Inside Wrigley Field, the brick walls are covered by the stadium's famous ivy, but on the outside, they are exposed.
This fall, Chicagoans have vandalized those walls. For good.
Fans started writing messages for the Cubs on the wall as the team began its playoff run. The Cubs politely erased the art at the start of the World Series, but in recent days, they have let their fans run wild. Between Games 5 and 6, as the series moved back to Cleveland, fans adorned the walls of Sheffield Avenue and Waveland Avenue with rally cries.
Game 7. https://t.co/XpbhUwbPDB pic.twitter.com/rqWrDBX0nn
— Ariel Cheung (@arielfab) November 2, 2016
A sincere thank you to our fans past, present and future who make their mark on this organization.
Let’s #FlyTheW tonight. pic.twitter.com/z2ckzX6y6m— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) November 2, 2016
Walked by Wrigley Field earlier today and saw this guy just staring at the wall for the longest... Bring that chip back to Chicago @Cubs pic.twitter.com/Dhn5H90yH4
— Chuck Nolis (@NOLIS) November 3, 2016
Wrigley Field's makeshift memory wall dedicated to decades of Cubs fans who weren't here to experience a #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/NO7CTGNQ1n
— newsburrow (@newsburrow) November 2, 2016
The walls became a place for fans to pay tribute to loved ones missing out on the action. Before this season, the Cubs had not made the World Series since 1945 and had not won since 1908.
When the Cubs finally stood atop the baseball world again Wednesday night, Wrigleyville became Party Center U.S.A. Part of the celebration involved masses of fans grabbing chalk and etching the names of loved ones.
People are writing the names of loved ones who didn't live long enough to see this all along the Sheffield wall at #Wrigley #FlyTheW #Cubs pic.twitter.com/VRkdaI6HzT
— Alex Nitkin (@AlexNitkin) November 3, 2016
In the morning, fans were still finding any spot they could:
People are still clamoring to write messages to the Cubs, loved one on bricks along Sheffield. pic.twitter.com/gyacJPUXAB
— Kelly Bauer (@BauerJournalism) November 3, 2016
Chalk messages to the Cubs, loved ones from fans. pic.twitter.com/bgRMkRHYPg
— Kelly Bauer (@BauerJournalism) November 3, 2016
Wrigley Field wall becomes memorial for departed Cubs fans: https://t.co/Ci6AgGzSBp pic.twitter.com/tYzex4SPpz
— Kelly Bauer (@BauerJournalism) November 3, 2016
Maybe Fletch will get drafted onto the Cubs next year? pic.twitter.com/3vgIlsK7QC
— Kelly Bauer (@BauerJournalism) November 3, 2016
The fate of the walls is currently unclear. Chalk was used, which certainly cannot last forever, just as, believe it or not, one day, this celebration of the Cubs' first title in 108 years will end. With the parade looming Friday, it doesn't look like the Cubs are itching to clean off the Wrigley Field walls quite yet. After all, as Pete Rose said on Fox's postgame show, this is the Cubs' first World Series championship in their new ballpark.
The Cubs are already a tradition-rich franchise, but maybe a real memorial, rather than a chalk version, at Wrigley Field could be a new institution.
-- Follow Jeff Eisenband on Twitter @JeffEisenband. Like Jeff Eisenband on Facebook.