Go Cubs Go! Go Cubs Go! Hey Chicago, whadda ya say, the Cubs are gonna win today! Well, we made it to spring training 2008. We scored tickets to 4-games...the Oakland A's, Texas Rangers, Colorado Rockies and the Milwaukee Brewers. The Cubs lost to the A's, beat the Rockies and Rangers and tied (10-10) with Milwaukee (the clubs don't play past 10-innings in spring training games). For the most part the Cubs played their front-line starters but we also got to see many of their top prospects.
HoHoKam Park is the spring training home of the Chicago Cubs. The park is owned by the City of Mesa and operated by the Mesa HoHoKam's, a not-for-profit organization similar to the Elks, JC's, etc. Many, most, of their members volunteer to handle parking, taking tickets, selling programs, setting up chairs, etc. While the city receives a split of the ticket revenue, the HoHoKam's receive all of the revenue from the parking and ad revenue on the outfield fences and scoreboard. But the HoHoKam's donate 100% of that revenue back to the city for use in their summer youth sports program. This may be the last year for the HoHoKam's, though. The City of Mesa wants to take 100% of the revenue generated from parking and revenue with no guarantee that they will continue to fund the summer sports programs. If this happens the Mesa HoHoKams will no longer be a part of Cubs spring training. More history about the Mesa HoHoKams and the stadium can be had by clicking here.
The Mesa HoHoKams take their name from the ancient native tribe, the Hohokam's. Hohokam is actually a Pima Indian word meaning 'Those Who Have Gone'. The Hohokam's left no written records but archeologists have determined that they occupied the land around present-day Phoenix for about 1500-years, disappearing around 900 AD. The Pima Indians may be direct descendents of the Hohokam but another popular theory (promulgated by some Pima) is that the Pima conquered the Hohokam. All that is known for certain is that no evidence of Hohokam culture has been found beyond 900 AD. Click here for more on the Hohokam's.
While a spring training game at HoHoKam park (actually Dwight Patterson field at HoHoKam Park) is not the same as seeing a game at Wrigley, it's a great place to see a ball game. In some respects it's even better than going to Wrigley. There are absolutely no bad seats anywhere in the park...no posts to block your view and the odds of a rain out (or even a snow-out!) are remote indeed. Bursting-at-the-seams capacity is around 12,800 including lawn seating in right and left field. The usual assortment of baseball food is available, burgers, tacos, nachos, pizza, etc. Also available, according to the vendors, are "beer flavored vitamin water" and "lemonade like grandma made". One vendor, not to be outdone, hawked 'Beer like grandma drank"! One beer vendor was from Minnesota and was at the ballpark to "get in shape for the regular season" (he works at Wrigley on weekends). I guess beer vendors have their own spring training. Tickets to spring training games are less than the regular season and for sure some of the players don't give everything they've got, it's too bad that the food and drink prices aren't likewise discounted.
Game 1: Cubs vs. Oakland. Chicago lost this one 5-2
Game 2: Cubs vs. Colorado. After the Cubs starter, Rich Hill, walked 5 of the first 6 batters, things settled down and the Cubs won 8-6.
Game 4: Cubs vs. Texas. The Cardiac Cubs were in fine form today waiting until 2-outs in the 9th to beat the Rangers 7-6. With 2-outs in the 9th Felix Pie (pronounced Pee-ay) slammed a triple. Eric Patterson scored Pie with a single up the middle. What a finish but someone please charge the paddles to 360!
Game 5: Cubs vs. Milwaukee. The Brewers have almost supplanted the St. Louis Cardinals as the main rivals. Homers were flying out the park all day and the Cubs had to settle for a 10-inning, 10-run tie. The Cubs almost did it though managing to load the bases in the 10th with 2-out.
