<P> Wrigley Field is known for its ivy - covered brick outfield wall, the unusual wind patterns off Lake Michigan, the iconic red marquee over the main entrance, the hand - turned scoreboard, its location in a primarily residential neighborhood with no parking lots and views from the rooftops behind the outfield, and for being the last Major League park to have lights installed for play after dark, in 1988 . Between 1921 and 1970, it was also the home of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . The elevation of its playing field is 600 feet (180 m) above sea level . </P> <P> Baseball executive Charles Weeghman hired his architect Zachary Taylor Davis to design the park, which was ready for baseball by the date of the home opener on April 23, 1914 . The original tenants, the Chicago Whales (also called the Chi - Feds) came in second in the Federal League rankings in 1914 and won the league championship in 1915 . </P> <P> In late 1915, Weeghman's Federal League folded . The resourceful Weeghman formed a syndicate including the chewing gum manufacturer William Wrigley Jr. to buy the Chicago Cubs from Charles P. Taft for about $500,000 . Weeghman immediately moved the Cubs from the dilapidated West Side Grounds to his two - year - old park . </P> <P> In 1918, Wrigley acquired the controlling interest in the club . In November 1926, he renamed the park "Wrigley Field". In 1927, an upper deck was added, and in 1937, Bill Veeck, the son of the club president, planted ivy vines against the outfield walls . </P>

Where did the cubs play before wrigley field