When Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Schwarber smashed a home run onto Wrigley Field’s right field scoreboard roof in their Game 4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals, the Cubs kept that ball on the scoreboard and put it under plexiglass for the rest of the playoffs. Now that Major League Baseball is deep into the offseason, Schwarber’s home run ball has finally been removed.
Here’s the moon shot for reference.
The Cubs eliminated the Cardinals in the NLDS as a result of this home run but was eliminated against the New York Mets in the NLCS. The ball remained on top of the scoreboard throughout the rest of their playoff run.
Cubs spokesman Julian Green told the Chicago Tribune the ball was removed sometime after the season. He also would not give up the location of the ball for “security reasons.” Is it in Area 51 or something? Anyway, he said the Cubs have it and it’s in “a safe secure place,” and plans for the ball haven’t been made yet.
Schwarber at the time said he didn’t care what the Cubs did with the ball when describing the home run and talking about the Cubs’ plans for the ball.
“It was really windy, it was scary,” Schwarber said at the time. “It was really cool to do. Don’t know how long it’s going to be up there, but pretty cool.”
When asked then if he wanted the ball, Schwarber said: “I don’t care. Whatever they want to do with it.”
So there you have it. The shrine is gone, but the memory remains. Perhaps the next time we’ll see it is when Grant DePorter buys it for an obscene amount of money and decides to blow it up on National TV.