Frosty baseball games are commonplace at Wrigley Field, where a stiff wind off Lake Michigan can chill fans, players and managers alike.
Now the Friendly Confines is going on ice. For one day.
The defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks are taking hockey back outdoors when they meet on New Year's Day 2009 in the home park of the Chicago Cubs.
It will be the NHL's second Winter Classic. Last season in Buffalo, the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Sabres 2-1 before 71,217. Snow fell during the game and the Pens won on Sidney Crosby's goal in a shootout.
TRIVIA TIME
What was Wrigley Field called when the Cubs moved into the brand-new ballpark in 1916?
THE DAY LOU SAT DOWN
A warm-up jacket believed to have been worn by New York Yankees great Lou Gehrig the day he ended his streak of 2,130 consecutive games played has been auctioned for $374,000.
Hunt Auctions, which handled the sale Tuesday in Manhattan, said an Associated Press photograph taken May 2, 1939, appears to show Gehrig wearing the jacket while standing at home plate with Detroit Tigers manager Del Baker and the umpires.
Gehrig's iron-man streak stood for 56 years before it was eclipsed by Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken Jr.
OLD-SCHOOL, IN A BAD WAY
“Billy Packer had become old-school,” wrote Diane Pucin of the Los Angeles Times of the longtime Final Four broadcaster lopped by CBS, “and not in the good way of paying attention to detail or studying hard before he would go on the air, but in the way of a crotchety old guy who chases neighborhood kids out of the yard.
“ 'Get off my grass, young 'uns' became 'How dare the NCAA Tournament committee let in all those Bradleys and Wichita States and George Masons instead of . . . (insert any bottom feeder from the Atlantic Coast Conference).' ”
THIS DAY IN BALL
On today's date in 1969 Jim Kaat, Gold Glove-winning pitcher for seven straight years, was charged with three errors, leading to three unearned runs against the Chicago White Sox. He still won the game at Minnesota, 8-5.
TRIVIA TIME
Weeghman Field. Charles Weeghman led a 10-man syndicate including William Wrigley Jr. that bought the Cubs in 1916. Wrigley bought out Weeghman the next year to take controlling interest of the club.
– COMPILED BY STEVE OAKEY
FROM NEWS SERVICES
