Leaving the Rooftop

One last look at game action from the Rooftop before heading for the Red Line and the route home. The angle of view from the Sheffield skybox was quite good and the Cub rally was lots of fun. Of course being on Sheffield also got us a great look at three of the six retired number flags.

Tall Buildings

From the rear of the rooftop a look up and to the left shows a great view of the downtown skyline, one that is of course impossible inside the ballpark as the upper deck would block it out. Here we see a view of the John Hancock Center on Michigan Avenue.
Looking up and to the left gave me a great view of the largest of the high rise buildings north of the ballpark, this one on Irving Park Road and Lake Shore Drive. This one always catches my eye, as my son Eric lived there for a year fifteen years ago, a nice memory. I would park in that garage and we would walk to the ballgames.

Step to the Rear

Between innings there is plenty of time to step to the rear of the rooftop deck. A spacious area where several people appear to be visiting and not watching the ballgame. A gentle breeze cools you as you look almost straight down on the rapid transit tracks and on the rear porches of the neighbor homes east of the tracks and the ballpark.

Near the Numbers

My Rooftop was just north of the "Eamus Catulii" sign on the building which keeps track of how many seasons have passed since the Cubs won a division, a National League title, and the World Series. Looking to my left I saw a portion of that signage. Looking down and to the right I could see the bleachers quite clearly.

Inside the Rooftop

The food lines and the beer lines are all inside the building, of course, and the new interior is bright and airy with large flat screen televisions in every direction. Notice the BELIEVE stenciled on the wall. Look up toward the front and you can see out to the ballpark; later this area can be filled with fans watching the game.

Can You See From There?

Yes, as this stitched panorama shows, you can see much of the playing surface and you certainly can follow the game from the rooftops. Some closer looks in upcoming posts.

Up on the Roof

The second game of the season at Wrigley Field this week, I was on a mission to enjoy a game from one of the Rooftops on Sheffield Avenue. Since I go back to the distant time where people lived across the street from the ball games and could actually see a bit of the field from their apartments, I have read about the growth of these buildings and the thousands of fans who enjoy the games from there.
The result of an offering on Groupon, a wonderful Chicago web site that offers daily "group coupons" with great offers for various attractions in the city and around the area.
Waiting in line until one hour prior to the game, I grabbed a couple of shots of the building. Upcoming posts will take us literally up on the roof.

Wrigley Field Dreams

Back at the Gilbert Arizona softball complex, which gave us a photo in "Yankee Stadium" in the last post, here are two from the scale-model "Wrigley Field." One shows how the bleachers are painted on a panel above the wall, with the famed rooftops across the street included. The paintings are good if not exact and they are not highly detailed. But the idea of building the general atmosphere of the ballpark is excellent. The Wrigley wall is indeed brick with the familiar ivy planted before it. Since this park is only about 15 months old, the ivy planted against the walls has not had time to grow in as yet. My guess is that it will grow in completely and will only make the fine facility better.

Another blog-from-the-road post is scheduled tomorrow. Now is the time for a little rest so more on-the-run fun will be possible tomorrow.