About

It all started in 2013 when the billionaires who own the North Side baseball club announced their intention to invest $500 million into Wrigley Field, a project that would dramatically transform not only the ballpark but all of the part of East Lake View known as “Wrigleyville.” My objective was twofold. First, as a preservationist, I wanted to remind people how different Wrigley Field looked in its early years — before bleachers, ivy and the hand-operated scoreboard came in 1937. Second, I wanted to show that the stadium already had been through several rounds of major renovations and — despite neighborhood banter — the world would NOT end.

While it all started with the renovation, I’ve tried to slowly expand the reach of this collection — adding a handful of new images each year, including several of my own. Most come from extensive research of Chicago History Museum archives and its collection of Chicago Daily News prints. Some are from the Library of Congress or the Chicago Public Library system. Others are mine or are in the public domain. I’ve done my best to do the research and acquire the appropriate rights. And Remember Wrigley Field was born.

So, please Remember Wrigley Field (and West Side Park). And Comiskey, Sox and South Side Park. And yes, Soldier Field, before the spaceship landed! Remember all the historic sports venues of Chicago. The way they used to be.

I hope you enjoy the art.