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Wrigley Field ivy turns 70
Published 12:00pm Monday, May 7, 2007In 1937 Chicago Cubs owner Bill Veeck planted Boston ivy along the outfield brick wall at Wrigley Field. Today, 70 years later, the ivy is one of the outstanding features of the ballpark situated in a residential area on the north side of Chicago.
The greenish ivy is well known to millions of baseball fans not only in this country but throughout the world. It’s one of the things that attracted me and my family to Wrigley Field when I was in Chicago for a communications conference back in 1993.
The well known Wrigley Field ivy is a woody vine that attaches itself to the outfield wall by means of numerous small branched stem extensions that have sticky disks.
Seventy years ago Veeck also strung bittersweet plants from the top of the outfield wall to the bottom, before planting the ivy at the base of the wall. Also planted were eight Chinese Elm trees near the bleacher steps. However, the winds blowing off Lake Michigan kept the trees bare so they were removed.
If the baseball is hit into and lost in the ivy, then it is ruled a ground-rule double, provided that the defensive outfielder raises his hands to signify that the ball has been lost in the ivy.
Veeck also was responsible for the construction of the hand-operated center field scoreboard that’s still used today. Since 1937 there haven’t been too many major changes to Wrigley Field. However, one major change was the reconstruction of bleachers after the 2005 season.
Former Fergus Falls Red Sox pitcher Harley Oyloe saw two World Series games at Wrigley Field in 1945, when he served with the U.S. Air Force and was stationed near Chicago. That year the Detroit Tigers were World Series Champions. Prior to World War II Oyloe saw St. Louis Cardinal star pitchers Dizzy Dean and his brother Paul Dean play at Wrigley Field.
Built in 1914, Wrigley Field is playing host to Major League Baseball for the 94th season in 2007 and to the Cubs for the 92nd year. The Chicago stadium is the second-oldest ballpark in the Major Leagues, behind Boston’s Fenway Park (1912).
Chewing gum magnate William Wrigley, Jr., gained full ownership of the Chicago Cubs in 1919. The field was known as Cubs Park from 1920 through 1926 before it was expanded during the 1926-27 off-season and named after Wrigley in time for opening day of the 1927 season.
The Chicago Bears of the National Football League played at Wrigley Field from 1921 to 1970 before relocating to Soldier Field close to Lake Michigan.
Over the years many star players exhibited their baseball skills at Wrigley Field. They include Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, Ryne Sandberg, Billy Williams, Sammy Sosa and others.
The neighborhood around Wrigley Field, called Wrigleyville, is filled with fans on game day. Ballhawks, as they are called, wait on Waveland Avenue to catch home runs during the game. Fans sit atop buildings behind Wrigley Field and watch the game.
“I’m sure if you make enough alterations, Wrigley Field will be going for another 100 years,” Cubs’ relief pitcher and closer Ryan Dempster said. “We have tight confines here, but it’s still Wrigley Field. It’s always going to be a privilege to play baseball here.”
