Once again there was a rain delay on a Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field. However, this time the delay was only 25 minutes.

Obtaining Tickets
After the All-Star break last year, the Cubs changed their day of game ticket selling rules – no longer could you buy tickets when the box office opened at 9 am. Instead, the box office opens 2 hours before the game and fans must enter Wrigley Field immediately after purchasing their ticket. At the time, I did not like the new rule. However, in retrospect, every time I have tried to purchase a ticket for popular games on game day – tickets are available up to game time.

However, when it starts to rain, I do not like the rule. Since I live less than one block away, I prefer to stay in my house during a rain delay. Thus, if there is a rain delay, I prefer not to buy a ticket from the box office and enter the stadium immediately.

Rather than buy a ticket from the box office, I decided to buy a ticket from a scalper. Since the game was against the Cardinals I did not know what price to expect. Initially, I offered a scalper face value for her ticket. But she wanted to see if she could sell her 4-pack for face value ($22 each). However, I was able to buy a $45 face value ticket for $20 from a fan who walked by a few minutes later.

With my ticket in hand, I waited in my house during the rain delay and walked over once the first pitch was thrown.

The Game
The Cubs played terrible defense and lost to the Cardinals 8-3. Even though Derrek Lee tied the game with a 3-run home run in the bottom of the 3rd inning, poor fielding did the Cubs in – the highlight being Alfonso Soriano dropping Yodier Molina’s fly ball to left which allowed a run to score in the Cardinals 4-run 6th inning.