As you may know, Wrigley Field was originally named Weeghman
Park. It w as built by Charles
Weeghman in 1914 to house the upstart Federal League's Chicago ball club. The project was started in February,
1914 and was completed in time for the Chi-Feds home opener at a cost of $250,000
(approximately $5.8 million today.)
Following litigation that resulted in a settlement by the
National and American Leagues to the Federal League in exchange for the Federal
League’ disbandment, Weeghman bought the Chicago Cubs and merged the team with his
former Chicago Whales ball club by buying the contracts of several former
Whales players, including: Mordecai Brown, Claude Hendrix, Joe Tinker and Dutch
Zwilling.
He thereafter moved the newly formulated Cubs to Weeghman
Park from the West Side Grounds; therefore,
the first year that the Cubs actually played at the ballpark we now know as
Wrigley Field was in 1916. Regardless,
the Cubs have announced a year-long celebration of Wrigley Field’s 100th
anniversary that will kickoff at the 2014 Cubs Convention.
According to the Cubs, they will have themed games with
throwback uniforms, bobblehead giveaways and even food choices from the given
decade. Hopefully the 1970s game will
feature a Buckner bobblehead and and the return of Oscar Mayer Smokie Links!
Additionally, the Cubs will unveil at the Convention the
decade specific children’s toys that will be given away throughout the season at
Sunday afternoon games.
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