Try googling “The Happiest Place on Earth”. The top result is Disneyland, of course, since that has been a marketting slogan of the Disney Corp. for years. But when I think of that saying, I think of Wrigley Field. I think of taking the Red Line from downtown Chicago, and looking out the window of the train after the last stop before Wrigley expecting to see the grand ol’ lady any second. Then the park comes into view. And all is good. A sea of blue spills out on to the streets from the train. Vendors are selling tickets, t-shirts, food. Everyone is festive. People are genuinely happy to be in Wrigleyville.
Some people don’t like the Friendly Confines. Recently Barrack Obama was quoted as saying, “You go to Wrigley Field, you have a beer, beautiful people up there. People aren’t watching the game. It’s not serious. White Sox, that’s baseball.”
Of course this is a load of shit from a Sox fan. Its the same old broken record you hear from everyone on the South Side. I don’t gig on Obama because is a politician running for president. This isn’t about politics. I am just calling him out. He is full of it.
In the last few years my wife and I have visited Wrigley Field, Busche Stadium, Yankee Stadium, The Ballpark at Arlington, Minute Maid Field, Coors Field, Citizen’s Bank Park and Fenway Park. That is eight major league parks. We have been to Wrigley four times, and most of the other parks once. We have been to Yankee Stadium twice, and Minute Maid four times. We regularly attend minor league games at AAA’s top park in attendance, The Dell Diamond in Round Rock, TX. With that wealth of experience in different parks I feel I can say that the fans at Wrigley are just as into the game as anywhere else. I have not had the *pleasure* of going to Comisky errr US Cellular Field. Perhaps the fans down there are *so* into the game that they put all other fans in the nation to shame.
What I would say is that fans at Yankee, Fenway, Citizens Bank, and Wrigley seem to be at a little higher level of involvment than at other parks on my list, on the days I have attended. Yankee, Wrigley and Fenway are the most historic parks in baseball. The fans at these parks are often very serious, having followed their teams for many years. The fans in Philly (Citizens Bank) enjoy their new park, and enjoy cheering and booing their own team in equal measure. The fans at Yankee are into the game, and love their tradition. The fans at Fenway and Wrigley enjoy their old parks, are very friendly, but their friendliness should never be misinterpreted as disinterest in the game.
Maybe it is just me, but most White Sox fans I have met seem angry. The seem like they want to start a fight. They talk the talk and often don’t walk the walk. They are quick to insult. In short, they take after the manager of their team.
Wrigley is the happiest place on Earth, a great place to watch a game, and I do feel sorry for those that cannot call themselves Cubs fans.
