Non-Baseball Events
Big or Small
There are two other related posts on the subject of this
ballpark called Wrigleyville Renewal that is a continuation of the history of the ballpark from 2014. the year the renovations of the ballpark and surrounding area began in earnest and the post
called A Tug of War
in 1917
Irish Independence Speech
in 1919
Edward George De Valera was a leader in the 1916 Easter Rising which proclaimed an Irish republic. Arrested, he was saved from a death sentence because of his American birth and instead received a prison term. On his release, he stood as a Sinn Fein Party candidate in the 1918 general election. Sinn Fein won the majority of seats outside Ulster, but refused to take their seats at Westminster, instead establishing an independent parliament (Dail Eireann) to govern Ireland. De Valera was elected president of the Dail. Religion Comes
to Town in 1926
The 28th International Eucharistic Congress was held in
Chicago, from June 20 to 24, 1926. The event which was a large scale gathering of Catholics held by
the Catholic Church focused on the Eucharist and other items of Catholic faith. A children's choir practice at Wrigley Field for the event at Soldier Field. Snow & Ski
at Wrigley in 1944
Ski jumping at Wrigley Field in 1944 - Calumet 412
The Boxing
& Wrestling Events
Boxer Mike Hirsch, J. Anderson, and Tom Faxion
sometime in the 1920's according to
from Vintage Wrigley Field/Chicago Tribune
Wrestling in 1934
Jim Londos vs. Ed "Strangler" Lewis at Wrigley
Field on Sept. 20, 1934. Lewis wrestled Jim Londos in front of an audience of
35,275 at Wrigley Field, drawing a record gate of $96,302, which would stand
until 1952 - Vintage Wrigley Field/Chicago Tribune
Rocky vs Zale
at Wrigley 1947
and then again in 1956
& Circus Venues
1944 rodeo program book
and in 1946
and in 1951 photo - Calumet 412
Another Political Rally
in 1948
press photo - part of my collection Comes to Town
in 1949
via Ron Tamulis
Yep! A Wrigley Car Dealership
in 1950 and we don't care
Chicago Indian Village
July 1970
in the shadow of the ballpark
photos - Chicago History Museum
Indigenous leader Mike Chosa
Sport Illustrated Party
in 1979
Blue Angels Flyover
at the ballpark in Winter 2009
annoucement in May 2008
How is will Work
The Hawks Prepare December 2008Some Photos Below photos from Ebay
photos - Greg Siewart Original Chicago-Facebook
College Ball
at Wrigley Field
GAY GAMES INC.
The closing ceremonies were held at Wrigley Field.
"With only two years for the planning and implementation of a huge sporting event that encompassed both Chicago and several suburban venues, the board and staff of Chicago 2006, Inc., produced Gay Games VII in Chicago, which brought LGBT athletes and cultural participants together from around the world and highlighted Chicago’s support for the LGBT communities. With 12,000 athletes in attendance and an estimated 50,000 supporters watching, Gay Games VII stands, in the words of Mayor Richard M. Daley, as “a unique achievement of far-reaching and historical importance having an impact on Chicago’s LGBT community and the City of Chicago.” - The Chicago LBGT Hall of Fame
The Girls are Here to Play
The undefeated Chicago RedStars announced today that they will host Bay FC at historic Wrigley Field
Saturday, June 8, at 6:30 p.m. CT making it the first National Women’s Soccer
League (NWSL) match to be played at one of Chicago’s most iconic landmarks.
Having the nation’s best soccer players playing under the lights of the
Friendly Confines will draw sports fans from across the Chicagoland area.
“Playing at Wrigley Field
will be the event that fans of the Red Stars, Cubs and Chicago sports won’t
want to miss,” said Chicago Red Stars President Karen Leetzow. “On behalf of
the Red Stars, I’d like to thank the Cubs for inviting us to Wrigley Field and
giving these elite athletes the stage they deserve. We look forward to
representing our great city and showing Chicago fans and the country how
talented this club is and the intense level of competition that exists on the
pitch every week in the NWSL and in Chicago’s backyard.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome
the Chicago Red Stars to Wrigley Field,” said Cubs President of Business
Operations Crane Kenney. “This is a historic first for both organizations.
We’re proud to join forces with the Red Stars to bring this event to life for
the players, fans and our city.”
Hosting the match at
Wrigley Field is an effort to make women’s professional soccer more accessible
to sports fans in Chicago.
The Summer Concerts
at Wrigley Field:
aerial view of the stage area
photo - computer wallpaper image via Chicago Cubs
2011 pre-show photo - Marathon Pundit Blogger
2013 photo- Pearl Jam Community
2014 show photo - Gold Coast Tickets
A seating chart for the concerts
below a poster - Ebay
The Timeline of Concerts:
Chuck Berry & Sha-Na-Na
1984
a NBC photo of Chuck Berry in 1984
and a photo of
Sha-Na-Na in 1984 via Highlight Hollywood
text below from Wrigley Field: Year by Year
by Sam Pathy
But Not Offically Again
until 2005 with Jimmy Buffet
photo - www.meenkyole.com below photo - Cubs.com
The Police
in 2006
photo - Evil Vince Photography
photo - Evil Vince Photography
along with Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland
along with a view of the concert from the ground level.
Elton John & Billy Joel
in 2009
above photo - Only Half Crazy
with a video
below photo - Vivid Seats
Dave Matthews Band
in 2010
along with this video from YouTube
Sir Paul McCartney
in 2011
... also in 2011
image - All Music
photo - buffettfan.blogspot
below photo - Daily Herald
The Concerts in 2012:
Brad Paisley
Bruce Springsteen
photo Flickr via swimfinfan
Roger Waters
The Concerts
in 2013:
Jason Aldean
along with Kelly Clarkson & Jake Owen
above photos from Boot
photo - Metro Mix
photo - Edward Photography Studios
Pearl Jam
all photos - Spin News
and with Ernie Banks
The Concerts in 2015:
Billy Joel
with some assistance
Foo Fighters
photos by Jim O'Connell via Pictures of Chicago-Facebook
AC/DC
photos - Chicago Tribune
Concerts Expand in 2016 along with some Issues
'[Alderman] Tunney expressed dissatisfaction with this year's increase in concerts at Wrigley Field. As opposed to four shows the limit imposed during a trial period of allowing the club to book concerts without neighborhood approval this year. Wrigley Field will have five acts perform seven concerts between June 25 and Aug. 27' according to DNAinfo.
The Concerts
in 2016:
Phish
images - Live Phish
photo - Antiquiet ticket prices for the Phish concert
image below - MLB
James Taylor
2016 photos - Chicago Tribune
ticket prices for the Taylor concert
image below - MLB
Pearl Jam
photo - Chicago Tribune
photo - Murphy's Bleachers
photo - Ebay
Luke Bryan
The Concerts
in 2017
The Concerts
in 2018
The Rules of the Road
of the Concerts
The Concerts
in 2019
were Cancelled in 2020
but to be reintroduced for 2021
the Covid 19 pandemic was the cause in 2020
2021 Line-up
The Concerts
in 2021
The Maron 5 Concert
photos for now are forgotten by meThe Concerts
for 2022
of 2022
via Nathan Herremans
via Nathan Erickson
via Paul Arnell
via Mark Herremans
photos via David Hackettphoto above via Joe Koecherphoto above via Greg Baird photos via Joe Koecher
photo above via Maureen Martino
photos via Luis Daiz
photo above - Nathan Herremans photos below via Paul Arnell
photo above - Chicago Sun Timesphoto below via Robbie Goodman
Celebration of the
Holiday Season
in 2022
This is the first year the holiday spirit is celebrated in both
Gallagher Way Park and inside the ballpark
photo via Southport Corridor News & Events
inside the park
photos below - Chicago Cubs/Facebook
and then added some venues
outside the ball park photos below - Gallager Way Park
The Holiday CTA train passses the ballpark
photo - Rich Wickersty Pictures of Chicago/Facebook
Gallager Way Park's
Geographical Past
Gallager Way Park was once part of block of Seminary Avenue, the Evanston Branch of the Chicago Milwaukee, St. Paul RR. and a coal yard & storage. This 1950 Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps below confirms this. Hard to believe it for the newcomers to this area.
zoomed below section 1zoomed below section 2
Concerts Scheduled
for 2023
photos - Cubs email
CHICAGO (WLS) -- For the first time in 80 years, a professional women's sporting event was held at Wrigley Field.
The soccer match between the Chicago Red Stars and Bay FC Saturday night broke the National Women's Soccer League's attendance record, drawing in 35,038 soccer fans to the friendly confines.
The Red Stars ended up losing the game 1-2 to Bay FC after scoring a goal in the final minutes of the match. It was the NWSL's first-ever match held at Wrigley Field.
The city is used to seeing a ton of energy across Wrigleyville on Saturday afternoons, but this week it was the Red Stars who brought that atmosphere. The Red Stars have played most of their home matches at Seatgeek Stadium in Bridgeview, so the atmosphere at Wrigley was special.
The downpour of rain earlier in the day did not stop the passionate fans from packing the house.
"This one was pretty intense... it's cold outside, but it's fun to watch them play," one Red Stars fan told ABC7.Although it ended in a loss for the team, there are plenty of other wins found through the experience with over 35,000 people showing up.
"It was disappointing they lost, but it was fun to watch," another Red Stars fan said.
"Wrigley is special in itself, but having women's sports here in the grand stage... the fans... it was just a special thing to share with my daughter," Red Stars fan Travis Hunter said.
Note: The Ricketts family has ownership of both the Chicago Red Stars and the Chicago Cubs. The Chicago Red Stars host Bay FC for a game at Wrigley Field on June 8, 2024. Eileen T. Meslar was the photography for the Chicago Tribune for thie event.
Some Photos of the Game
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These posts are exclusively used for educational purposes. I do not wish to gain monetary profit from this blog nor should anyone else without permission for the original source - thanks!
