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Wrigley Field's Walls Of Chalk Messages Will Come To An End Tuesday Night

By DNAinfo Staff | November 7, 2016 4:51pm | Updated on November 7, 2016 5:13pm
 Scrawling chalk messages of support for the Chicago Cubs stretched along Wrigley Field on the sides facing Sheffield and Waveland avenues as the Cubs wrapped up the World Series.
Cub Fans Leave 800-Foot Love Letter On Wrigley Field
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CHICAGO — It's not often you get to witness the birth of a tradition, but that's what happened at Wrigley Field this postseason as fans scribbled thousands of messages in chalk on the outer bleacher walls as the Cubs stormed to a World Series title.

The chalk walls will come to an end Tuesday night, the Cubs announced Monday, because of needed construction. Fans are encouraged to take pictures and write their final messages Tuesday.

But President of Business Operations Crane Kenney told Cub fans: "You have developed what we hope will become a Wrigley Field postseason tradition."

So, keep the chalk handy for next season.

Fans started writing messages — many to departed Cubs fans — in the middle of the postseason. As other fans caught wind of it and found out the Cubs were allowing it, the idea blossomed and fan after fan turned out.

They wrote on the lower portion of the walls until it was full. Then they stood on chairs, ladders and even the backs of friends and strangers to reach the upper sections of the red brick walls along Waveland and Sheffield avenues.

In a time of digitally posting things to people's walls, this was a chance to do the real thing.

But it couldn't last forever. Kenney made it official with his note to fans.

Here is Kenney's note to fans:

"What an amazing journey! As we begin to reflect on the 2016 season and our World Series title, we again thank you for your incredible support. You helped make history and truly are the best fans in the game.

"Our entire organization also would like to thank the many fans who have visited Wrigley Field over the past week to leave chalk messages on our Budweiser Bleacher walls. We are humbled by the beautiful memorials you created as testimonials to your faith, perseverance and generational connection to our beloved ballpark and team. You have developed what we hope will become a Wrigley Field postseason tradition. We also want to thank everyone for participating in a safe and celebratory manner. Wrigley Field is our home and a place of historical significance we intend to preserve for our children and grandchildren. We appreciate your continued support in this effort and consideration in confining these messages to our outfield walls along Sheffield and Waveland avenues, and avoiding other areas of the ballpark.

"We also are very appreciative of the use of chalk, which produces a creative and colorful display that does not damage our historic brick walls, which include bricks dating back to the 1920s. 

"Due to the start of offseason construction, we will need to fence in these beautiful postseason memorials and remove the artwork from all areas of the ballpark. While we hate to remove these cherished messages, chalk is a fleeting medium. To preserve these images, we will continue to photograph the outfield bleacher walls so we may share these postseason wall messages publicly in the future. We invite fans who have not yet left a postseason message to do so on the outfield bleacher walls by 5 p.m. CST tomorrow, November 8, after which time we will take final images prior to the start of construction for the 2016-17 offseason.

"Thank you for your continued support of our team and the 1060 Project. Go Cubs!"

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