OSKALOOSA, Iowa — The Oskaloosa High School baseball team will step onto one of the most iconic fields in Major League Baseball this spring, thanks to a unique partnership with the Chicago Cubs and Musco Lighting. The team will play an intrasquad night scrimmage under the lights at Wrigley Field on May 7, following the Cubs’ afternoon game against the San Francisco Giants.
“I thought it’d be a cool deal to see if they’d be open to allowing our high school team to play a game there,” said Vaughn Blythe, Key Account Director at Musco. “It’s not something that Wrigley Field normally does, so we worked with them to get it included in our partnership agreement.”
The experience will include tickets for the players and their families to attend the Cubs’ 1:20 p.m. game. After the final out, Oskaloosa’s players will take the field, making memories on the same grass where legends have played for over a century.
“This is really about the experience of being on the field,” Blythe said. “It’ll just be our team, their families, and the history of Wrigley surrounding them.”
For many of the players, the chance to take the field in Chicago is a dream come true.
“It’ll be really fun,” said Oskaloosa team member Lukas Toubekis. “It’s gonna be kind of like Sandlot on Wrigley Field. I’ve always been a Cubs fan, so I think it’ll be pretty awesome. I’ve only ever watched maybe two games there, so playing on the field will be really special.”
Junior Linus Morrison, who was part of last year’s team that played at Busch Stadium, expressed gratitude for another major league opportunity.
“We’re really fortunate as a team,” Morrison said. “Not many kids get this opportunity, and we’re thankful. Maybe we’ll even get to throw in their underground bullpen. That would be awesome.”
For teammate Caden Johnson, the reality of playing at Wrigley is still sinking in.
“I’m super pumped for this,” Johnson said. “A lot of the team are Cubs fans, and getting this opportunity is once in a lifetime. Never in a million years did I think something like this would happen.”
He credited Blythe and Musco Lighting for making it possible.
“Thank you so much for all you do for us and the community and our baseball program. We really appreciate it,” Johnson said. “Go Cubs, go!”
Musco has a long-standing relationship with the Cubs and Wrigley Field. The company installed new field lighting at the stadium three years ago and has since worked on additional projects, including lighting for the exterior and tower areas.
“At the core, this is something we wanted to do for our community,” Blythe said. “I know the players and coaches are really excited. It will be a long lasting memory for everyone involved.'”