Ernie Banks’ statue wears a Chicago Cubs jersey at Wrigley Field on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Celebrating Cubs History At Wrigley Field
For many fans, some things like the Chicago Cubs logo are just not to be changed. Fortunately, that is not going to be the case with the latest incarnation of the iconic logo. It will simply be worn as a patch on the sleeve of the Cubs jerseys, commemorating 100 years at Wrigley throughout the 2016 Season.
Of course, this means Cubs fans will have to go out and purchase all new gear this spring, and most of them will gladly do so. Grabbing what will hopefully be a new piece of history, as the Cubs rise from the ‘lovable losers’, to a team that will contend for and hopefully win a World Series title.
This updated logo is actually a throw back, rooted deep in the history of Chicago Sports.
It is a close replica of the logo from 1916, when Wrigley was called Weeghman Field, after owner Charles Weeghman. Prior to that, Wrigley had been home to the Federal League’s Chicago Whalers. When the Federal League collapsed, there was a vacancy on the corner of Addison and Clark, and the Cubs became the brand new tenants. Weeghman purchased the Cubs prior to the opening of the 1916 season, as part of a settlement with Major League Baseball.
Fan Reactions
For any Bears fan, the ‘C’ should look familiar, and perhaps it is calling back to the days when the ‘Monsters of the Midway’ called Wrigley Field their home, too. In fact, they played every home game there from 1921-1970.
On the other side, it also resembles the Cincinnati Reds ‘C’, which is probably not what the Cubs were going for.
There are a wide range of opinions on the new logo, many of which stem around the Cub, and its uncanny resemblance to a cow, or my personal favorite, the prehistoric ground sloth.
There is also a small contingent of people concerned with any association to the Jay Cutler era Bears. Not to worry, I am sure he will somehow be blamed, should this new logo not produce a World Series win.
However, for the most part fans are embracing the history of the club, and all that the new patch commemorates. Especially, the hope that the new patch will be ushering in a new era. One where the Cubs will return to the play-offs, only this time ending the season with a win.
The winter should be a busy one fans, so don’t go rushing out to get your new gear too quickly. There is likely to be a new Ace or two on the horizon, and maybe a couple of shiny new bats to bring some run support.
For the Cubs, there was always talk that the drought would end at 100 years, but maybe it wasn’t the 100 years between World Series wins everyone thought it was; Perhaps, it is 100 years within the friendly confines of Wrigley Field, that the Cubs have been waiting on to open the flood gates on this drought.