Chicago’s Best Billboard: The Wrigley Field Marquee
Being a Cubs fan comes with more than its fair share of heartache. You root for our Cubbies without fail, never thinking of abandoning those boys in blue, but they can break your heart.
(Except in 2016, obviously. That was an epic year to be a Cubs fan).
But regardless of the score at the end of the game, there’s one thing that always wins: The Cubs Marquee.
A Classic for a Reason
From a sign perspective, we love its simple design. The two-color combo makes the script pop, and the kerning (design-speak for the space between letters) makes it easily legible.
On top of that, it’s truly a design that stands the test of time. If you didn’t know, you probably wouldn’t guess that your favorite sports team’s sign is more than eight decades old.
Which leads us to our next point…
It hasn’t always been there.
Any true Cubs fan can tell you the team has been around for well over a hundred years. Wrigley Field was built in 1914—the second-oldest ballpark in America—but the famed Wrigley Field marquee wasn’t added until 1934. Back then, its sole purpose was to sell tickets.
Fun fact: Back in the day, our beloved Chicago Cubs sign was “fern green,” and said, “Wrigley Field, Home of the Cubs.” It was eventually changed to “Home of Chicago Cubs.”
The Cubs’ Marquee once belonged to the Bears.
Yep, it’s true: Before there was Soldier Field, the Chicago Bears (originally called “The Staleys”—yikes) played at Wrigley. From 1921 to 1970, Bears and Cubbies shared space on the diamond/gridiron, before finally moving to the South Side.
The last football game ever played at Wrigley resulted in a Chicago win over the Green Bay Packers.
A Chicago Staple.
In a world with so much uncertainty, it’s nice to know some things will never change. The Cubs will lose (and probably win some, too!) and you’ll snap a photo of that iconic sign as Insta proof that you were at the game—the same sign your grandfather tipped his hat to when strolling through those stadium doors.
Want your own classic sign? Put in your orders today!
This piece was put together with help from these resources: