Wrigley Field

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Lore & Background

In the North Side community area of Lakeview in the Wrigleyville neighborhood, Wrigley Field is on an irregular block bounded by Clark and Addison streets to the west and south, and Waveland and Sheffield avenues to the north and east. Wrigley Field is nicknamed 'The Friendly Confines', a phrase popularized by Hall of Fame shortstop and first baseman Ernie Banks. The oldest park in the National League, it is the second-oldest in the majors after Fenway Park (1912), and the only remaining Federal League park. The park was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2020. Wrigley Field is well-known for its ivy-covered brick outfield wall, distinctive wind patterns off Lake Michigan, the red marquee over the main entrance, and the hand-turned scoreboard. The stadium is situated in a primarily residential neighborhood without parking lots, and spectators have views from the rooftops behind the outfield. Additionally, it was the last Major League Baseball (MLB) park to have lights installed for night games, in 1988. From 1921 to 1970, the stadium was also home to the Chicago Bears of the National Football League, and from 1931 to 1939, it was the home of the Chicago Cardinals (now the Arizona Cardinals) of the National Football League.

In Their Own Story

The stadium's unique character is defined by its irregular block layout and distinctive features like ivy-covered brick outfield walls, hand-turned scoreboards, and wind patterns off Lake Michigan. Bill Veeck planted the iconic ivy vines in 1937 after being inspired by Perry Stadium in Indianapolis. For decades, it was the last MLB park to install lights for night games, finally doing so in 1988. The playing field sits at an elevation of 600 feet above sea level. Spectators often view games from rooftops behind the outfield due to the lack of parking lots in this residential area. In 2020, it was designated a National Historic Landmark, recognized for being interwoven into the nation's story.

Reader's Guide

Baseball executive Charles Weeghman hired his architect Zachary Taylor Davis to design the park, which was ready for baseball by the home opener on April 23, 1914. The original tenants, the Chicago Whales (also called the Chi-Feds), came in second in the Federal League rankings in 1914, and won the league championship in 1915. Later in 1915, Weeghman's Federal League folded. The resourceful Weeghman formed a syndicate including chewing gum manufacturer William Wrigley Jr. to buy the Chicago Cubs from Charles P. Taft for about $500,000. Weeghman immediately moved the Cubs from the dilapidated West Side Grounds to his two-year-old park. In 1918, Wrigley acquired the controlling interest in the club. In November 1926, he renamed the park Wrigley Field. In 1927, an upper deck was added, and in 1937, Bill Veeck, the son of the club president, planted ivy vines against the outfield walls after being inspired by the ivy planted at Perry Stadium, Indianapolis. In June 2024, Wrigley Field announced a multiyear partnership with Invenergy, and their community solar company, Reactivate, to launch clean and renewable energy systems at the park. The agreement was to establish the stadium as an 'anchor' for community solar projects in Wrigleyville, marking the ballpark's first ever use of renewable energy.

Did You Know?

• Wrigley Field was originally named Weeghman Park when it opened in 1914.
• The park was renamed Wrigley Field in 1927, not 1926.
• From 1921 to 1970, the Chicago Bears played their home games at Wrigley Field.
• Wrigley Field was the last MLB park to install lights for night games, in 1988.