requiem for an owner - a black armband for philip k wrigley

philip k. wrigley, the son of the founder of the wrigley gum enterprise, inherited both the family business and the chicago cubs when his father died in 1932.  for 45 years, wrigley served as owner of the team, overseeing their most recent world series appearance in 1945 and their annual misfortunes otherwise.

after wrigley died in april of 1977, the team wore black armbands on their left sleeves as a memorial.  here's rick reuschel's card, number 50 in the 1978 topps set.

a few years later, the cubs were sold to the tribune company, but the stadium still bears the name of the wrigley family, obviously.  i've been to wrigley field in chicago twice, but the first wrigley field i visited was on catalina island off the coast of southern california.  the cubs used to hold spring training there in the 1920's.  there was a third wrigley field in la that hosted the angels as both a pcl team and an expansion team before they moved to dodger stadium in 1962.

anyway, this memorial is one of three in the 1978 set, and the first that i noticed as a young card collector.  i didn't know for whom the armband was being worn, though, because there was a lack of readily available information.  my, how times have changed.