DELUSIONAL CUBS FAN

Wrigley Field scoreboard as seen from center field bleachers (photo by JaseMan)

The Wrigley Field Scoreboard

When you visualize Wrigley Field you probably think of bricks, ivy, sunshine and the iconic Wrigley Field scoreboard. The green scoreboard behind the center field bleachers is original from 1937 and still operated by hand to this day.  You can follow batter’s count and also the inning by inning scores of the days games as they unfold. There’s also the clock on top and the flags representing all the teams of the National League.  After the game they raise the W flag to indicate yet another Cubs win.

——

Len and Bob’s Podcast - Inside the Wrigley Field Scoreboard

Inside the Wrigley Field Scoreboard Video

Follow Chicago Cubs TV announcers Len Kasper and Bob Brenly as they take a tour of the inside of the Wrigley Field scoreboard. It’s an interesting perspective and view of Wrigley Field.  It’s fun to see and doesn’t appear as easy to operate as one might think.  (This is from 2008 so there’s some now dated conversation about Kosuke Fukudome in the middle of the video)

——

Not batter has ever hit the scoreboard with a home run. Yet.

Wrigley Field Scoreboard Facts

The scoreboard was built in 1937, when the original bleacher section was also added.  The innovative electronic time keeping device (today known as a clock) was added four years later in 1941.  It’s operated by two people manually adding and changing the numbers and another crew member acting as the scorekeeper who yells the updates to them.  The scoreboard has neither heat or air conditioning.  No home run ball has ever hit the scoreboard in a game although two have come very close: one by Bill Nicholson in 1948, and another by Roberto Clemente in 1959.

The scoreboard is going to get a planned refacing in 2010 but other than that, no changes are planned.

And the gods of baseball looked down and they saw that it was good.

The back of the Wrigley Field Scoreboard as seen from the street (photo)

——

Wrigley Field Replica Sign

Chicago Cubs Wrigley Field Scoreboard Wood Sign

Related Links

Keeping score - the hard (and hot) way- Chicago Tribune
Changes coming for Wrigley Field, scoreboard - Chicago Breaking Sports
Wrigley Field scoreboard operator - Chicago Sun Times