"Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan." - Franklin Delano Roosevelt addressing Congress, the following day.
December 7th, 1941 is one of the most infamous dates in American history; on this day, we remember the brave souls who were lost in the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in a surprise aerial assault by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service. All told 2,403 Americans died and 1,178 were wounded in the catastrophic event that would launch the United States into World War II Additionally, eighteen ships were sunk or run aground, including the famed USS Arizona. Today marks the 76th anniversary of the tragedy.
Many more qualified individuals will summarize and laud the events and heroes of that day and their significant impact on the world thereafter. That said, seeing as this is a Cubs baseball card blog, I thought I should share a quick story - did you know that Pearl Harbor had a direct effect on the Cubs and their home ballpark, one that was felt for well-over forty years afterwards?
A story I'm sure that you've all heard by now is the tale of the first night game at Wrigley Field. Heck, most of you were probably live and able-bodied baseball consumers by the time it occurred - it was 1988, after all, significantly later than their MLB counterparts. The event was highlighted by Score in their second baseball card offering, as you can see above.
On August 8, 1988 (8/8/88), the light switch was flipped on at Wrigley for the very first time as Rick Sutcliffe took the mound against the Philadelphia Phillies. Of course, with the Cubs leading 3-1 in the fourth inning, the rains came. Not a light drizzle, but a downpour. After a two-hour rain delay, the game was called. Therefore, technically, the first official game to be completed under the lights at the Friendly Confines took place the very next night; however, 8/8/88 will forever be remembered as the night that the lights went on at Wrigley Field.
Now, what does any of this have to do with Pearl Harbor?
You see, Wrigley Field - famous as it was for it's staunch traditionalism and purity of day baseball - was intended to have lights much sooner than the 1980's. In fact, had the Japanese not attacked Pearl Harbor on this day, 76 years ago, the ballpark at 1060 W. Addison would have been fully lit by the following year!
In fall of 1941, P.K. Wrigley, unbeknownst to the city's baseball fans, ordered light standards for the park to be installed in February or March of the following year. The material for the lights was stored underneath the bleachers at Wrigley, waiting for their installation in the spring. Then, Pearl Harbor happened and the country was thrust, full force into the Second World War. The very next day, the same day upon which FDR addressed Congress about the "date which will live in infamy," the Cubs' owner donated the 165 tons of steel, 35,000 feet of copper wire and other equipment to the United States war effort.
Baseball was the last thing on anyone's mind, at that time.
And so, it would be nearly a half century before nighttime scenes, such as the one shown on this 1992 Donruss Triple Play single, could be played out... all because the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Of course, it goes without saying that this was the most minor of consequences; but, it was a consequence, nonetheless. The Butterfly Effect is no joke.
All I can say, it's a darn good thing that Cubbies eventually got those lights erected. After all, prior to 1988, Major League Baseball was on record as having told the Cubs that, should they ever reach the World Series, their home games would have to be played at a neutral site. We faithful fanatics could have been robbed of grand scenes such as this one below:
Now, you can use this knowledge to impress friends at your local bar's trivia night or to impress at social celebrations.
As Chicago radio legend, Paul Harvey, might say, "now you know... the REESSSSSST of the story!"
Never heard that story before, great idea for a post thanks for the trivia fact!
ReplyDeleteQuite the interesting write up. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI do remember hearing that the war effort was what kept Wrigley Field from installing lights but I didnt know there were plans to install them in '42. And is it true that if the Cubs had won the pennant in 1984, their World Series home games would have been played in (gulp) Comiskey Park?
ReplyDeleteThat is an amazing story.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard that! Incredible.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Love the great history lesson. I had no idea that Wrigley could have had lights 40 years earlier had we not entered the war.
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