Helfrich: Foundation laid for 1876 Cubs monument in Freeport, Illinois
From Jeffrey Helfrich at the Rockford Register-Star on May 7, 2019, with mention of SABR member David Stalker:
A new monument will be joining the likes of Harry Caray at Little Cubs Field this month.
The monument will commemorate the birth of the Chicago Cubs in 1876 and will feature the names of players as well as details about the inception of the club — known then as the Chicago White Stockings. The monument was donated by a national nonprofit that honors Major League Baseball historical events.
“Last year, I was with a friend taking a baseball trip and we drove through Freeport and stopped at Little Cubs Field,” said donor David Stalker of Watertown, Wisconsin. “I just really admired the place. I was impressed by the way everyone in the community chipped in and I just wanted to donate something myself.”
Stalker began working with baseball monuments in 2005 and now has them up in seven states. He’s a lifelong Cubs fan. The black marble monument stands about 2 feet high.
The monument, which will be placed near the sheltered area at the field, will be unveiled during a ceremony at 10 a.m. May 18. Little Cubs Field board member Denny Garkey and President Mark Winter worked with others Tuesday to pour the concrete foundation.
Read the full article here: https://www.rrstar.com/news/20190507/foundation-laid-for-donated-monument-at-little-cubs-field
Originally published: May 10, 2019. Last Updated: May 10, 2019.