Rejoice and be glad, oh ye Chicagoans, for a miracle has occurred: for the first two months of the season, both the Cubs and the Sox were in first place! And in honor of that miracle, ticket prices have gone up, so that a day at Wrigley Field could, hypothetically, set a family of four back $400. (A day at U.S. Cellular Field costs less, but find one die-hard Cubs fan who’d rather watch the Sox just to save a few bucks.) Hey, nobody ever said witnessing a miracle was cheap.
Schaumburg Boomers The Boomers, named for the mating call of the prairie chicken, are currently in last place in the independent Frontier League. The team’s general manager is quick to reassure a reporter that Boomers Stadium, with its grassy seating area and ample standing room, was not designed for sellouts. There’s not much glory here, but there’s no pressure, either, except during the Midwest Aerosol Association Continuous Spraying Can Race in the middle of the sixth inning. (Who will it be, Shaving Cream, Sunscreen, or Insect Repellent?) Lawn tickets are $8. It’s the perfect place to take someone, say a small child or a dog (but only on Bark in the Park day), who has never been to a baseball game before and may not have the interest or the patience to sit through all nine innings. Schaumburg Boomers Stadium, 1999 S. Springinsguth, Schaumburg, 847-461-3695, boomersbaseball.com.
Iowa Cubs If you’re truly serious about Cubs baseball and eager to see what the future holds, head out to Des Moines and take in a game at Principal Park, home of the AAA Iowa Cubs and, just a year ago, Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, and Kyle Schwarber. See? Theo Epstein’s master plan is working! (Well, OK, these Cubs are languishing at the bottom of the Pacific Coast League standings at the moment, but it’s still early.) Then in two years’ time, you’ll be able to look at the Chicago Cubs’ hot young rookie and say you always knew he was going to be a star. Extra bonus: an entire weekend in Des Moines will probably cost you less than an afternoon at Wrigley. Principal Park, 1 Line, Des Moines, IA, 515-243-6111, iowacubs.com. v
