I’ll be honest, this event was the most personal to date and – quite likely – will remain so even after I’ve completed this entire Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project.
Previoulsy, both on this website and on my podcast (Conversations with Sports Fans), I’ve traced my sports fandom to my dad, Jerry, and his love of the Chicago Cubs. I recall those times on my parents’ bed and my dad reciting the first names of his favorite Cubbies in a tape recorder and then my response coming with their last names. Likewise, my first-ever Major League Baseball game was at Wrigley Field circa 1974 (I think!) when I seem to remember the Cubs hosting the Pittsburgh Pirates.
So when I set out to travel to the most iconic sporting events and venues the world has to offer, a trip to Wrigley Field was most assuredly on the list. Furthermore, my desire was to see the Cubs play their rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals, during a weekday afternoon start … and get my dad back to Chicago’s northside to see his first game there since the mid-1970s.
That being said, I was delighted when the 2024 MLB schedule and time of games were released back in late 2023, and I saw Friday, August 2, provided both the desired opponent and the day and time of game I was looking for.
Securing Tickets
The Cubs-Cardinals rivalry goes way back and I knew that fans of both teams make the teams’ series an annual event. Therefore, this was going to be a tough ticket to come by. I consulted with friend, Sara Earleywine from Iowa. She’s one of the biggest Cubs’ fans I know who also secures tickets to a few games, annually, when they first go on sale. I knew she’d have sage advice for me.
She delivered:
- Sign up for your interest in Cubs’ tickets to ensure you have priority for on-sale;
- Check your email – regularly! – to ensure you know when the priority on-sale begins;
- Clear your calendar when know that date and time for the sale.
She also gave me the best advice for where to sit behind the Cubs’ dugout (my dad’s request of seats) fo the optimum shade and sightlines. That intel was utilized when settling on Section 111, Row 15. It was under shade and was steps away and just one row down from the ramp to our section making it an ideal spot to bring along my soon-to-be octogenerian father.
Determining the Traveling Party
After successfully securing four tickets we decided to make it a family affair.
Both my dad and I reached out to my cousin (and my dad’s nephew), Brandon, to see if he and his son, Griffin, would like to use the other two tickets.
They did!
It heartened me – and my dad – to have three generations of Hills attending, including one (Griffin) who’d be attending his first game at Wrigley Field.
Game Day
We left my father’s place in Adams County, IN, shortly after 8 a.m. for the nearly 4-hour drive northwest across the state to Wrigleyville. U.S. 30 was the primarty route, taking us through large swaths of rural northern Indiana as we made our way toward our destination.
We eyed one stop en route: The Mascot Hall of Fame in Whiting, IN.
It seemed a natural layover, about 45 minutes from Wrigley, and on brand with the whole Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project. The Hall of Fame was founded in 2005 (by David Raymond, the original Phillie Phanatic) and the site in Whiting opened in 2018.
We arrived shortly after the Hall opened for the day and Helena, an employee, greeted us to explain what Friday Free-Yay was all about. Who knew, we happened upon the Hall the first Friday of the month which meant free admission.
Score!
It was a lovely space that certainly catered to younger guests, but we were all pleased to have seen it … especially after Helena told us it was closing at the end of September!
It turns out, the City of Whiting owned the building and had recently sold it to British Petroleum (BP) which has a major footprint in Whiting and the surrounding areas. BP will be converting the space for its use and Helena did not know whether the Mascot Hall of Fame would be relocating or what its future plans were.
Clockwise from upper left, this Mascot University display greets visitors who happen upon the Mascot Hall of Fame; giant inflatables of many mascot heads hang from the rafters; two of the inductees bobbleheads in the display case (Mr. Met and K.C. Wolf); the Phillie Phanatic was a charter member of the Mascot Hall of Fame; and a wider look at one side of the inductee display case.
- Up Next: Our Family Day at the Friendly Confines