I was raised as a Cubs fan starting in the mid 60's, suffered through the 70's and actually worked Security, at Wrigley during the 80's. I started out my Cubs career as game day security in the bleachers in 1982 and saw the start of Sandberg's career and the demise of Fergie's. Became the Security Manager out there unto 1983 when I moved to dugout security for the 84 and 85 season where I spent these 2 years riding the pine in the dugout. I then moved to a Front Office position in Stadium Operations where I was low man on the totem pole and did mostly security and loved every minute of it. There were many overnights spent at the old ball park by myself and I can tell you I scored the winning run of the World Series from second base on many many occasions.
I got to explore every nook and cranny of that old ball park because they gave me a full set of keys and I had time. I found stuff I couldn't believe still exists and I found out I believe in ghosts as that place is haunted. I found that, if I had no morals I could have taken stuff that was just laying around and be a millionaire today with what I could have pilfered and they would have never known.
I sat in my bosses chair and watched Al Campanis sink his career (and mine) and I watched the sun come up over the lake from the upper deck as the sun's rays filtered through the old scoreboard. I felt the morning dew on my feet as I walked across the outfield and I felt the tug on my forearms as I knew I "got ahold of that one" as I hit BP with the bat boys as we waited for the team to arrive. I saw that ball bounce with a resounding THUD on the bleachers and about pissed my pants when I realized I put one in the seats at Wrigley Freaking Field.
I allowed my sister, who was confined to a wheel chair to "run" the bases when it was just the two of us in the ball park on a beautiful Sunday afternoon and had to explain to the bosses the next day why there were tire marks on the field. I destroyed my shoulder leaping into the ivy as I attempted to catch a 16 inch softball hit by a member of the Sox front office during one of our many matches against other team's staff and I played in the first football game at Wrigley since the Bears moved out when a touch football game broke out during a team family night at the end of the season.
I was at the celebration for Billy Williams when he was elected to the hall and I was drenched with champagne in the visiting locker room when the Phillies clinched the division at the old ball park in 1983. I saw my world series ring go over that outfield fence when Steve Garvey hit his home run in the 1984 playoffs and I just left my stuff at the park after that season was over, because the memories hurt too much.
Vin Scully called me by name and I thought it was God calling me home and Rusty Staub, the gentleman that he was would always wished me well on each of his last trips into Wrigley each season.
I, along with another Security person shadowed Pete Rose the whole weekend when he tied Cobb's record and I congratulated Daryl Strawberry on his 3rd home run of the game in 1986.
There are just so many memories that I am grateful for and I could go on and on. Thank you for allowing me to write this tonight. Its has been a long few months with some serious health issues going on and it has been fun to think about other things.
I am the tall guy second from the right in the back row with the stupid grin on my face, knowing full well I had an amazing job.