Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Well, this was cruel

I cannot believe how tonight's Cubs/Dodgers game went! Not only did Ryan Dempster give up walk after walk, which isn't like him, the offense could only come up with two runs, which isn't like them. Worst of all, guess who came in as the Dodger closer, efficiently getting three outs in Wrigley Field.

Go ahead, guess ...

I know this is most likely Greg Maddux' last post season. I always consider it a privilege to watch him pitch.

But come on! This was soooo hard for me. Must I watch my all-time favorite Cub finish off the Cubs in the first game of the play-offs?

Thursday Thirteen #88 -- The Home of the Chicago Cubs



THIRTEEN FACTS
ABOUT
WRIGLEY FIELD


As Eddie Vedder sings in his Cub tribute song, “Someday We’ll Go All the Way:”
When you’re born in Chicago you’re blessed and you’re healed/every time you walk into Wrigley Field.


You don’t have to be a Cub fan to enjoy the ambience, the beer and hotdogs. Here are just some of the things that make Wrigley Field so special:

1) Built in 1914, it’s the second oldest park in the majors (Boston’s Fenway is two years older)

2) It’s pretty. The vines were added in 1937 and they make Wrigley Field feel more like a park than a stadium.

3) That’s the original scoreboard! The inning-by-inning scores are still changed by hand from inside the board.

4) Four Cubs have had their jerseys retired, and their numbers fly on flags above the park (14 – Ernie Banks; 10 – Ron Santo; 26 – Billy Williams; 23 – Ryne Sandberg).

5) The park was christened "The Friendly Confines" by Cub great/MVP/Hall of Famer, Ernie Banks.

6) Ernie’s nickname is "Mr. Cub." A statue of him was unveiled in front of the park at the beginning of this season.

7) Ernie hit his 500th career homerun in this park.

8) Sammy Sosa hit his 60th homerun here during three separate seasons (1998, 1999 and 2001)

9) Perhaps the most famous player of all time, Babe Ruth, added to Wrigley Field’s legend, and his own. In 1932 he pointed to the bleachers, indicating exactly where he would hit the next pitch, and then made good on the brag with a homerun.

10) When one of baseball’s most infamous, Pete Rose, got the base hit that tied him on the all-time list with Ty Cobb, he did it in Wrigley Field.

11) A “W” or “L” flags flies over Wrigley Field at the end of each game. Before the Cubs added lights, all Wrigley Field games were played during the day. The “W” for win flag (and “L” for loss) were flown for commuters on their way home who were unable to watch or listen to the game.

12) Another Wrigley Field tradition is for bleacher fans to throw back any homerun hit by an opposing player. I’ve heard that sports memorabilia collectors actually weep when think of the money that right-thinking Cub fans toss back onto the field.

13) The first night game at Wrigley Field took place in August 1988, and was suspended because of a torrential rainstorm. Some of us believed it was God’s way of saying baseball is meant to played under the sun.

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A music meme with specific directions

Stolen, of course, from Kwizgiver. I'm glad that the rules and procedures are spelled out so plainly, as I'm having trouble concentrating on anything but THE CHICAGO CUBS today.

1. Grab the nearest CD.
2. Put it in your CD-Player (or start your mp3-player, I-tunes, etc.).
3. Skip to Song 3 (or load the 3rd song in your 3rd playlist)
4. Post the first verse in your journal along with these instructions. Don’t name the band, nor the album-title.

Billy Ray was a preacher's son and when his daddy would visit he'd come along
When they gathered 'round and started talking, that's when Billy would take me walking
Through the back woods we'd go walking
Then he looked into my eyes
Lord knows, to my surprise

If choose to play, come back and let me know. Kwizgiver stumped me with hers and I'd like to redeem myself.