Having Fun On the Ice at Wrigley Field

PLUS: HALL OF FAME TRACKER HINTS AT BIG CLASS OF 2024

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Pregame Pepper

Did you know…

Jon Heyman of The New York Post complains about Gary Sheffield trouncing Alex Rodriguez in Hall of Fame balloting but admits he voted for Barry Bonds, the steroids poster boy . . .

Sheffield’s 509 home runs, ability to play multiple positions, and great plate discipline (never more than 84 strikeouts) makes him a stronger Cooperstown candidate because A-Rod’s drug problems included long-term lying and a long-term suspension . . .

Hector Neris does not deserve $22 million for two years — which he demands — or even for four but he’s trying to cash in on the season-ending shoulder surgery of Astros set-up man Kendall Graveman . . .

Houston probably saved its season by signing southpaw closer Josh Hader to a five-year, $95 million contract Friday . . .

The Marlins won’t trade star pitcher Sandy Alcantara but will part with Jesus Luzardo, Edward Cabrera, and other young arms from their pitching staff . . .

The Yankees could be listening, since they’re gambling on comebacks by Carlos Rodon (elbow), Nestor Cortes (shoulder), and Marcus Stroman (assorted ailments).

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Leading Off

Off-Season Fun at Wrigley Field Winterland

By Bill Pearch

“People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball,” said Rogers Hornsby, the former two-time National League MVP. “I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.”

Hornsby, a former player (1929) and player-manager (1930-1932) for the Chicago Cubs, never imagined that the old ballpark at Clark and Addison could look like this come the holidays. Wrigley Field has hosted its share of non-baseball activities throughout its 110-year history, and during the Rajah’s era, it transformed into the home of the Chicago Bears following baseball season.

For me, I suffer from baseball withdrawal once the final pieces of World Series confetti are swept away. The holidays provide a much-needed distraction as Chicago’s ivy-covered brick walls change from green to brown, but what if local baseball fans could enjoy a hint of the national pastime during our seasonal festivities? They can, and it’s called Winterland at Wrigley Field.

Officially branded as Wintrust Winterland at Gallagher Way, Wrigley Field and its immediate surroundings served as a haven for holiday revelers from mid-November until early-January. For years, the Friendly Confines hosted the free Christkindlmarket Wrigleyville along Clark Street. But for the last two years, with the purchase of a ticket, fans of all ages can enter Wrigley Field and enjoy an assortment of rides, games and special activities on the field.

Fans may enter the ballpark and roam around the field with a standard entry ticket. All attractions require one ticket per person, so guests can purchase single tickets, and packs of 10 or 20 tickets. The special Peppermint Pack includes one admission and 10 attraction tickets.

This year’s attractions included classic amusement park rides and on-field games. The carnival rides included a Tilt-A-Whirl, swings, an umbrella ride, Flying Dragons, spinning teacups and a carousel. Participants could attempt to win special prizes playing games like ring tosses, hockey puck shots, basketball tosses and more.

Want to round the bases like legendary slugger Ernie Banks? There’s no need to hammer a fastball onto Waveland Avenue, simply hop aboard The Infield Express. This miniature locomotive will take riders around the bases twice … complete with bells and whistles.

You didn’t need to flash the leather to make diving catches in right field like Andre Dawson did. Make the climb up the steps and take a ride down the multi-colored Fun Slide. On a personal note, the larger tube slide last year was an absolute blast. Spoken like a true Cubs fan—maybe next year.

If you’re an ice enthusiast, center and right-center field provided two unique options. You could glide around center field gracefully, like Dexter Fowler, and enjoy the Gallagher Ice Rink. Guests were welcome to bring their own skates? If not skates, were available for rental. But the Ice Bumper Cars in shallow center field provided a far more interactive activity.

While riding the Ice Bumper Cars on the ice-covered field, there’s no avoiding a collision at second base. Credit: Bill Pearch

Anyone who needed a break from the elements could enjoy three indoor escapes. The Lodge, located in left field, featured a full bar complete with food and drinks. Located on the center field warning track, the Maker’s Mark Chalets offered indoor and outdoor seating for up to 20 guests, a fireplace and fantastic views of the attractions. Something new this year certainly made the Bleacher Bums jealous. The U.S. Virgin Islands Igloo Experience provided unprecedented views from the left field bleachers. The igloos hosted up to six guests and included tropical-themed desserts and drinks.

Yes, the author enjoyed a solo ride on The Edge. Credit: Bill Pearch

But this year, my favorite moment was riding The Edge. Have you wondered what a baseball feels like sailing toward the right field bleachers? I do now. This carnival rides rocks it riders side to side before hurling them around multiple times.

Bill Veeck once said, “There are only two seasons — winter and baseball.”

The Chicago Cubs have discovered a magic way to combine the two during the holidays. They even included a holiday gift shop to pick up some seasonal swag.

