Sam Pathy

I grew up on Chicago's North Side. My mom took me to Ladies Day games at Wrigley Field and they are among my favorite childhood memories: rambling its aisles and concourses for hours, scoring autographs from the likes of Santo, Jenkins, and Williams, and salivating over the myriad of concessions (especially Smokie Links and Frosty Malts). My childhood love for the ballpark boiled into an obsession as an adult. I collected notes and anecdotes about the Cubs and Wrigley Field, even before the latter had lights! In fact, I've spent over 30 years researching Wrigley's remarkable history. Even today, there's nothing better that spending an afternoon at Wrigley Field, soaking up the surrounding neighborhood and Bill Veeck's ivy, all under abundant sunshine. Any exceptions? Perhaps spending a winter afternoon in a library scouring miles of microfilm, unearthing newspaper accounts and little-known facts about the cathedral at Clark and Addison. And add to this the recent World Series victory? Yes, life is good.