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From: tommyo@ihuxw.UUCP (Tom O`Connor)
Newsgroups: net.sport.baseball
Subject: Cubs go to court
Message-ID: <1034@ihuxw.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 21-Dec-84 11:22:03 EST
Article-I.D.: ihuxw.1034
Posted: Fri Dec 21 11:22:03 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 22-Dec-84 02:47:55 EST
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 43

Well, Peter Ueberroth is really making enemies fast in Chicago,
saying that the Cubs have to put in lights or be forced
to play in another stadium for playoff games (and possibly
regular season games).  The `85 schedule is set already,
so your regular season games aren`t in jeopardy.  But now
we`re in the courts.  The Cubs, with basically no other
option other than to ignore Mr. Ueberroth, filed suit to
overturn Illinois law which, without getting technical,
bans night baseball at Wrigley Field.  The residents of the
area, naturally, are in an uproar.  They don`t want thousands
of people wandering around their homes at 11, 12, 1 o`clock
in the morning!  I can`t say I dont blame them.  You`ve got
a very unique situation with the location of the stadium.
And the Commissioner should recognize this.  Will baseball
really lose THAT much revenue if the Cubs play day post-season
games?  You`ve got the wants of the few vs. the desires of
the many.  There was never a really BIG fuss before, but then
again, the Cubbies hadn`t made the playoffs since `45, and
we haven`t had night post-season games since the early 70s.

Of course, another option is to build a new stadium.  Rumors
have placed that stadium in many places in the Chicago area.
But can the Tribune Co. really afford to construct it.  And
if somebody else does, the Cubs will have to pay rent, no
doubt, to use the stadium.  They probably won`t get a full
share of the concession sales (and I bet a lot of $$ is made
by the Old Style man).  But you`ve also got the upkeep of
a structure which is, I do believe, the oldest ballpark in
the National league (Comiskey and Tiger Stadium are a bit older).
That`s no small drop in the bucket.

Rest assured, the Cubs will not be leaving Chicago.  I could
see the back page of the Tribune saying "Cubs Move to Tampa Bay"
while the front page headline reads "Final Edition - Ever!"
The theory that you can`t win by playing day ball 1/2 the
time has basicaly be debunked.  But the question of lights
at the Friendly Confines will keep the ol` hot stove league
going all the way till spring training, and then some.

Tom O`Connor
ihuxw!tommyo

P.S. Cub season tickets are now on sale!  Get `em while they`re hot!