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Bausch

Mark Bausch

 St. Louis Sports Online
editor@stlsports.com


The Carrier Dome, Montreal's Olympic Stadium
and Wrigley Field: Time Well Spent?

Google Maps informs that our oldest daughter's place of residence is (literally) less than a quarter-mile from home plate at Chicago's Wrigley Field, on a rather quiet street that is remarkably insulated from the urban buzz that the Wrigleyville neighborhood offers.

But in the words of our oldest daughter (E) and her husband, it is Wrigleyville's vibe (and not specifically baseball) that they find most attractive about the area, saying that it reminds them of what they like about New Orleans.

Imagine that--a thousand feet from Wrigley Field's home plate...but for some it is Wrigleyville that attracts, not the baseball.


I. Syracuse NY (March 1987)

But E was exposed to spectator sports at a very early age.

On Sunday, March 15, 1987 (exactly eight months after her birth), E and her mother and I were in attendance at the Syracuse NY Carrier Dome when Syracuse defeated Western Kentucky in the second round of the 1987 NCAA men's basketball tournament.

From start to finish, the Carrier Dome (now known as the JMA Wireless Dome) that day was uncomfortably loud...so much so that, not long after the opening tip, E began to scream.

Those painful screams catalyzed immediate action from Panicked Mom; we left our seats and began searching for a quiet area in the dome.

In 1987, the basketball court in the Carrier Dome was constructed at one end of the football field, (perpendicular to it), and relatively close to the end zone seats on that side of the field.

An enormous black curtain was hung, turf-to-ceiling, near the fifty-yard-line. The curtain was placed behind moveable bleachers positioned along the basketball court's sideline, opposite the football end zone seats.

From our seats, we wandered behind the curtain and  found a relatively tranquil space where tables and chairs had been set up in position to watch the game on a huge television screen.

The screen was placed with its back to the large black curtain, enabling peaceful viewing of the game taking place on the other side of the curtain...in the absence of painful screams emanating from our daughter E.

Happy Mom. Relieved Mom.

Relieved Dad.


II. Montreal QC Canada (April 1987)

On Saturday, April 25, 1987, the Montreal Expos and Chicago Cubs played at Olympic Stadium.

The box score is shown below:


Chicago Cubs (9) vs Montreal Expos (4)
Saturday, April 25, 1987 at Stade Olympique

Chicago Cubs

ab

 r

h

rbi

Walker lf

5

1

2

0

Sandberg 2b

4

2

2

0

Dawson rf

4

1

2

1

Moreland 3b

4

1

1

1

  Lynch p

0

0

0

0

  Mumphrey ph

1

0

0

0

  Noles p

0

0

0

0

Durham 1b

3

3

2

1

Davis c

5

0

3

3

Dunston ss

4

0

1

0

Martinez cf

3

0

1

1

  Dernier ph,cf

1

1

1

2

Sanderson p

3

0

0

0

  DiPino p

0

0

0

0

  Trillo 3b

1

0

0

0

Totals

38

9

15

9

Montreal Expos

ab

 r

h

rbi

Candaele 2b

5

1

3

1

Webster rf

4

1

1

0

Galarraga 1b

5

0

2

2

Engle lf

4

1

2

0

  McClure p

0

0

0

0

  Burke p

0

0

0

0

  Johnson ph

1

0

0

0

Stefero c

4

0

1

0

Law 3b

3

0

0

1

Foley ss

1

0

0

0

  Rivera ph,ss

2

0

0

0

Winningham cf

2

0

0

0

  Nichols ph,cf

2

0

0

0

Tibbs p

2

1

1

0

  McGaffigan p

0

0

0

0

  Powell ph,lf

2

0

0

0

Totals

37

4

10

4


  Chicago Cubs

IP

H

R

ER

BB

K

Sanderson W (1-0)

5.1

6

2

2

2

3

  DiPino  

0.2

0

0

0

0

1

  Lynch  

2.0

3

2

2

0

2

  Noles  

1.0

1

0

0

0

0

Totals

9.0

10

4

4

2

6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Montreal Expos      

    IP

H

R

ER

BB

K

Tibbs  L (1-3)

5.1

7

5

5

2

2

  McGaffigan  

1.2

3

0

0

1

0

  McClure  

1.0

3

3

3

0

1

  Burke  

1.0

2

1

1

1

0

Totals

9.0

15

9

9

4

3

 

 

 

 

