Wrigley Field Renovations Early 1920s

“Children have sat at the knees of their grandfather and listened to him tell of the time the Cubs were in the World Series. And they have marked it off to just another fantasy by the old gaffer, like the depth of the snow fall in the year of the great blizzard.”
-Jack Griffin, Chicago Sun-Times

In 1918 the Cubs stormed their way to the NL pennant.
But little ‘ol Wrigley couldn’t accommodate the growing fan base.
It became evident Wrigley Field needed to expand seating.
William Wrigley came up with an unspeakable plan…
He moved the Cubs’ home World Series games to a larger Comiskey Park!
By 1922 renovations on Wrigley Field were underway.
This included moving the entire field 60 feet southwest.
Later, in 1923, bleacher seats were added behind the outfield wall.
The additions increased Wrigley Field’s seating capacity to 20,000. 

When William Wrigley Jr. Bought The Cubs

 “I can sell pianos to armless men in Borneo.”-William Wrigley Jr.

William Wrigley Jr. was expelled from school in Philadelphia at age 12. 
He then left home, moved to New York City and sold newspapers.

Later he headed to Chicago and landed in the chewing gum business. 
In 1915 he partnered with Charlie Weeghman to buy the Cubs. 
William kept a real bear named ‘Joa’ at Wrigley Field for part of the 1915 season.

By 1920 Weeghman sold his stock in the Cubs to Wrigley Jr., who became the majority owner. He died at the age of 70 in 1932 leaving the Cubs to his son Philip K. Wrigley.