Clark & Addison Blog - CubHub.net

Twenty years ago today was the first scheduled night game at Wrigley Field. Knowing the managers at Cubby Bear and being a totally and completely broke aspiring rock music drummer, I took a one-night only job as a bar back at Cubby for that momentous and festive evening.

In the weeks leading up to 8/8/88, I saw various stages of the delivery on flat bed trucks of the lighting trusses. I watched as a helicopter hovered over Wrigley as the dangling lights were lowered into place. I watched the park glow for the first few times as they lit up the night sky to test and aim the lighting.  I spent a lot of time in Wrigleyville in those days.

Then the big game came around with much fanfare and bubbly excitement. The neighborhood was teeming more than usual with plenty of folks recognizing a special event was taking place and wanted to be a part of it.  There were blue City of Chicago tow trucks dragging improperly parked cars away. I recall there was an enormous showing from the Chicago Police. These days, there are non-police “Public Safety” people managing traffic control but back then it was all full fledged Chicago Police officers doing crowd control outside the park. Once the game started and the rains came, dozens of police were congregated in the then backstage area of the Cubby Bear, huddled in their rain gear around a dedicated keg of beer for the exclusive use of Chicago’s Finest. Now I’m not saying I saw any uniformed, on-duty Chicago Police officer drinking beer from this keg, but it certainly would not do to have them buying beer out in the club with the public. But I digress.

Yes the rains came, inspiring a few Cubs players to entertain the crowd by turning the field tarp into a slip n’ slide.  I think it was future hall of famer Greg Maddux, along with Steve Trout and a few others that ran the bases ending with a belly flop slide into a splashy home plate, delighting the masses.  I didn’t personally see this either, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.

The game was called after a few innings, with all the stats washed out. But the memory stands and the 8/8/88 date will always be known as the first night game at Wrigley Field even though it was technically 8/9/88 according to official records.

The Cubs were 25 games over .500 on June 28, 1977.  In an all too familiar late season collapse, the ‘77 Cubs finished at .500 (81-81), in sole possession of 4th place, 20 games back of the Phillies.  They spent 62 days in first place and simply wilted down the stretch, going 20-38 in August & September.  Ug.

Moral of the story is to not get too caught up in the “team of destiny” stuff and stay focused on the prize.  Win games one at a time and move on.  Lou does a nice job of rotating guys around so hopefully this Cubs team will have better stamina.  Certainly Alfonso Soriano should be well rested with his two trips to the DL so far this year.

On June 3, 1987, the Cubs beat the Houston Astros 22-7 in a game that included no less than three grand slams, tying a major league record for a single game. The Cubs hit two: Brian Dayett and Keith Moreland.