Wrigley & tornadoes | The August Report
Wrigley’s first encounter with tornadoes in August came during Cubs-Astros game at Wrigley Field on August 4. Here’s how the story was reported on the CBC site in Canada (the above photo from the site shows a stadium worker leaving during the tornado warning):
The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for downtown Chicago and a siren went off in the neighborhood surrounding Wrigley Field at about 8:05 p.m.
There was an announcement over the ballpark’s public address system and a message on the large scoreboard in centre field, advising fans to seek shelter on the concourse.
Most left the upper stands and went into the lower deck, though some stayed in their seats.
A couple of fans ran on the field and started body sliding on the tarp.
There were oohs and aahs from the crowd as thunder and spectacular lightning crackled in the sky.
The siren ceased about 8:10 p.m., then resumed and stopped again.
After the warnings, rain came in a torrent across the field with high winds, reducing visibility to zero.
The warning track and the area behind home plate were soaked within minutes, as was the front row of the press box.
“I have never seen anything like it,” said Bob Sejnoha, a fan at the game.
“This is unprecedented. I don’t think it has ever happened at Wrigley.”
In preparation as the storm approached, flags commemorating former Cubs greats were taken down off the foul poles at Wrigley Field.
About 90 minutes after the game was halted, the wind and rain subsided considerably, though lightning and thunder continued.
Fans were allowed to return to their seats in the bleachers and grandstands.
The grounds crew swept up debris from behind home plate and worked to clear standing water from the warning track.
The National Weather Service did not immediately confirm any tornado touchdowns.
And earlier today, 11Alive.com, a news site from Atlanta, Georgia, continued reporting on the Wrigley-related tornado threats of August in this eyewitness account:
“I was Heading north on Atlanta Highway at Thurman Tanner Road and I looked north towards Oakwood and saw low clouds moving very fast and going around in a roundabout way and they tightend up and became a distinct funnel cloud. It stayed like that for about a minute and dissipated. It was tall and very slender but not funnel shaped yet and then it went away. Then I saw another (cloud) towards Wrigley’s (chewing gum plant),” (Cheryl) Smith (of Flowery Branch) said. “I went into the entrance to look at this cloud because it was bigger and more menacing looking. I stopped and watched it through the rain. It started to form, I didn’t see it form a complete tornado but it was swirling in an effort to create a tornado. It was close, it was really close so I decided to go away and get out of there. “