Dein erstes Forum » prop Jarrod Wallace in a decisive five-minute sp

CHICAGO -- Dressed in dark, furry bear suits from head to toe, Lisa Burton and Brian Robinson stood on Waveland Avenue, waiting to walk up to the rooftop of Beyond the Ivy and watch the first World Series game at Wrigley Field in 71 years.Burton, 39, and Robinson, 43, said they paid a total of $7,500 for a pair of tickets to take in all three games against Cleveland from across the street this weekend. The engaged couple made its way to Chicagos North Side from Birmingham, Alabama.All that money, and theyre not even sitting inside the ballpark.It felt like a bargain, Robinson said before the Cubs 1-0 loss Friday night. Ive been a Cubs fan since I was about 6 years old. I was born and raised in Meridian, Mississippi. You had two choices: You could watch the Braves or the Cubs. But Harry Caray was so much more fun to watch, even when the Cubs stunk, which was most of the time. He was the reason why I became a Cubs fan.When the World Series last came to Wrigley Field, a Game 7 loss to Detroit on Oct. 10, 1945, the major leagues were all-white, the championship was played in the daytime, television had not yet come to the Fall Classic and soldiers were coming home from World War II.Now the Cubbies were home in the Friendly Confines, three victories from their first title since 1908. And on an uncommonly warm 63-degree night with the wind blowing out to left and center at 14 mph, Wrigleyville was the meeting grounds for fans who long imagined a day like this, part hope, part pipe-dream.Only now if was coming true.Back in 1945, Series box seats had a list price of $7.20. This years tickets ranged from $85 to $565, and asking prices on StubHub a few hours before game time ranged from $1,019 to $9,439.Debbie Manfredi, of suburban Algonquin, stood on Kenmore Avenue trying to snag balls off the bat of right-handed hitters during batting practice. The 49-year-old, wearing a Cubs jersey signed by Ron Santo, has had season tickets in the lower deck behind third base for five years -- after 11 years spent on the waiting list. Her late father, Richard, grew up in Wrigleyville and rode his bicycle to games, then had season tickets in the 1970s. Debbie was taking her 15-year-old daughter, Taylor, to the game.I started believing last year, and this year you just felt it from the beginning. You just knew, Debbie Manfredi said.Not far away, fans were being fed hot dogs outside the two-story building that houses Engine Co. 78 and Ambulance Co. 6. Many held white flags with a blue W, a variation of the one that flies from the scoreboard after home wins.With seats painted in a dark Benjamin Moore Wrigley Field Green SC-62 and poles holding up its roof (and creating obstructed views), Wrigley is the focal point of its gentrified neighborhood, about 5 1/2 miles from The Loop downtown. Even the handles of the doors of Starbucks across from the right-field corner are made of baseball bats.Hours before the crowd of 41,703 filed into Wrigley, the line to get into Murphys Bleachers snaked down Sheffield Avenue toward Addison Street, which runs along the first-base side of the ballpark. Statues of Ron Santo and Billy Williams had new jerseys and red roses, and Carays had a yellow apple in one hand.Youre getting to play in a museum -- for work, said 39-year-old Cubs catcher David Ross, who is retiring after the Series. Last year I walked to the park a lot and that was my favorite thing about last year, was just walking to the park and feeling the energy of the fans.Known as Weeghman Park when it opened for Chicagos Federal League club in 1914, Wrigley has been the Cubs home since 1916 and it retains most of its traditional look, even in the midst of a $375 million renovation that created a spacious new Cubs underground clubhouse this season and will lead to the relocation of the bullpens from foul territory to underneath the bleachers next year.The second-oldest ballpark in the major leagues behind Bostons Fenway Park (1912), Wrigley did not even have lights for night games until 1988. A pair of video boards were erected last year, 42-by-95 feet in left and 29-by-71 feet in right, flanking the hand-operated green scoreboard with white lettering and a circular clock atop the center-field bleachers, a focal point like a cherry on a cake.Cramped dugouts are more like World War I trenches than the roomy, comfy benches in more modern venues. The famous ivy along with red brick outfield walls, first installed in 1937, is green during sultry summers and thick enough to gobble up balls ahead of searching outfielders in baseballs version of Little Shop of Horrors, but in the cool of autumn it has dulled and thinned, starting to turn brown in patches.Its how baseball is supposed to be, said Indians manager Terry Francona, who played for the 1986 Cubs. When I was here, they didnt have the new clubhouse, so it was fun being at the ballpark until it was time to shower or go to the bathroom or something.Wrigley hosted Series games in 1929, `32, `35, `38 and `45, with the Cubs losing their first five and 11 of 13 overall entering this year.This is so enveloping. The fact that