A Championship at Wrigley Field

**lee4752** · #1 03-04-2009, 10:29 PM

No, The Cubs haven't won the series, But my son Lucas and I won first place at our Cub Scout Blue & Gold Banquet Cake decorating contest. The only rule is that everything must be edible. We used two yellow cake mixes. First layer (the playing field) was spread with apricot preserves. I made a paper mask for the base path and pitchers mound and Lucas sprinkled green sugar grass overall. the second cake was cut into bleachers and grandstand seating sections and assembled with vanilla frosting. Lucas then added the multicolored sprinkle (fans) in the seating areas. The grandstand roof is chocolate frosting. The scoreboard is a large Hershey bar with almonds covered with green decorator frosting. lettering was powdered sugar through a paper stencil. The marquis in front is a graham cracker with red decorator frosting. Once again, powdered sugar through a paper stencil (better done this time). It was yummy.

**redhorse** · #2 03-04-2009, 11:32 PM

Ahh, using paper model skills to improve a cake! That's excellent, congratulations!

**SCEtoAUX** · #3 03-05-2009, 07:10 AM

Nice looking cake.
I spent lots of sunny afternoons at Wrigley watching the Cubs win,... and lose.

:D :( :(

**willygoat** · #4 03-05-2009, 07:56 AM

That's sweet! It brings back memories of my trip to the friendly confines as well.

**lee4752** · #5 03-05-2009, 08:56 AM

I spent most of my teenage summer days when the Cubs were in town at Wrigley. My dad had a grocery store on the corner of Clark & Racine. I used to work for him for spending money. I'd go in with him in the mornings to open the store and stock shelves, take off at game time, go back to the store afterwards and work in the produce section until around 9PM. No lights at Wrigley - no night games. Those were the days! Of course, ticket prices were a little more affordable back then: $1 for bleachers, $2 for grandstand, and $5 for box.

**Ashrunner** · #6 03-05-2009, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCEtoAUX

Nice looking cake.
I spent lots of sunny afternoons at Wrigley watching the Cubs win,... and lose.

:D :( :(

Same here, but during the times I was going, it was watching the Cubs lose and win 8v) I've seen many memorable games there. Stan Musial's last away game, Maury Wills break up a Ken Holtzman no-hitter in the ninth and many Ernie Banks round-trippers. Yes, I'm dating myself, but ya can't complain about memories.

My last game seen in the Friendly Confines was a game again the Cardinals in 1985. I haven't been to a game there since the lights went up. Wrigley Field is still the most beautiful park in the majors.

Very creative cake you baked up, Lee4752.

**lee4752** · #7 03-06-2009, 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashrunner

Same here, but during the times I was going, it was watching the Cubs lose and win 8v) I've seen many memorable games there. Stan Musial's last away game, Maury Wills break up a Ken Holtzman no-hitter in the ninth and many Ernie Banks round-trippers. Yes, I'm dating myself, but ya can't complain about memories.

My last game seen in the Friendly Confines was a game again the Cardinals in 1985. I haven't been to a game there since the lights went up. Wrigley Field is still the most beautiful park in the majors.

Very creative cake you baked up, Lee4752.

OK, if you really want me to date myself, I remember watching Burt Hooten pitch a no hitter in his first major league appearance. Also, I remember the first game my mom took me to see was with Ken Holtzman pitching for the Cubs against Sandy Koufax for the Dodgers. If I recall correctly, the Cubs won 1-0.

**Ashrunner** · #8 03-06-2009, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lee4752

OK, if you really want me to date myself, I remember watching Burt Hooten pitch a no hitter in his first major league appearance. Also, I remember the first game my mom took me to see was with Ken Holtzman pitching for the Cubs against Sandy Koufax for the Dodgers. If I recall correctly, the Cubs won 1-0.

Ahhh...yes...the Hooten no-hitter. I was stationed at Kincheloe AFB, Michigan at the time and listened to the game at work. I had to leave to refuel a B-52 as the seventh inning started. When I returned, the game was over. No one knew what happened as no one listened after I left. I found out what happened on the news that night.

Hooten had started three other games for the Cubs the year before. He struck out 15 in his third start. But he was one of those players added to the roster towards the end of the season then. The no-hitter was his first start as a rostered team member.

Oddly enough, I too was at a game where Holtzman pitched against Koufax. We were in the right field bleachers. My brother and I were talking about that game the other day. My brother was five or so at the time and remembers our dad saying to him, "Remember this day. You're watching one of the greatest pitchers ever." He was referring to Koufax...not Holtzman. 8v)

**lee4752** · #9 03-06-2009, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashrunner

Oddly enough, I too was at a game where Holtzman pitched against Koufax. We were in the right field bleachers. My brother and I were talking about that game the other day. My brother was five or so at the time and remembers our dad saying to him, "Remember this day. You're watching one of the greatest pitchers ever." He was referring to Koufax...not Holtzman. 8v)

We were really close RF bleachers as well. What year was that?About pitchers, The Cubs had many great pitchers. Besides Holtzman and Hooten, there were Fergie Jenkins, Bruce Sutter, and that feller that made a pretty good name for himself on the Atlanta Braves... Oh yeah - Greg Maddux. With the hitting prowess the Cubs always had It's amazing that they always seem to fold after the All-Star break. I believe the Cubs should be considered the best farm team in professional baseball.

**lee4752** · #10 03-07-2009, 10:31 AM

Got it. Sep 25, 1966, my brother's 10th birthday. I was 8 at the time. Koufax held the Cubs to 2 runs on 4 hits. Holtzman had a no-hitter going until the 9th inning, when the Dodgerd got 1 run on 2 hits. Baseball was my life back then, even before I discovered the joys of enjoying a cool one in the stands.

This was all brought back to me this past summer when I took my son, Lucas to a scout night at our local ballpark, Lawrence-Dumont Stadium to watch the Wingnuts play. Yeah, they're called the Wingnuts. They held a contest and that was the winning entry. I guess the "Red Headed Step-Children" was already taken. Anyway, we watched the Wingnuts (#2 in the division) lose to the #8 team, the the scouts got to run around the base path, ate hotdogs, and watched the movie "The Sandlot" on the scoreboard. We camped overnight in the outfield. Lucas turned to me on the way home after breakfastand said "That was the best night of my life!" He's 7. I'm going for a lot more of those "best nights."