The Chicago Cubs might have finally won a World Series in 2016, their first since 1908, but you would have had a hard time guessing the Cubs are even a major league team from the incredibly lackluster entrance pyrotechnics at their opening game on April 1. A home game at the Cubs’ Wrigley Field, the Cubs were playing the Colorado Rockies for their opener.
It was X (formerly Twitter) that first picked up on the opening-day disappointment, with footage from the game of a few sparks from just some of the pyrotechnic display stands. Another sparkled halfheartedly and some didn’t even manage to get going at first, a far cry from the drama of NFL-type entrances for players featuring fog and dramatic pyrotechnic displays. The attempt at pyrotechnics was a first for the Cubs.
Posting about the incident, The Athletic’s founding editor and senior columnist Jon Greenberg wrote, “Cubs bring out the saddest pyrotechnic display for the home opener introductions.” Similarly, Barstool Sports torched the team over the sad display, sarcastically saying, “The Cubs went all out with their Opening Day Pyrotechnics @barstoolchicago.”
One commenter, replying to Greenberg, said, “These are literally so easy to operate too it’s just a press the button and they go there’s only one way to plug them in.” Greenberg noted, “Eventually both sides worked” and the commenter replied back, “That’s so funny and sad. I’ve accidentally set two off with the remote in my pocket through a wall no clue how this could have been this poorly executed.”
Another commenter on Greenberg’s post joked, “Looks like a Kenny Powers minor-league entrance.” Similarly, yet another mocked the unprofessional, disappointing display, joking, “my floridian nephew has better pyro events on a random saturday night. wtf is this.”
Replying to Barstool’s similar post about the incident, one commenter said, “Would’ve been better off not doing any at all.” Others, chiming in, made jokes like “The A’s would’ve had 2 guys with their phone flashlight on” and “All that’s missing is an 8 yr old on a Big Wheel.” “What is this? The talent show from Napoleon Dynamite?” another joked.
Watch the disappointing pyrotechnics here:
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Cubs bring out the saddest pyrotechnic display for the home opener introductions. pic.twitter.com/r2qJVR5666
— jon greenberg (@jon_greenberg) April 1, 2024
Despite the generally disappointing display, Cubs manager Craig Counsell somehow managed to singe himself on the sparks. Commenting on that, Counsell said, “I cut the corner too sharp I guess, felt a little eyebrow singe.” Continuing, he added, “Scared me a little. I didn’t know they were popping fireworks out there, honestly.”
The Chicago Tribune, commenting on the fireworks with derision, said, “Former manager Al Spalding probably didn’t have to worry about having his eyebrows singed at the franchise’s home opener back in 1876. No harm, no foul, but the Cubs’ business operations wizards may want to think twice before trying to make Wrigley into something it’s not meant to be.”
Regardless of the disappointing and apparently dangerous display, the Cubs managed a win against the Colorado Rockies, winning the game 5-0 in a game watched by just over 40,000 cheering fans on the cold, blustery day.
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video