the feasibility of having the Cubs play possible postseason games in St. Louis or Pittsburgh if lights cannot be installed at Wrigley Field.
”Those possibilities have been explored by the commissioner (Peter Ueberroth),” Madigan told WGN sportscaster Chuck Swirsky. ”He has told us that the playoffs will not be played in Chicago if they cannot be played at night at Wrigley Field.
”The logical thing would be to play in a park in our division–in the Eastern Division of the National League,” said Madigan.
”We are not trying to get portable lights. Portable lights, in our view, would not work. To play professional baseball under the appropriate conditions would require installation of permanent lights. We`re willing to spend the money to do this, which is estimated from $3 to $5 million. We`re willing to do that because we think playoffs and World Series deserve appropriate conditions.”
Madigan added that night baseball would increase ticket sales at Wrigley Field. Despite popular belief, Madigan said the Cubs have one of the lowest full-season ticket sales in the league–about 5,000 this season for all 81 games. That does not include the weekend ticket plan or 3:05 starting time ticket plan.
”We`ve found that customers are many times unwilling to buy full-season ticket plans for 81 day games,” said Madigan. ”Most businesses, which are the greatest source of full-season ticket sales, like their salesmen to be doing their entertaining at night.”
— Thad Bosley was alone in the middle of the Cubs` locker room before Monday`s game, working on his batting stance, imitating Cub broadcaster Harry Caray as he swung at imaginary pitches. ”There it goes . . . it might be, it could be, it is . . . a home run!” Bosley said as he looked out into an imaginary bleacher section.
When the real game began, Bosley actually did hit a two-run homer into the right-field bleachers off San Diego`s Ed Wojna in the third inning to give the Cubs a 3-2 lead.
— Young shortstop Shawon Dunston was back in the Cubs` locker room Monday, but not as a member of the big league club. It was gut-check time.
”I just had to come back to Chicago to get my hernia checked out,”
said Dunston, who underwent a hernia operation at Northwestern Memorial Hospital last winter. ”I`ll be back here to play before too long, though.”
— Richie Hebner has six hits in his last 11 pinch-hit at-bats. He singled in the eighth inning of Monday`s 8-4 loss.
— Caray was able to clear his throat twice Monday, leading the crowd in ”Take Me Out To The Ballgame” in the seventh inning of the suspended game with the Padres, as well as in the regularly scheduled contest. The suspended game began in the seventh inning with the Cubs leading 4-2.
