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Bleachers: A Summer in Wrigley Field
Having spent a summer of observation in the famous Wrigley Field bleachers, the author chronicles the ways and antics of devoted baseball fans, young and old, in a tribute to the American institution of basbeall
- GenresBaseball
238 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
About the author
Lonnie Wheeler
16 books1 followerLonnie Wheeler was an American sportswriter and author known for his work on baseball. He wrote for The Cincinnati Enquirer, The Cincinnati Post, and USA Today and was the author of twelve books. He co-wrote the autobiographies of Baseball Hall of Famers Henry Aaron (I Had a Hammer: The Hank Aaron Story) and Bob Gibson (Stranger to the Game: The Autobiography of Bob Gibson), as well as a biography of Negro league legend Cool Papa Bell. His work extended beyond baseball, including a co-written autobiography of Detroit Mayor Coleman Young and books on college sports.
Wheeler's books received multiple Casey Award nominations, and in 2022, he was posthumously inducted into the Greater Cincinnati Journalism Hall of Fame.
Wheeler's books received multiple Casey Award nominations, and in 2022, he was posthumously inducted into the Greater Cincinnati Journalism Hall of Fame.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 17, 2015
I found this book, along with other gems, at the Montana Valley Bookstore in Alberton of that fine state, as advertised by a billboard along I-90. If you’re ever in the area, be sure to stop there.
I had heard of Bleachers as part of a book review I saw in The Sporting News way back when, thought about ordering it, then realized I was a college student and should be spending my time reading, you know, college texts. But time goes by and then one day you have a fairly steady job and the time to read tomes such as this.
In some ways I was a bit surprised. Based upon the title, I would’ve thought that the book would’ve centered on the lives of a handful of characters who had nothing better to do with their lives then sit around Wrigley Field’s outer reaches, whining about the good ole days and sputtering clichés. But this book dives a little deeper, and is more honest about who hangs out there – basically it’s a cross-section of people living in the area, yes there were some who fit the trite category, but by and large they’re professionals and students, using the Cubs as their avenue to unwind.
The book reviews the 1987 season, the one when the Cubs signed free agent Andre Dawson, who would wind up winning the MVP award in spite of Chicago finishing in last place. It also discusses issues surrounding the area at the time – first and foremost being the proposal to finally bring lights to the stadium, more than 40 years after all the other teams had them (this would finally happen in the summer of 1988, although they’ve never really expanded beyond a minimal nighttime schedule since). Other issues of discussion included an in-depth history of the area, the success (or lack thereof) of the team itself, and a rather interesting foray into the world of Chicago politics.
I’d be interested if in a later edition the lives of those in the book were followed up upon…
I had heard of Bleachers as part of a book review I saw in The Sporting News way back when, thought about ordering it, then realized I was a college student and should be spending my time reading, you know, college texts. But time goes by and then one day you have a fairly steady job and the time to read tomes such as this.
In some ways I was a bit surprised. Based upon the title, I would’ve thought that the book would’ve centered on the lives of a handful of characters who had nothing better to do with their lives then sit around Wrigley Field’s outer reaches, whining about the good ole days and sputtering clichés. But this book dives a little deeper, and is more honest about who hangs out there – basically it’s a cross-section of people living in the area, yes there were some who fit the trite category, but by and large they’re professionals and students, using the Cubs as their avenue to unwind.
The book reviews the 1987 season, the one when the Cubs signed free agent Andre Dawson, who would wind up winning the MVP award in spite of Chicago finishing in last place. It also discusses issues surrounding the area at the time – first and foremost being the proposal to finally bring lights to the stadium, more than 40 years after all the other teams had them (this would finally happen in the summer of 1988, although they’ve never really expanded beyond a minimal nighttime schedule since). Other issues of discussion included an in-depth history of the area, the success (or lack thereof) of the team itself, and a rather interesting foray into the world of Chicago politics.
I’d be interested if in a later edition the lives of those in the book were followed up upon…
August 12, 2020
A nostalgic look back at a time when baseball fans could attend games on a daily basis. Author Lonnie Wheeler spends the summer in the outfield bleacher seats at Wrigley Field and sees a total of 80 home games, as well as a few road games, and writes about his experiences. His stories were an entertaining blend of interactions with other fans, some regular attendees and others who came and went during the season, as well as summaries of the action on the field as some of the players were regulars while others came and went during the season.
Reading this book in 2020 makes me miss the fan experience of attending games, and it is also an interesting look at what happened to some of those guys who are viewed much differently today, after 30+ years have gone by. For example, Greg Maddux was a promising rookie in 1987 who eventually became one of the best pitchers in baseball history. None of that is evident in this book. There's only the uncertainty from one start to the next.
By the same token, there's Rafael Palmeiro and Lee Smith. Palmeiro was an established college star by the time he made it to Chicago, and he went on to have a great career, but because of the steroid era, his accomplishments were tainted. Smith had begun to gain some renown as a closer who got results, but did anyone realize he was a future Hall of Famer back then? If most had to pick out a Hall of Famer from that team, they might have correctly chosen Andre Dawson or incorrectly have chosen Rick Sutcliffe. In that sense, there's almost an element of time travel for someone to read this book and re-visit that era when no one knew what was ahead. When it was all over, there were actually 4 Hall of Famers on this team, but they finished in last place.
Aside from all the baseball elements of this book, there's another reason to give this one a read, and that's just to have the chance to drop in on the 1980s and look around and enjoy it one more time.
Reading this book in 2020 makes me miss the fan experience of attending games, and it is also an interesting look at what happened to some of those guys who are viewed much differently today, after 30+ years have gone by. For example, Greg Maddux was a promising rookie in 1987 who eventually became one of the best pitchers in baseball history. None of that is evident in this book. There's only the uncertainty from one start to the next.
By the same token, there's Rafael Palmeiro and Lee Smith. Palmeiro was an established college star by the time he made it to Chicago, and he went on to have a great career, but because of the steroid era, his accomplishments were tainted. Smith had begun to gain some renown as a closer who got results, but did anyone realize he was a future Hall of Famer back then? If most had to pick out a Hall of Famer from that team, they might have correctly chosen Andre Dawson or incorrectly have chosen Rick Sutcliffe. In that sense, there's almost an element of time travel for someone to read this book and re-visit that era when no one knew what was ahead. When it was all over, there were actually 4 Hall of Famers on this team, but they finished in last place.
Aside from all the baseball elements of this book, there's another reason to give this one a read, and that's just to have the chance to drop in on the 1980s and look around and enjoy it one more time.
July 29, 2023
A trip through the summer of 1987 in the bleachers at Wrigley Field, the last summer without night games, where Lonnie Wheeler attended most of the season's home games, chatting with the regular and occasional visitors. There are so many things I remember about that Cub's season; Andrew Dawson swatting 47 homers and winning the MVP, Rick Sutcliffe's strong season and 18 victories, the struggles of a young Greg Maddux. Even a reference an epic rainstorm in August (which happened to coincide with my last ever day of YMCA summer camp, a day I remember in great deal) triggered memories of my twelve-year-old self longing for Cub victories. As always, the Cubs disappoint and finish in last place, finishing the season with interim manager after Gene Michael "resigns" midway through the season, and the bleacher crowds dwindled in September. This book is a great read for any baseball fan, and especially for any Cubs fan. The bleachers, much larger now than they were in 1987 are different now as cup snakes rule and bleacher seats are no longer the cheapest ticket in the park. And yet, the essence of a ball game in the sunbaked bleachers remains the same.
October 12, 2025
Loved this book that took me back to the first year I really enjoyed baseball as a 9-year-old. This book's author Lonnie Wheeler -- who wrote a great book on Henry Aaron -- spends a whole summer in the bleachers at Wrigley Field in 1987. I won't give away how the Cubs did that year, but you'll hear great stories from the author on longtime bleacher Cubs' fans and what they did each game. You'll also hear great game stories (not in huge detail all the time) and great stories about some of the Cubs' players like Sandberg, Keith Moreland, Jody Davis, Rick Sutcliffe, Shawon Dunston, Leon Durham, Bob Dernier, Gary Matthews, Greg Maddux, Jamie Moyer, Dave Martinez and of course, Andre Dawson -- the 1987 MVP who became a legend to Cub fans that year as he won his only MVP award on the way to a hall of fame career. Loved the writing in this one. A must for Cubs and baseball fans.
April 28, 2023
This book made me fall in love with Wrigley Field long before I ever attended a game there.
June 28, 2011
Great book. Great team. I am very biased. Huge cubs fan in the interest of full disclosure.
June 14, 2015
I'm no Cubs fan, not in the least, but Wheeler tells such a good narrative of a season, capturing the Chicago fans very well. One of my favorite baseball books.
August 27, 2016
"It wasn't just Dawson's heroics that were so richly remarkable. It was Cubness."
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews