In the movie Field of Dreams, Kevin Costner turns the corn field on his farm into a perfect baseball diamond where ghosts of baseball past come to play ball. Two stories hit the web recently that got me thinking.
The first…The Chicago Cubs and City Hall are close to nailing down a $500 million deal that would allow the organization to make renovations to the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field which was built-in 1914. The upgrades would put at least two’ new 21st century signs inside the ballpark—including a video scoreboard in left field, find room for a 300-space parking structure.
The second… the Old Bush Stadium in Indianapolis which was built in 1931, is being re-structured into an apartment complex. Numerous minor league baseball teams, as well as the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro League have called Old Busch “home.” In 1969 the Continental Football League team, the Indianapolis Capitols won a Championship there. Hollywood has also left mark by filming some of the 1987 movie Eight Men Out on that very field.
The project which is the brain child of Core Redevelopment, specializes in saving historic structures. They will retain the outer shell of the stadium and have an actual baseball field in the courtyard. “Stadium Lofts” is believed to be the first of its kind.
Old Busch Stadium – Indianapolis
Now, I know what I am going to propose is probably sacrilegious to hard-core baseball purists…but, just think about it. Turn Wrigley Field into this! Keep the outer shell, foul poles, scoreboard, Wrigley Field welcome sign, the whole shooting match. Rejuvenate the old bird giving it new life. How cool would it be to look out your window and see the ivy creeping up the outfield wall on a beautiful summer day!
Centerfield Ivy
Wait I’m not done yet…how about Fenway Park, it’s even older (1912)?
Fenway’s Green Monster
Doing this would allow these two parks to live on forever, instead of one day becoming victim of a wrecking ball (which will eventually happen). This way their ball teams and fans can move into the 21st century, while preserving the past functionally.
Jeff Miller
The wrecking ball has threatened Fenway many, many times, but the park is always saved. I think you’ll more than likely see endless renovations than you will something like this.
Fenway is more than a park, it’s a part of Boston itself. There’s a reason it’s survived and existed this long, it’s simply that part of the city that everyone knows and has a relationship with. Even folks who aren’t baseball fans (shocking, I know) still love Fenway and it’s place in Beantown.
While I’d rather see something like this than the alternative, I doubt we see Fenway go anywhere for many, many years.
I’m in! Wrigley currently has netting to catch all the debris that falls off the structure so it won’t smack the fans.