Wrigley Field, Chicago, Guia do visitante e o que fazer por perto

Wrigley Field is the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs, on the corner of Clark and Addison in the Wrigleyville neighborhood of Chicago. Opened in 1914, it is the second-oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball, and its ivy-covered outfield walls and hand-turned scoreboard make it one of the best-loved places in American sport.

The story behind it

The park opened in 1914 for a team in the Federal League, a short-lived rival to the established major leagues. The Cubs moved in two years later, and the park took the name of the Wrigley family, who owned the club, in the 1920s. Only Fenway Park in Boston is older among major league grounds still in use.

Much of the look people know today dates from the 1930s, when the manual scoreboard and the ivy along the brick walls arrived. Wrigley Field also stood out for a long time because it had no lights, so games were played in daylight until the late 1980s. Its best-known legend is Babe Ruth's "called shot" in the 1932 World Series, a home run he is said to have pointed toward in advance. Historians still argue over what he actually meant. In 2016 the Cubs won the World Series here and ended a drought of 108 years.

What to look for

• The red marquee at the corner of Clark and Addison, the classic spot for a photo with the ballpark name above you.
• The ivy on the outfield brick walls, best seen through the gates and gaps around the outside of the park.
• The hand-operated scoreboard above the bleachers, a rare survivor in the age of video screens.
• Gallagher Way, the public plaza beside the ballpark, and the statues of Cubs figures placed around the outside of the stadium.

Tips for your visit

• Walking around the outside takes about 20 to 30 minutes. Allow more if you want to stop for photos or a drink nearby.
• Going inside normally means a game ticket or a stadium tour, so check current opening hours and tour availability before you go.
• Game days are loud, crowded and full of atmosphere. A non-game day is quieter and better for photos and for reading the street details.
• The streets around the park are full of bars and restaurants, so it is easy to turn a visit into a longer afternoon in Wrigleyville.

See it on a quest

Captured Cubs Player in Chicago: a Ken Clever Mystery is a mystery-themed self-guided walk that passes Wrigley Field. You reach the ballpark on foot as one stop of a longer route through the area, the app tells you about the place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle based on what is in front of you. You can start whenever you like, with no guide and no group to join. It is a paid quest, and one ticket covers the whole group.