Thousands of baseball fans swarmed Wrigley Field Monday for one of the most highly anticipated games of the year — the Cubs vs. the White Sox in the Crosstown Classic.
Fans wore Cubs or Sox gear, repping their preferred Chicago team. But a few couldn’t decide which one to choose.
“I am a Chicago fan, but when they play each other I can’t decide who to root for,” said Kenneth McGhee, wearing a jersey split in half with one side for the Cubs and the other for the Sox.
Fans came from all over Chicago and beyond to experience the rivalry. Mark Yolkowski and his son, Hudson Yolkowski, had a layover in Chicago on their way from Toronto to Minnesota, so they walked around outside Wrigley Field.
“The vibe is unreal, it’s quite the scene,” Mark Yolkowski said. “Cubs fans, Sox fans, you can tell the battle of Chicago, it’s something to be a part of, something to witness.”
Lef to right, Mark Yolkowski and his son Hudson show off a ball he caught before the game outside Wrigley Field before the first game of the Crosstown Classic series on August 17, 2026. | Manuel Martinez/WBEZ
Their visit was sweetened by Hudson Yolkowski’s lucky catch of a ball from batting practice.
“My heart was beating so fast,” he said. “I didn’t even think I was gonna get it.”
The father-son duo isn’t a fan of either team but the Cubs have a slight edge since Hudson caught the ball at Wrigley.
Cubs and White Sox fans gather outside of Wrigley Field, during the first game of the Crosstown Classic series on August 17, 2026. | Manuel Martinez/WBEZ