History Is Made Tomorrow: The Chicago HBCU Baseball Classic Comes to Wrigley Field — and This Weekend Is One for the Books
By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Wrigleyville ·
Wrigleyville, get ready — this weekend is shaping up to be one of the most historically meaningful in the neighborhood's storied history. Tomorrow, Saturday, May 2, the inaugural Chicago HBCU Baseball Classic takes the field at Wrigley Field, with Alabama A&M and Prairie View A&M squaring off in an evening matchup that carries enormous cultural weight. Gates open at 6 p.m. with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m., following the afternoon Cubs game. As Mayor Brandon Johnson put it, Wrigley Field is "the only ballpark where Jackie Robinson played that still stands today" — making it a powerfully fitting home for this celebration of Black baseball history. Organizers have planned the event in the spirit of the beloved Chicago Football Classic, with marching band performances and fan programs expected throughout the night.
And the weekend doesn't stop there. Saturday's afternoon Cubs game against the Arizona Diamondbacks features a Kerry Wood Bobblehead giveaway, and Sunday's 1:20 p.m. finale includes a Cade Horton Graphic Tee for fans. It's a rare weekend where Wrigley Field serves as both a shrine to baseball's past and a launching pad for its future — all in the same 24 hours.
Whether you snagged free HBCU Classic tickets through the Cubs' website or are heading out for the bobblehead game, this is a weekend to soak in every moment at Clark and Addison. Come early, stay late, and be part of history!
Sources:
1. https://www.mlb.com/cubs/tickets/events/hbcu-baseball
2. https://www.rocketcitynow.com/article/sports/college/first-hbcu-baseball-classic-at-wrigley-field-set-for-may-2026/525-41b08ff8-056c-46a6-a5f1-b6551804b320
3. https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/02/25/wrigley-field-to-host-first-ever-chicago-hbcu-baseball-classic/
4. https://seatgeek.com/venues/wrigley-field/tickets