The gift shop located underneath the left field bleachers offered several holiday-themed items to commemorate a wintertime visit to the Friendly Confines. Credit: Bill Pearch

Bill Pearch, a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, serves as secretary/newsletter editor for SABR’s Emil Rothe Chapter (Chicago). His article, “Boodle and Barnstorming: When Politics and the National Pastime Convened in Dwight, Illinois,” appeared in SABR’s The National Pastime: Heart of the Midwest (2023). Follow him on Twitter: @billpearch

Addendum:

• Did you know that Wrigley Field once hosted a ski-jumping event in January 1944?
  https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2020/1/12/21062338/wrigley-field-historical-sleuthing-ski-jump-edition

• Did you know that several Chicago Cubs and Chicago Blackhawks legends gave “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” a hockey twist during the 2009 Winter Classic?
  

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Cleaning Up

Hall of Fame Tracker Predicts Big Class Of 2024

By Dan Schlossberg

Ryan Thibodaux is not in the Baseball Encyclopedia. He’s not even a baseball writer.

But he’s created a reputation among fans and media members since 2014 by creating and nurturing a computer-aided Hall of Fame vote tracker that attempts to predict in advance who will reach Cooperstown in any given year.

Ryan Thibodeaux tries to predict Hall of Fame elections in advance.

A Houston native who now lives in Seattle, the 42-year-old Thibodaux started by contacting voting writers and asking them to reveal their ballots.

Surprisingly, many of them did — with the list growing every year.

With this year’s “reveal” scheduled in Cooperstown Tuesday night, with a national broadcast on MLB Network, Thibodaux suggests the Class of 2024 could be triple the size of last year’s two-man entry.

Earlier this week, five players had the required 75 per cent of the vote and seemly likely to join Jim Leyland, elected by the Era Committee in December, on the green grass of the Clark Sports Center in July.

First-timers Adrian Beltre and Joe Mauer were comfortably ahead, with holdovers Todd Helton, Billy Wagner, and Gary Sheffield behind them. Even Andruw Jones, at 72.1 per cent, had an outside shot.

It’s the last chance for Sheffield, whose 509 home runs suggest he’d be a slam dunk, but the others could come back next year for another go-round.

Nothing in baseball — not even the horrific “Manfred Man” that distorts results in extra innings — creates as much controversy as the Cooperstown voting.

There are plenty of strong candidates who couldn’t get in (Dale Murphy and Don Mattingly were bypassed again in December) and a few weaker ones who somehow squeezed by (looking at you, Harold Baines).

At least Thibodaux makes the guessing game more fun. He only had half the ballots when he posted his latest percentages — something akin to predicting a presidential election with half the states unreported.

Beltre, with 3,000 hits, and Mauer, the only catcher with three batting titles, are no-brainers but what’s taking so long with Helton, whose .317 career batting average and pair of seasons with 400 total bases seem like viable credentials for enshrinement?

Wagner, a hard-throwing lefty with more than 400 career saves, deserves a niche too but didn’t fellow southpaw closer John Franco have more? Nobody ever mentions his name.

And Jones was one of five outfielders with 10 straight Gold Gloves, joining Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Ken Griffey, Jr., and Ichiro. Plus he hit 434 homers — enough to get in years ago. But the voters were asleep at the switch.

At least the boomlet for Omar Vizquel has quieted down. What were people thinking anyway? Doesn’t the Hall have more than enough good-field, no-hit infielders?

Here’s hoping the writers do their due diligence, fill out all 10 spaces on their ballots, and create the mathematical possibility that more men will reach 75 per cent.

We’ll find out Tuesday.

Former AP sportswriter Dan Schlossberg of Fair Lawn, NJ is weekend editor of Here’s The Pitch and baseball writer for forbes.com, Memories & Dreams, USA TODAY Sports Weekly, Sports Collectors Digest, and many more outlets. His email is ballauthor@gmail.com.

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Timeless Trivia

After finishing second in the AL Central last year, the Detroit Tigers believe they have a legitimate chance to win the weak division this time around . . .

The Bengals will get better pitching from free agent signees Kenta Maeda, Jack Flaherty, and Eduardo Rodriguez, who join Tarik Skubal in a fine front four . . .

Detroit also has sufficient pop, especially from Spencer Torkelson, Riley Greene, and Kerry Carpenter, with Mark Canha and Austin Meadows also in the loop . . .

Don’t forget that Tigers manager AJ Hinch had considerable success in Houston before he ran afoul of the baseball establishment with the 2018 World Series cheating scandal . . .

Detroit won 79 games last year, finishing just shy of breaking even, and should do considerably better in 2024 . . .

The Tigers have not reached the playoffs since 2014, tied with the Los Angeles Angels for the longest post-season drought of any team.

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Know Your Editors

HERE’S THE PITCH is published daily except Sundays and holidays. Benjamin Chase [gopherben@gmail.com] handles Monday and Tuesday editions, Elizabeth Muratore [nymfan97@gmail.com] does Wednesday and Thursday, and Dan Schlossberg [ballauthor@gmail.com] edits the weekend editions on Friday and Saturday. Readers are encouraged to contribute comments, articles, and letters to the editor. HTP reserves the right to edit for brevity, clarity, and good taste.

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