1914 Weeghman Park Crowd Outside

In this cropped,  closeup of the 1914 Weeghman Park opening day print, it is a cold day for a horse and buggy to amber down Addison Street. The flamboyant owner Charles A. Weeghman is here with the crowd to watch his Chicago Federals (or “Chi-Feds”) of the Federal League. Zachary Taylor Davis is the architect of the park, which seats 14,000. Ironically, it also is Taylor who is responsible for Comiskey Park, which opened in 1910. After this inaugural season, he renames the team as the Whales in 1915.

When the Federal League folds after the 1915 season, Weeghman organizes a group to buy the Chicago Cubs for $500,000. It’s really a merger with his former Whales team. In 1915, the Cubs are playing in the dilapidated, wooden West Side Park, at Polk and Taylor streets west of downtown. But now the team has a brand new north side home. The Cubs play their first game in Weeghman Park on April 20, 1916.

By 1919, the park is known as “Cubs Park.” William Wrigley Jr., a partner in the ownership group, takes over in 1921. Soon after, the stadium has its first renovation, a major expansion in 1922-23 that takes the capacity to 30,000. Prior to the 1927 season, the park is formally dedicated as Wrigley Field. Wrigley adds a second deck in 1927-28. And, finally, in 1937, he adds the bleachers, ivy and hand-operated scoreboard.

Small changes, such as the clock addition in 1941, take place over the next several decades. This culminates with lights (1988), two jumbotrons (2015) and a World Series championship (2016)! Learn more about this print in About and Frequently Asked Questions. Or visit the Shop for more ideas.