Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, is perhaps the greatest historical monument in professional sports. It seems unimaginable that Wrigley could soon become renamed “Burger King Park,” “Toyota Field” or given a similar corporate moniker. But Sam Zell, whose Tribune Company owns the Cubs as well as such newspapers as the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times, is attempting to sell the stadium in a deal that would potentially generate increased revenue for the new owner by allowing the corporate renaming of Wrigley. Jerry Pritikin, who spent his formative years working with Harvey Milk and building gay political power in San Francisco, has become a leader in the fight to save Wrigley’s name. Pritikin and his allies' website, www.keepitwrigley.net, is part of the campaign, which has broadened to include powerful Illinois political figures committed to stopping the desecration of the Cubs venerable Wrigley home.

This is not an April Fools edition of Beyond Chron: Billionaire real estate magnate and Chicago Cubs owner Sam Zell really has plans to sell the ballpark and team separately in a deal that would also sell naming rights to historic Wrigley Field.

Jerry Pritikin, a former San Franciscan who worked with Harvey Milk and other early gay leaders, was outraged upon learning of Zell’s plan. When he learned of a website and online petition set up by Joe Srocznski, a Cub season ticket holder, Pritikin puts his years of social activism to use.

On Opening Day, Jerry Pritikin, aka The "Bleacher Preacher," attended the game with a life size Sam Zell Voodoo doll. He later agreed to represent the www.keepitwrigley.net as their spokesman.

Pritikin, 71, used to be a fixture in Wrigley’s legendary bleacher seats. High ticket prices ($46) forced him out of the bleachers, and Pritikin has noted that finding a ticket to a Cubs game for the face value of a ticket “is harder than finding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq!"

Pritikin’s first attended a Cubs game at Wrigley Field in 1945, when he was 8 years old. It was the first of over a thousand games he would enjoy at Wrigley, where be became known as the "Bleacher Preacher" for his instantly made signs seeking to “convert” people into becoming loyal Cub fans.

Pritikin and his fellow Bleacher Bums became known for throwing back opponent's home run baseballs, and he was in the stands in 1947to see Jackie Robinson in his Chicago debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Pritikin’s SF Days

Pritikin lived in San Francisco during the 1960’s and 1970’s, where he became part of the emerging movement for gay rights. He was a member of the Round-Up softball team in the city’s (Gay) Community Softball League in 1975, which was the nation's first gay sports association.

Sports sections began to show up in gay newspapers, and Pritikin wrote columns for the former Sentinel. He was later named the sports editor for a new gay paper, The Gazette. Mayor George Moscone wrote a welcoming letter for the Gazette and agreed to throw out the first pitch of the softball season.

Due to his exploits on the baseball diamond, Pritikin was elected to the SF GSL Hall of Fame in 1991.

Is a Deal to Save Wrigley Near?

The Chicago Sun-Times reported on May 7 that ex-Illinois Governor James Thompson, chair of the state’s Sports Facilities Authority, is trying to work out a deal to save the name Wrigley. The deal would involve the Authority purchasing the park, and then seeking investors who would be willing to invest in renovations without requiring a name change.

Thompson’s plan involves no taxpayer dollars. The Authority already owns the Chicago White Sox’s home at U.S. Cellular Field, so the Wrigley acquisition is far from a pipe dream.

But Pritikin is taking nothing for granted, and continues to promote Wrigley’s salvation. Here is his poem to rally the troops:

HARK, HARK THERE WAS A MAN FROM TRIBUNE TOWER,
WHO HAD A LOT OF BUCKS AND TOO MUCH POWER,
HIS NAME IS SAM ZELL. WHO HAD NAMING RIGHTS TO SELL...
LOCATED AT THE CORNERS OF ADDISON AND CLARK
AT A LANDMARK, CHICAGO BASEBALL PARK

MR.ZELL...YOU CAN RAISE THE PRICE OF YOUR NEWSPAPERS,
AND CHARGE TOO MUCH FOR TICKETS AND BEERS...
BUT FOR US TRUE FANS, FOR THIS WE WILL NEVER YIELD
THE NAME OF OUR BALLPARK IS FOREVER...
BEAUTIFUL WRIGLEY FIELD!

COME YE OLD CUB FANS AND GIVE A LOUD CHEER AND YELL
AND TELL MR. ZELL WHERE HE CAN GO ,
AND RENAME THAT BALLPARK LOCATED AT 35th AND SHIELD!