On a recent trip to Chicago, I checked to see if my favorite baseball team, the Cubs, were in town. Sadly, they were not. On a hunch, I checked to see if there were tours of Wrigley available and low and behold, there were. My friends were game, and we reserved our online tickets for $25 each.While we arrived via the El in pouring rain, the excitement for me was palpable. The tour started in the Sheffield Grill, a restaurant within 
the ballpark. It started with a short DVD about the Wrigley, with snippets of past games, other sports played there (did you know the Bears played 51 seasons at Wrigley? and there has been hockey, soccer and ski jumping there?). Our tour guide, John, said a few words and off we went.
We first went by the batting cages and then to the bleachers where we heard some history of the Cubs, Wrigley, the owners, the national league and such things as the manually controlled scoreboard and the famous ivy. We learned about the neighboring buildings with bleachers on top and their relationship (now formal) with the Cubs organization. We then strolled around right field, up to a deck area and finally through the aperture to view the ballpark from above home plate.
We learned a
bit about who sits where and then...wait for it...we got to sit IN THE PRESS BOX. Right next to where Harry Carey used to broadcast from. It was amazing. Saw the organ where live organ music still plays (first ballpark to do so).
the ballpark. It started with a short DVD about the Wrigley, with snippets of past games, other sports played there (did you know the Bears played 51 seasons at Wrigley? and there has been hockey, soccer and ski jumping there?). Our tour guide, John, said a few words and off we went.We first went by the batting cages and then to the bleachers where we heard some history of the Cubs, Wrigley, the owners, the national league and such things as the manually controlled scoreboard and the famous ivy. We learned about the neighboring buildings with bleachers on top and their relationship (now formal) with the Cubs organization. We then strolled around right field, up to a deck area and finally through the aperture to view the ballpark from above home plate.
We learned a
bit about who sits where and then...wait for it...we got to sit IN THE PRESS BOX. Right next to where Harry Carey used to broadcast from. It was amazing. Saw the organ where live organ music still plays (first ballpark to do so).We visited the locker rooms, first the visitors and then the Cubs. I stood in the Cubs locker room. Right next to Ryne Sandberg's jersey. Sigh. It was amazing. We then passed this secret little sink and urinal and made our way outside. We sat in the dugout. The actual Cubs dugout. We stood on the field. Sigh again. It was wonderful.
The ambassador staff was professional, friendly and knowledgeable. Our admissio
n went to Cubs Care, mainly offering baseball programs to underprivileged and disabled youth. Outstanding.
The ambassador staff was professional, friendly and knowledgeable. Our admissio
n went to Cubs Care, mainly offering baseball programs to underprivileged and disabled youth. Outstanding.If you are visiting Chicago, or if you live there I am betting you haven't done this yet. Do it. It's that special.
