Bleacher Bums

Everybody who is a somebody in Chicago goes to Wrigley Field. A large part of this is due to the mystique of the Wrigley Field bleachers. Termed by one columnist as the worlds largest singles club, a study once found that 60 percent of the fans in the bleachers didn't even know who the Cubs were playing on the field. If New Yorks bleacher creatures intimidate opposing players into not wanting to return, Chicago's bleacher bums keep players coming back. Its not only due to the sights they see either, "You get some good one-liners out there. Sometimes you wish you had a pad to write them down." said Cubs outfielder Lance Johnson. There is an unwritten rule in the bleachers that an opponent's home run ball must be rejected immediately, as though a live hand grenade had been lobbed into the stands. In fact, even homers hit OUT of the stadium are rejected, often coming back INTO the stadium from the street. It should be noted that that fans usually bring old balls with them to the park and throw these back, keeping the game-balls as souvenirs. By the way, Wrigley's left-field bleacher seats have an absolutely incredible view.