the bleachers come all the way around, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. I drive down Clark every day from downtown, and as you get closer, you see all the venues that support all this, and also the people milling around. Anyplace Ive been, I havent seen that with any ballpark to that level. So its enormity in its entirety, its just different.Evgenii Dadonov Jersey . "Theyve both been real good," said Babcock. "Havent changed our minds." A decision has seemingly been made - Sundays Group B-deciding tilt against Finland ahead - but it could not have been an easy one. Price opened the tournament with a sturdy 19-save performance against the Norwegians, yielding just one goal. Denis Malgin Panthers Jersey . Having already announced that the race will start May 9 with three stages in Northern Ireland and Ireland and finish in Trieste on June 1, the rest of the route was unveiled Monday. http://www.hockeypanthersofficialonline.com/vincent-trocheck-hockey-jersey/ . LOUIS -- Theres no telling how these wacky World Series games will end. Custom Florida Panthers Jerseys . The home side created most of the chances but struggled to break down Braunschweigs resilient defence, resulting in the Bundesligas 1,000th scoreless draw. Ian McCoshen Panthers Jersey .J. Jefferson has been charged with assaulting his girlfriend.Brisbane Broncos provided yet more embarrassment for Super League as the NRL comfortably wrapped up the 2016 Dacia World Club Series with a game to spare.A 42-12 demolition of Wigan, which followed Sydney Roosters equally ruthless 38-12 rout of St Helens 24 hours earlier, put the Australian clubs 2-0 up in the three-match series, leaving champions Leeds to salvage some pride in Sundays World Club Challenge against North Queensland.Wigan, like Saints, were handed a lesson in clinical finishing and their misery was compounded by the loss of England hooker Michael McIlorum with a broken and dislocated ankle. Shaun Wane believes there is a big gap in quality between the Super League and the NRL Beaten 14-12 in extra time by Bennetts Broncos a year ago, the Warriors were thought to have the best chance of gaining some overdue success for Super League but they were simply out-classed by opponents who not only ran harder and faster but produced some sublime moments of skill to which their hosts had no answer.Half-back Kodi Nikorima, whose younger brother tormented St Helens, scored two of the Broncos seven tries as he deputised superbly for the suspended Ben Hunt.Winger Corey Oates also touched down twice and went desperately close to completing a hat-trick while former Huddersfield and Hull KR full-back Greg Eden scored a spectacular long-range try on his long-awaited debut for the Queensland club. Wigan Warriors Willie Isa is stopped short of the try line Wigan, who have not lost at the DW Stadium to a Super League team for almost 20 months, actually made a promising start with second rower Willie Isa and stand-off George Williams posing some problems for the Broncos defence but once Isa was held up over the line the game began to take on a familiar look.Brisbane scored from their first meaningful attack, with Oates taking Darius Boyds cut-out pass to dive over at the corner for a try confirmed by video referee Robert Hicks as he skirted the touchline. Sean OLoughlin says Wigan will learn the lessons from their defeat to Brisbane The game was held up while McIlorum had treatment on the pitch before being carried off on a stretcher but the Australians were quickly back into their stride and Nikorima pounced for a second try in fortuitous fashion after Anthony Milfords grubber kick bounced back off a post.ddddddddddddCorey Parkers second conversion made it a flattering 12-0 but Wigan got themselves right back into it on 21 minutes when centre Dan Sarginson took a flat pass from second rower Liam Farrell to crash over for a try and Matty Smiths goal cut the deficit to just six points.The game was in the balance at that point but it was put beyond the reach of the Super League side Brisbane once more demonstrated clinical finishing to carve out tries for second rower Matt Gillett and prop Jarrod Wallace in a decisive five-minute spell just before half-time, when the visitors led 24-6. Dan Sarginson goes over for Wigans first try The Warriors continued to play with plenty of spirit and endeavour but it was simply not enough against their slick opponents, who struck on the counter-attack to score a fifth try on 52 minutes and put the game to bed.Eden was denied by full-back Lewis Tierney as he went 50 metres upfield but Brisbane outflanked their hosts on the next play to work Oates over for his second try.Nikorima then grabbed his second after following up Boyds kick and Eden went 80 metres to touch down after a break out of defence, leaving Williams 76th-minute try little more than consolation for well-beaten Wigan. Brisbane Broncos Darius Boyd joined Jon Wells at the touch screen to analyse his sides win Do you think Super League can narrow the gap on the NRL? Have your say… Please tell us what you think by giving us your comments below or alternatively, why not Tweet us @SkySportsRL? ' ' '