Chicago IL: Happy 100th Birthday, Wrigley Field Print


Just weeks before the start of World War I, the Windy City welcomed a brand-new baseball stadium. Then, it was 70 years ago in the middle of World War II, when your travel4seniors.com editor was at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center near Waukegan. With a bunch of other Navy trainees, we traveled 60 miles to see a Cubs game at the stadium named for chewing gum millionaire, Bill Wrigley. 

The Cubs played my hometown Phillies, and although many of the star players were in the service at the time, it was great to see a real Major League game. How many senior readers remember 1944 baseball names such as Hank Wyse, Eddy Stanky, Claude Passeau, Deacon Donahue, Andy Seminick, Putsy Caballero and Coaker Triplett?

The Cubs won the National League title in the next year, 1945. Sadly, the last time the Cubs actually won a World Series was in 1908. So far this year, they’re 7 wins and 12 losses. Good luck, Cubbies! You’ll need lots of it. For more information, go to www.cubs.com