Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
278
and a rar e, indelible moment when the city 's white and black populations seemed to
embrace in simple camaraderie and festivity . Although the team has r ebounded some-
what from the dismal seasons that followed the departure of Michael Jordan and others,
the current players don't inspire the same city-wide ex citement. The upside for visitors?
The Bulls don't consistently sell out, which might mean y ou can catch a game at the
United Center—if your kids are basketball fans, it's well worth the price of admission to
spend an evening here. At the United Center, 1901 W. Madison St. & 312/455-4000. www.nba.
com/bulls. Tickets $20-$100; purchase through Ticketmaster at & 312/559-1212. Bus: 9 or 20.
Chicago Cubs Ages 4 & up. The Cubbies haven't made a World Series appearance
since 1945 and haven't been World Champs since 1908, but don't let the team's less-than-
stellar track r ecord stop y ou. You must, absolutely must, take y our kids to a game at
Wrigley Field. Attend a day game. B uy a hot dog and bo x of Cracker Jacks, and join in
the chorus of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the seventh-inning stretch. (Since
the death of longtime announcer Harry Caray, the crowd is led by a guest singer, often a
visiting celebrity.) Because Wrigley Field is small, just about every seat is decent. Families
might want to avoid the bleacher seats, because fans ther e can get a little o verzealous in
their rooting for the home team (and drinking). The ivy-covered outfield walls, hand-
operated scoreboard, view of the shimmering lake fr om the upper deck, and w or l flag
announcing the outcome of the game to the unfor tunates who couldn 't attend make
Wrigley a pure slice of Americana. About a dozen tours of the ballpark are led each season
on various Saturdays in the summer . Stops include the visitors ' and home-team locker
rooms, press box, security headquar ters, and—thrill of thrills—a walk ar ound the field
itself. Tickets are $14 and are sold through the Wrigley Field ticket office ( & 800/THE-
CUBS [843-2827]), or stop b y the bo x office at 1060 W. Addison St. The entire area
around the stadium, known as Wrigleyville, is surrounded by souvenir shops, sports bars,
and restaurants. One sandwich shop, the Friendly Confines, is actually located within
the stadium itself, just off the side walk. Sluggers, a sports bar with real batting cages, is
right around the corner from Wrigley at 3540 N. Clark St. ( & 773/248-0055 ). At Wrig-
ley Field, 1060 W. Addison St. & 773/404-CUBS (404-2827). www.cubs.mlb.com. Tickets $15-$50.
Games do sell out (especially against longtime rivals such as the Mets), and most weekend and
night games are sold out by Memorial Day; so it pays to call ahead. To order tickets in person,
stop by the ticket windo ws at Wrigley Field Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-4pm, and on game
days. You can also or der tickets online on the t eam website or call tickets .com at & 866/652-
2827. Subway/El: Red Line to Addison. Bus: 22.
Chicago Fire Ages 4 & up. The city's Major League Soccer team launched in 1998
and quickly became a hit with families. The team plays at its o wn 20,000-seat stadium
in suburban B ridgeview (about 12 miles southw est of do wntown) fr om late M ay to
October. Bringing your kids to a game is highly recommended—tickets are cheaper than
for other pr ofessional sporting events, you can walk right up to the bo x office befor e a
game and buy them, and kids understand soccer because many of them play it. D uring
the summer, games usually take place in late afternoon or early ev ening. Regular fans of
the F ire make the games fun, with organiz ed stadium cheers and a band. The team
reaches out to kids 12 and under with S parky's Kids Club (Sparky the Dalmatian is the
team's mascot), and to moms with the occasional S occer Mom Saturday, with half-time
games and prizes for moms. The occasional Kids' Fest features music, games, and clowns,
so check the w ebsite for upcoming ev ents. & 888/MLS-FIRE (657-3473). http://chicago .fire.
mlsnet.com. Tickets $15-$40.
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