when the new park was built, why was the batter facing south east and the expressway rather than facing north and downtown?

 

does it have something to do with wind or the direction of the sun?

I honestly dont have an answer. However, that is one of the criticisms of the park. A lot of people think that the park would be more popular if it was just rotated 90 degrees and had a view of downtown.

It mostly had to do with the location of utilities and the reluctance of the city to pay for their move. I believe there was also something about streets and addressing but that may have been an additional excuse for the one mentioned above.

It mostly had to do with the location of utilities and the reluctance of the city to pay for their move.

Are you freaking KIDDING me? The ballpark couldnt be faced differantly because they couldnt move utilities? THat is the LAMEST excuse I have ever heard! the park cost what? 100 million? for an extra 2 they couldnt move the utilities?

Welcome to Chicago politics!

Welcome to Chicago politics!

dont i know it

It is situated where it is because EVERYONE wanted homeplate to be on the corner of 35th and Shields.

If you make a straight line from homeplate, through the pitcher's mound and second base to CF, splitting the field in half, which direction would that line be pointing?? Looking at it from home plate, of course.

If you make a straight line from homeplate, through the pitcher's mound and second base to CF, splitting the field in half, which direction would that line be pointing??  Looking at it from home plate, of course.

That would point almost directly SE.... It would need to point North to see the loop.

 

Greasy posted this pic yesterday.

It is situated where it is because EVERYONE wanted homeplate to be on the corner of 35th and Shields.

That's the story I've always been told. Nothing to do with utilities.

Greasy posted this pic yesterday.

What a great picture.. Damn.. look at all the people.

Now, that is a freaking nice picture! That would have been so cool if that view of the skyline was available from your seat.

That really is a badass picture. I have it as my desktop background, and would love a framed photograph of that.

Now, that is a freaking nice picture!  That would have been so cool if that view of the skyline was available from your seat.

Yep... and the elements would be even worse that they already are.

 

Geez... now we're back to the view of the park..? Are we that SOL?

Yep... and the elements would be even worse that they already are.

 

Geez... now we're back to the view of the park..? Are we that SOL? 

No no, Im still confident in our White Sox team this year, Im just saying that view is so awesome that it would just be a plus.

 

By the way, that shrugging smiley ( ) , i always thought that was a smiley lifting weights, and i wondered why the hell would you use that....

 

 

BUUUT, now i know

It is situated where it is because EVERYONE wanted homeplate to be on the corner of 35th and Shields. 

 

 

That's the story I've always been told. Nothing to do with utilities.

 

I had heard it had to do with the sun. With the park facing downtown, the sun would cover half the field during the first portion of a night game, causing shadows between the batter and pitcher.

I know this makes things difficult, but I have seen several teams play like this and no one complained.

I had heard it had to do with the sun. With the park facing downtown, the sun would cover half the field during the first portion of a night game, causing shadows between the batter and pitcher.

I know this makes things difficult, but I have seen several teams play like this and no one complained.

That's what I heard as well.

I had heard it had to do with the sun. With the park facing downtown, the sun would cover half the field during the first portion of a night game, causing shadows between the batter and pitcher.

I know this makes things difficult, but I have seen several teams play like this and no one complained.

that is the way that I have always understood it

I had heard it had to do with the sun. With the park facing downtown, the sun would cover half the field during the first portion of a night game, causing shadows between the batter and pitcher.

I know this makes things difficult, but I have seen several teams play like this and no one complained.

But with the OF opened to the cityscape the 3rd base side stands would be blocking the setting sun to the west(just like the 1st base side does now) plus the homeplate and 1st base sides would be blocking the south which is the predominant solar position in the summer.

But with the OF opened to the cityscape the 3rd base side stands would be blocking the setting sun to the west(just like the 1st base side does now) plus the homeplate and 1st base sides would be blocking the south which is the predominant solar position in the summer.

You beat me to that idea. lol. I was just about to log-in and say basically the same thing. If you look that the picture that was posted earlier in the thread, in order for the stadium to face downtown, it would have to face directly north (or slightly off north). This would then cuase the 3rd baseline stands to block the sun and the stands behind home would block the sun when it is closer to the horizon.

 

THe Only downside i would see is that people in the 1st baseline stands would be subjected to very bright view of the setting for a few hours during games that start at 7PM. I have sat in the bleachers for a night game and I had the sun in my eyes for about an hour once the game started. If you were sitting higher like you would be if you were in an upper deck, you might have the sun in your eyes for 2 hours or more.

You beat me to that idea. lol. I was just about to log-in and say basically the same thing. If you look that the picture that was posted earlier in the thread, in order for the stadium to face downtown, it would have to face directly north (or slightly off north). This would then cuase the 3rd baseline stands to block the sun and the stands behind home would block the sun when it is closer to the horizon.

 

THe Only downside i would see is that people in the 1st baseline stands would be subjected to very bright view of the setting for a few hours during games that start at 7PM. I have sat in the bleachers for a night game and I had the sun in my eyes for about an hour once the game started. If you were sitting higher like you would be if you were in an upper deck, you might have the sun in your eyes for 2 hours or more.

On the brightside though, those RF stands would get all that warm sunlight for April/May/sept games. There's always tradeoffs.

On the brightside though, those RF stands would get all that warm sunlight for April/May/sept games. There's always tradeoffs.   

LOL! well, I cant argue with you there.

That would point almost directly SE.... It would need to point North to see the loop.

Which direction was the same line at the old Comiskey??

Which direction was the same line at the old Comiskey??

North East. But the complete enclose of the OF didnt allow for a view of city. Although, when it was built, there wasnt much of a city to view.

North East. But the complete enclose of the OF didnt allow for a view of city. Although, when it was built, there wasnt much of a city to view.

Official Baseball Rules recommend that the line from home to 2B should run East NorthEast. Obviously there is no mandate in that regard.