It was August 8th, 1988. It was to be the first night "lighted" baseball game at Wrigley Field in Chicago. It was a big deal. Wrigley was the last major league baseball park not to have lights. All their games were played in the afternoon. The diehards didn't want it. What about tradition and the neighborhood? Television and big money won out.
John McCartan, my sales manager at 1st Realty, 801 Grand, West Desmoines office, invited me to go with him, his two sons and brother-in-law to the game. However, he got tickets to the SECOND night game because the first game was sold out with dignitaries and all. It was OK by me, as I was happy to just have been invited.
We went and stayed at a hotel right off Michigan Avenue and the "Magnificant Mile." What a treat! And here came the kicker. The first night's game was rained out. Therefore we went to the first nigh game on August 9th. What a stroke of good luck.
They played the New York Mets, I believe and won the game 6-4. The following day, on a Sunday, we stayed foe a second game and it had a three hour rain delay.
One important thing happened for me that week-end. I became a Wrigley field fan for sure. It was what a major league baseball park is supposed to be and look like. Years later, I took my grandsons, Grant and Christian, to a game. If I don't first maybe they will write about their experience at Wrigley.
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