I moved to Wisconsin’s north woods from the Chicago area to escape the congestion, upheaval of old neighborhoods and bad attitudes. Now a controversial proposed power line threatens to mar the landscape up here, Wal-Mart threatens to change the rustic feel of the woods, and we’ve discovered high amounts of cadmium in one of our lakes.
During times like these I like to think about a place that held a special place in my heart and changed relatively little in its history: Wrigley Field. I was mortified when I heard talk of putting a Jumbotron in the Friendly Confines and replacing the ivy on the outfield walls with advertisements. I almost went into seizures when it was reported that someone proposed razing the little doughnut/hot dog stand on Clark Street and building a multilevel parking garage outside Wrigley.
There is no need for a Jumbotron. This is Wrigley Field we’re talking about, not that heinous structure known as Comiskey Park. And the ivy is as legendary as Ernie Banks and Ron Santo. Why do you want to desecrate something so sacred to Chicago? The city is becoming ugly enough these days. Why do you want to add to the ugliness by erecting a parking garage in Wrigleyville?
But if the politics of the Cubs and the City of Chicago are determined to ruin baseball and neighborhoods and break Cubs fans’ hearts, why stop there? Why not put a dome over Wrigley and change its name?
Is nothing sacred? The new Comiskey is an insult to blue-collar baseball. After the original was torn down I decided I would never attend another Sox game. I love my Cubbies and I love Wrigley Field, but I will abandon them both if these changes take place.
