Comiskey Park security bubble to be in place

[WinningUgly85]

Ok I understand that its the world series but for cops to check people for tickets seems a little weird to me.

 

_________

 

Officials plan 'security bubble' around Cellular Field

Associated Press

 

CHICAGO -- Officials will establish a "security bubble" around U.S. Cellular Field for the World Series this weekend, dispatch thousands of police officers, search vehicles and crack down on everything from ticket scalping to illegal parking businesses.

 

"While there is no credible indication that the World Series is a target for a terrorist act, we must plan accordingly," Chicago Police Superintendent Philip Cline said Thursday. "That's why we have brought in our federal partners from the FBI, ATF, Secret Service and U.S. Marshals to assist us."

 

The multimillion dollar effort includes a no-fly zone over U.S. Cellular Field before, during and after Saturday and Sunday's games. It also calls for authorities to monitor security cameras already in the community and cameras in mobile police vehicles stationed near the park.

 

Fans driving to U.S. Cellular Field must show police their tickets to get into the "bubble," which extends about a block on every side of the stadium, said Neil Sullivan, deputy director for Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

 

"If you are on foot, you will be checked," Sullivan said. "If you are a fan and you have a ticket, you need your ticket with you."

 

City and team officials want to avoid a repeat of embarrassing security moments, both on and off the field, in recent Chicago sports history.

 

Thousands of people were arrested during rioting that followed the Chicago Bulls' six straight NBA championships. In 1992, after the team's second title, more than 340 businesses were looted, several fires were started and cabs were overturned in violence that caused nearly $10 million in damages.

 

In September 2002 a shirtless father and his teenage son ran onto the field in the ninth inning of a White Sox game and attacked Kansas City Royals first base coach Tom Gamboa, punching and kicking him. Seven months later, a man ran onto the field during a White Sox game against the Royals and tried to tackle umpire Laz Diaz.

 

Cline doesn't anticipate any such trouble. His police department is used to coordinating security for large events such as the World Cup and baseball's All-Star game without any problems, he said.

 

Inside the ballpark, security guards -- all off-duty Chicago and state police officers -- are positioned at both ends of each dugout, in the bullpens and elsewhere on the field during games.

 

"We feel like we have the best security in the world," White Sox vice president of communications Scott Reifert said.

 

Carlos Rodriguez has lived and worked near the ballpark for four years. The 22-year-old said the neighborhood's atmosphere during the playoffs was upbeat and happy.

 

"It's great, everyone was in a party mood and we never had any incidents," he said. "It was just a party long overdue."

 

Officials also warned that the city would deploy workers from various departments to crack down on illegal ticket scalpers, people operating illegal parking garages and those selling merchandise without proper authorization.

 

Dan Mullin, a spokesman for Major League Baseball security, warned fans not to purchase tickets from scalpers outside the stadium, saying that major events such as the World Series draw a large number of scalpers. Some of them, he said, sell counterfeit tickets, the quality of which is improving.

Edited October 20, 2005 by WinningUgly85

[G&T]

I think this has to do with the White Sox having a bad reputation for the surrounding area and Chicago doesn't want to be in the national spot light like that again. I don't believe this has anything to do with terrorists.

[Kalapse]

I think this has to do with the White Sox having a bad reputation for the surrounding area and Chicago doesn't want to be in the national spot light like that again. I don't believe this has anything to do with terrorists.

I think it has everything to do with the possibility of a terrorist attack and almost nothing to do with the reputation that the Cell and its surrounding neighborhood have picked up over the years. This is one of the biggest National Events of the year, which would make it a prime location for a terrorist attack or other unfortunate events.

[NorthSideSox72]

This could be very problematic. What if you are picking up tickets at Will Call? What if you are meeting someone with tickets?

 

I'm glad I know now. Thanks for the info!

[Wanne]

Or as Joe Buck said the other night...."Cominsky"....dumb f***er.

[Queen Prawn]

This could be very problematic.  What if you are picking up tickets at Will Call?  What if you are meeting someone with tickets?

 

I'm glad I know now.  Thanks for the info!

 

Tickets have to be picked up by Friday, so the will call thing isn't an issue.

[AddisonStSox]

I just got a rise out of seeing Comiskey Park in the subject line.

 

Put a smile on my face. Don't know why.

 

Very Chicago of us.

[rventura23]

Too much security is better than too little. Sox dont need a security issue.

[SnB]

I just got a rise out of seeing Comiskey Park in the subject line.

 

Put a smile on my face.  Don't know why.

 

Very Chicago of us.

calling it Sox park, would be even more chicago of us

[DrunkBomber]

if you dont have a ticket for the games you cant go within 2 blocks of the stadium because they are worried about terrorist attacks. Me and my friends were planning on going to the parking lot to tailgate sunday. DOes anyone know if this means we cant , or can we get a parking pass or something

[Texsox]

if you dont have a ticket for the games you cant go within 2 blocks of the stadium because they are worried about terrorist attacks.  Me and my friends were planning on going to the parking lot to tailgate sunday.  DOes anyone know if this means we cant , or can we get a parking pass or something

 

Sources close to me say, nope, you are not getting within 2 blocks without a game ticket.

[RudyLawRules]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2005...tory?id=2198994

 

World Series notebook: ChiSox use 'security bubble'Associated Press

 

Chicago security measures: Officials will establish a "security bubble" around U.S. Cellular Field for the World Series this weekend, dispatch thousands of police officers, search vehicles and crack down on everything from ticket scalping to illegal parking businesses.

 

"While there is no credible indication that the World Series is a target for a terrorist act, we must plan accordingly," Chicago Police Superintendent Philip Cline said Thursday. "That's why we have brought in our federal partners from the FBI, ATF, Secret Service and U.S. Marshals to assist us."

 

The multimillion dollar effort includes a no-fly zone over U.S. Cellular Field before, during and after Saturday and Sunday's games. It also calls for authorities to monitor security cameras already in the community and cameras in mobile police vehicles stationed near the park.

 

Fans driving to U.S. Cellular Field must show police their tickets to get into the "bubble," which extends about a block on every side of the stadium, said Neil Sullivan, deputy director for Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

 

"If you are on foot, you will be checked," Sullivan said. "If you are a fan and you have a ticket, you need your ticket with you."

 

Inside the ballpark, security guards -- all off-duty Chicago and state police officers -- are positioned at both ends of each dugout, in the bullpens and elsewhere on the field during games.

 

"We feel like we have the best security in the world," White Sox vice president of communications Scott Reifert said.

 

West named crew chief: Joe West was picked Thursday as the umpire crew chief for the World Series, culminating a comeback year in which he also worked behind the plate in the All-Star Game and during the AL Division Series.

 

 

West, who also worked the Series in 1993 and 1997, will be behind the plate for Saturday's opener between the Chicago White Sox and the Houston Astros. West was among the 22 umpires who lost their jobs in September 1999 when a mass resignation backfired. He was rehired in February 2002.

 

 

Two other members of the crew have previous Series experience. Derryl Cousins was picked in 1988 and 1999, and Angel Hernandez in 2002. Jeff Nelson, Jerry Layne and Gary Cederstrom will be working their first Series.

 

 

Nelson will be at first base Saturday, with Layne at second, Cousin at third, Cederstrom in left and Hernandez in right.

 

Shoeless Joe's bat to be auctioned: Shoeless Joe Jackson's favorite bat -- his prized "Black Betsy" -- is about to hit the auction block.

 

 

The bat, made of hickory and weighing a hefty 40 ounces, will be sold by Sotheby's on Dec. 10, the auction house said.

 

 

Jackson batted .408 in 1911 and finished with a .356 career average. He told a Greenville, S.C., newspaper in 1932 that he received the bat in 1908.

 

 

"I've had it ever since and it's never been broke," Jackson told the paper, "although it is getting old now and I expect it [to break] at any time."

 

 

In 2001, the bat sold at auction for $577,000. The highest price paid for a baseball bat was $1,265,000, fetched by the bat Babe Ruth used to hit the first home run at Yankee Stadium on April 18, 1923.

 

 

Jackson is among the eight Chicago White Sox players involved in a conspiracy to fix the 1919 World Series. Those eight -- known as the "Black Sox" -- were banned from baseball for life.

 

It'll knock your Sox off: As his home team prepares to take on the White Sox, Houston Mayor Bill White is urging Astros fans to discard theirs.

 

 

White on Thursday declared Friday through Sunday "No Socks Weekend" in Houston, encouraging city residents to don Astros apparel but keep their socks in the drawer.

 

 

The mayor and Astros players are among speakers scheduled at a rally Friday at Minute Maid Park as the team leaves for Chicago.

Edited October 21, 2005 by RudyLawRules

[Soxpranos]

You will need to display a ticket to get in the parking lots... scalpers will be in serious trouble if they done tget rid of the tickets by saturday... sources say there will be over 200 under cover police and federal agents arresting scalpers.

[nitetrain8601]

Haha, so tickets should be going way down tommorow.

[RibbieRubarb]

if you dont have a ticket for the games you cant go within 2 blocks of the stadium because they are worried about terrorist attacks.  Me and my friends were planning on going to the parking lot to tailgate sunday.  DOes anyone know if this means we cant , or can we get a parking pass or something

 

You can't tailgate during the game anyway.

 

This was a rule before the World Series.

[Bridgeport Sox]

if you dont have a ticket for the games you cant go within 2 blocks of the stadium because they are worried about terrorist attacks.  Me and my friends were planning on going to the parking lot to tailgate sunday.  DOes anyone know if this means we cant , or can we get a parking pass or something

My dad is calling up the ward office tomorrow to find out all the particulars, because we're having people over for the game, and they better let them into the neighborhood. I'll post any new news tomorrow.

[tonyho7476]

Wow...reality check...what a world we live in today. A world where assholes like to blow up random people.

[southsider2k5]

Wow, the wife and I had thought about going up for a tailgate just to take in the atmosphere. I guess not, huh.

[tonyho7476]

Wow, the wife and I had thought about going up for a tailgate just to take in the atmosphere.  I guess not, huh.

 

This is probably good though. Those lots would be wasted on people without tix. I'm glad they are doing this. I'll feel safer.

 

That being said, I'd love for people to experience the atmosphere.

[Steff]

Wow, the wife and I had thought about going up for a tailgate just to take in the atmosphere.  I guess not, huh.

 

 

 

You can get as close as Jimbo's patio, but get there early if you plan to do this.

[tonyho7476]

You can get as close as Jimbo's patio, but get there early if you plan to do this.

 

Yeah, like now.

[southsider2k5]

You can get as close as Jimbo's patio, but get there early if you plan to do this.

 

Meh, not worth it. We talked about it, but I want to be in the lots taking in the games, the joy, the excitement. I don't think the bar would be the same. We'll either be at home or at a bar in Michigan City.

[LosMediasBlancas]

If anyone is planning on buying game 1 tix from scalpers at the park, can you post any tips for those us that will be trying for game 2? Thx.

[southsider2k5]

If anyone is planning on buying game 1 tix from scalpers at the park, can you post any tips for those us that will be trying for game 2?  Thx.

 

Judging by the amount of undercover officers and feds they are talking about being around the park, I wouldn't try it at all.

[LosMediasBlancas]

Judging by the amount of undercover officers and feds they are talking about being around the park, I wouldn't try it at all.

 

 

It's illegal to SELL tix for higher than face value. It's not illegal to BUY them for above face value, right? So, if I'm out there just looking what can I be arrested for? Looking?