According to ESPNChicago.com, the automaker and Chicago Cubs owners are working on a deal that would result in a giant Toyota sign sprouting from the left field bleachers of Wrigley Field (the ESPN article includes a mock up illustrating how it would look).
I remember my first visit to Wrigley in May 2007 (I took this photo at the time). It was like stepping into the past. Just like the first time I laid eyes on the inside of Fenway all those years ago, I could feel the history and enjoyed not only the game, but the purity of the park. The famous ivy-covered walls, the generally advertisement-free walls.... Let's just say I did not feel the same way when I passed through the gates of U.S. Cellular Field (the contemporary stadium the White Sox call home). Not sure what I hate more: pink hats and jerseys or gross advertising.
While this deal would bring in revenue for the organization, the gaudy sign would taint the classic feel of America's second-oldest ball field (Fenway is two years older). It's not like the front office would bother spending the new money on any decent players (Oops... I promised myself I'd leave Milton Bradley out of this). Here's to hoping that maybe the new owners will be wiser when it comes to picking players to help the team win its first World Series in 101 years.
Back to the giant elephant, er, Toyota sign, in the room. Is nothing sacred anymore? I'm sorry, for a fleeting moment I forgot that baseball (and sports in general) is a business, not a favorite national pastime.
Back to the giant elephant, er, Toyota sign, in the room. Is nothing sacred anymore? I'm sorry, for a fleeting moment I forgot that baseball (and sports in general) is a business, not a favorite national pastime.
Here's to hoping the deal proves to be as faulty as some of Toyota's sticky accelerators.
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