 

 

E–Trillo (1).  2B–Montreal Tibbs (1,off Sanderson); Webster (2,off Lynch).  HR–Chicago Durham (4,2nd inning off Tibbs 0 on, 0 out); Dernier (2,8th inning off McClure 1 on, 2 out).  IBB–Durham (1,by Burke); Webster (1,by Sanderson).  Team LOB–6.  SF–Law (1,off Sanderson).  Team–9.  SB–Walker (7,2nd base off Tibbs/Stefero); Foley (1,2nd base off Sanderson/J Davis); Candaele (1,2nd base off Sanderson/J Davis).  CS–J. Davis (1,2nd base by Tibbs/Stefero); Walker (1,3rd base by Tibbs/Stefero).  WP–DiPino (1).  IBB–Sanderson (1,Webster); Burke (1,Durham).  U-HP–Harry Wendelstedt, 1B–Terry Tata, 2B–Jerry Crawford, 3B–Bob Davidson.  T–3:12.  A–11,824.


The April 1987 Cubs-Expos series in Montreal is a pleasant memory; four early-1980s years residing in the greater Chicagoland area as well as an interest in Cubs GM Dallas Green importing numerous Philadelphia Phillies players to Chicago enabled easy familiarity with the Cubs roster.

In addition, that particular Cubs-Expos series marked the return of Andre Dawson to Montreal, who played more than a decade for the Expos before signing with the Cubs in March of 1987.

Also of note: ex-Cardinals Jerry Mumphrey and Leon Durham played for the Cubs that day (Durham homered), while ex-Phillies Bob Dernier, Ryne Sandberg and Dickie Noles starred for the Cubs.

But the primary reason for happy thoughts about the April 25, 1987 Cubs-Expos game?

The picture below...was taken at Montreal's Olympic Stadium on that day.
L-R: nine-month-old daughter E, yours truly, and Youppi!,
the long-time Expos (and now Canadiens) mascot.
April 25, 1987
Photo: S. Bausch

Like Syracuse and the March visit to the Carrier Dome, our visit to Montreal's Olympic Stadium on April 25, 1987, was a family affair and a relatively short drive from our apartment in Schenectady NY.

The image above was captured by E's mother, Susan.

Happy Dad. Proud Dad.

But take note of the length of that game: three hours and twelve minutes (3:12). More on that later.


III. Chicago IL (May 2025)

A significant family-related May 2025 accomplishment made a Memorial Day Cubs-Rockies Wrigley Field afternoon game on May 26 a perfect setting for a celebration, a celebration that would culminate with a post-game gathering at E's Wrigleyville residence.

The whole day was entirely E's idea; she purchased tickets for a dozen or so family members. The atmosphere at Wrigley was great, in part because the Cubs were in first place but also because that day the Cubs defeated the Rockies (3-1).

The post-game atmosphere at E's home was even better than the atmosphere at Wrigley; she was a gracious host.

Sitting in seats in Wrigley's upper deck that day, it was impossible not to notice the effect that MLB's pitch clock had on those in attendance (40,171 paid).

The flow of the game was quick-quick-quick (important on a windy and chilly Chicago afternoon) and left fans in attendance at the game's conclusion with sufficient energy to sing several verses of 'Go Cubs Go'.

Inspection of the box score for the May 26, 2025 Memorial Day Cubs-Rockies game reveals the game's length: two hours and twenty-six minutes (2:26).

In other words, the difference in time of game between the first (1987; 3:12) and most recent (2025; 2:26) MLB games attended by E?

The 2025 game was completed in 24% less time than the 1987 game (46 minutes), a length of time that can make a world of difference to baseball fans consuming games live and in person, or via various forms of media.

Well, the quicker ballgame made a difference to at least one person...


IV. Time Well Spent?

A couple of days after the Cubs-Rockies Wrigley game, a family recap was in order.

From memory (via audio-only chat)...

Oldest daughter E, without prompting (but grinning, I hope), stated the following:

"You know, Dad, the Cubs game we saw was great, and part of the reason it was great is that it was quick. It seemed real quick.

I'm going to blame you, Dad, for taking me to all of those ballgames over the years.

All of those games were too long. I'm never going to get that time back.

I blame you. I want my time back."

I could do nothing but agree; quick baseball is better baseball.


V. Additional Ideas to Quicken the Game of Baseball

Watch this space.

Thanks for reading.
St. Louis Sports Online