After unsuccessful attempts at finding someone to go to Chicago, I thought the trip would have to happen another year. But instead, I woke up the next morning and thought, "Hey, you only live once." So, I took off on my own heading for Chicago.
I arrived to the north side of Chicago at around 4 pm local time. I wasn't sure where to park so I drove by the stadium which is dead smack in the middle of a neighborhood. Parking was pretty expensive next to the stadium so I parked about a half a mile north of Wrigley. Walking to the park feels different than any other stadium I've ever been to because like I said you're not really downtown you're in a residential area.
5:05 the gates opened and when I walk into Wrigley Field I turn into a kid again. Huge grin on my face, I'm inside one of the most historic ballparks in America. I felt like I was a part of something special. Baseball legends have played here and millions upon millions of fans have come through here. I raced over to one of the most infamous areas you will ever find in a baseball stadium "the Bartman seat." I had forgotten the infamous seat was in section 4 row 8 and seat 113 so I had to ask an usher where the Bartman seat was, he said, "Sir please don't call it that and I have no idea what you speak of." He was being sarcastic and pointed me in the right direction. After waiting my turn to take a picture reaching over the railing reliving that historic moment, I headed to the infield to watch batting practice. 
The Cubs were finishing up so I took some pictures from behind home plate as I waited for the Tigers to step in the cage. Surprisingly the Tigers pitchers were the first players to hit. Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander were up first. They practiced bunts and then they swung for the fences. On one of Verlander's last swings he belted a home run about seven rows deep over the left field wall.
There are many great features about Wrigley, the obvious ones being the old style stadium scoreboard and the ivy on the outfield walls. Some features you might not know about are TV's in every section under overhangs so you can see replays, a scoreboard under the upper level for people who can't see the main scoreboard and everybody's favorite…troths in the Men's bathroom. One thing I really liked about my visit was every usher greeted me and wished a nice visit. The usher in my section was named Woj, we chatted for a little while about the Cubs and the stadium. He told me that you can go down to the main concourse and get an 8 x 10 certificate for your first trip to Wrigley for free. I thought this was awesome because most places in America would charge for something like that.
7:05 First pitch. The Cubs strike first scoring one run in the 2nd inning on a ground ball to short. The Cubs would score two more in the 6th on a double by Darwin Barney. The Tigers were still scoreless heading to the 7th inning, and I was getting worried but the Cub's fan next to me kept telling me, "Don't worry you'll score against our bullpen." He was right. Delmon Young would start the rally with a double, even though replays showed he was clearly out. Jhonny Peralta and Quintin Berry both walked to bring Ramon Santiago to the plate with the bases loaded. Santiago delivered with a single to right field scoring Young. Austin Jackson would also come through with the bases loaded with a single to left field that would score Peralta and Berry tying the game at 3.
The story of the night would happen in the 8th inning after the Tigers got the first two outs there were runners on first and second. Tony Campana hit a chopper too short. Peralta's throw was high but it looked like Santiago still got his foot on the bag. That’s not how the umps saw it, calling the runner safe at second. Now with the bases loaded it would be crucial for the Tigers to get an out. Starlin Castro hit a ground ball to short, Peralta's throw to first was wide but it looked like fielder barely stayed on the bag to record the out. But yet again the umps would make the wrong call and so the Cubs took the 4-3 lead heading to the 9th inning. The Tigers would go quietly in the 9th only batting the minimum 3 hitters. It was a tough way to lose but if the umps call Young out at second the Tigers might have never scored.
This was by far the coolest stadium trip I've taken so far. The fans and Cub's workers were awesome. I was also very impressed with the number of Tigers fans there were as they took over the stadium. Tigers cheers might have been louder than Cubs cheers and Tigers fans helped set a weekday series attendance record for the Cubs; thus I referred to Wrigley as Comerica west.
If you ever have the chance to go to Wrigley Field don't let it pass you by because it truly is one of the best places in America to take in a ballgame.
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