One Wrigleyville corner hangs on to its roots and ballhawks as Cubs mark 150th anniversary

On the last day of June, Moe Mullins set up his camping chair under the ash tree at the corner of Waveland and Kenmore, just across from the back of the left-field bleachers. Neighbors and vendors had started to appear, and soon, the patio at Murphy’s was filling up with spectators waiting for the bleacher gates to open. Mullins, the unofficial mayor of Waveland and Kenmore avenues, was the elder statesman among the characters that gave the neighborhood its charm.

The Chicago Cubs were celebrating their 150th anniversary as a National League member this weekend, having spent 110 of those years at Wrigley Field. The corner just beyond left field remained old-school, a small throwback amidst the ever-expanding change. While many nearby buildings had been purchased by the Cubs, the corner remained unchanged with lawn chairs, lifelong fans, and good banter.

Among the regulars were Ken Keefer, Bob Krause, and Mary Ellen Gourley, who walked from the corner across the street to their bleacher seats for game after game. However, the corner seemed not immune to change. Ballhawks, the most prominent occupants, were dwindling. Mullins and Dave Davison, both longtime patrons, were the last of the old guard. The guide on a stadium tour pointed out the corner, introducing the iconic old-man ballhawk to the visitors.

Mullins, who had collected over 6,400 baseballs by the age of 8, still carried the weight of the balls he missed catching. He stood in the exact spot where Ernie Banks' 400th home run went awry and could still recite grand slams and career-firsts. Despite the changes around him, Mullins remained a ballhawk, keeping his Mizuno glove and collecting baseballs at home.