The Cubs have played regular-season games in venues spanning 23 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, two Canadian provinces, Puerto Rico and Japan, according to team historian Ed Hartig. But the London Series this past weekend, which the Cubs split 1-1 with the Cardinals, was a unique experience. Here are some snapshots — postcards, if you will — from the trip.
Originally built for the 2012 Olympics, the venue serves as home to the West Ham United soccer club. But it has hosted a number of other sports and events, including the 2015 Rugby World Cup, Race of Champions (motorsports), RFL Four Nations, the 2017 World Athletics and World Para Athletics championships and now MLB’s London Series.
The Cubs dugout was outfitted in the team’s colors, up the left field line. The field, with the unique dimensions due to the shape of the soccer stadium, featured large expanses of foul territory in front of each dugout.
Cubs utility player Christopher Morel took a photo with former West Ham players Carlton Cole and James Collins during the Friday workout. Cole is now a coach in West Ham’s academy.
Before the series, retired pitcher Jake Arrieta represented the Cubs at a youth event with MLB First Pitch. He stopped by team workouts the next day and greeted former Cubs teammates, including manager David Ross, outfielder Ian Happ and pitcher Adbert Alzolay (left).
Arrieta’s Cubs reunion in 2021 ended on a sour note, but he spent the best years of his career with the team the first time around, winning a Cy Young Award and a World Series.
The Cubs held a memorable welcome reception for players, staff members and their families at the iconic church, offering hors d’oeuvres and private tours. Earlier in the week, this reporter snapped a photo in the same building during a very-much-not-private tour.
England’s newspapers and tabloids are famous worldwide. But knowing their British audience, they didn’t dedicate much space to MLB’s London Series over the weekend. Even on Sunday, the morning after Game 1, what little coverage appeared in print focussed on English international cricket player James Anderson, who threw out the first pitch in a Cubs jersey alongside Australian cricketer Nathan Lyon in a Cardinals jersey.
The London Series drew over 54,000 each game, with an announced attendance of 54,662 on Saturday and 55,565 Sunday. Those weren’t quite sellouts, but the crowds by far exceeded Wrigley Field’s capacity (41,649).
