THIS IS AS COOL AS IT GETS. THE OSKALOOSA HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL TEAM. THEY’RE IN CHICAGO TONIGHT. THAT’S WRIGLEY FIELD. THAT’S WHERE THEY PLAYED A SCRIMMAGE. IT’S THE HOME OF THE CHICAGO CUBS. THEY EVEN HAVE THEIR NAME ON THE BOARD. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? SO THEY FIRST GOT TO WATCH THE CUBS TAKE ON THE SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS EARLIER TODAY. THEN THEY TOOK THE FIELD. KCCI’S BEAU BOWMAN TRAVELED WITH THEM AS THEY LIVED OUT EVERY KID’S DREAM. HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL TEAMS ARE NO STRANGER TO LONG BUS RIDES, BUT A FIVE HOUR TRIP ACROSS STATE LINES. THAT’S PRACTICALLY UNHEARD OF FOR THE OSKALOOSA INDIANS. I KNOW IT DOESN’T HAPPEN LIKE, EVER. THESE HIGH SCHOOLERS ARE ROAD TRIPPING TO THE WINDY CITY TO WATCH THE CUBS TAKE ON THE GIANTS. HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY WITH US TODAY. WELCOME TO WRIGLEY. THANK YOU. EVEN GETTING TO STEP ONTO THE WARNING TRACK. PRETTY SWEET. YEAH. TO WATCH BATTING PRACTICE. IT’S PRETTY COOL. OH. IT’S AMAZING. THAT IS PRETTY COOL. WHAT AN INCREDIBLE DAY TO GET TO COME TO WRIGLEY FIELD TO WATCH THE CUBS TAKE ON THE GIANTS. BUT AFTER THAT GAME, THE LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE INDIANS GOT TO TAKE THE FIELD. MAKING MEMORIES TO LAST A LIFETIME. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN WRIGLEY FIELD HISTORY, THE CUBS HOSTED A HIGH SCHOOL EXHIBITION PARTNERING WITH MUSCO LIGHTING. A MASSIVE COMPANY BASED OUT OF OSKALOOSA. WALKING OUT ON THE GRASS. WALKING ON THE DIRT. I MEAN, IT DOESN’T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS. THE NOSTALGIA OF WRIGLEY ISN’T LOST ON THE YOUNGSTERS, MANY OF WHOM GREW UP AS CUBS FANS PLAYING PICK UP GAMES IN THE BACKYARD, PRETENDING IT’S THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH AND THEY NEED TO SEND ONE INTO THE BLEACHERS. MAN, IT’S A MILLION TIMES BETTER THAN WHEN I WAS ON THE BUS, AND I WAS EXPECTING A LOT THEN TO EVEN FOR SOME OF US GROWN UP FANS, THIS IS A DREAM COME TRUE. SOME COACHES WITH KIDS ON THE TEAM MADE EVERY MOMENT COUNT. WATCHING CUBS PLAY AT WRIGLEY FIELD IS MY DREAM TO ALWAYS DO IT. AND AND NOW MY SON GETS TO AND I GET TO PLAY CATCH WITH HIM BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT. I GIVING YOUR KIDS THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU NEVER HAD AND WATCHING THEM SUCCEED ON ONE OF THE WORLD’S FRIENDLIEST OF CONFINES. THERE’S NOT A MORE BEAUTIFUL SCENE THAN THAT. AT SOME POINT, THEY’LL UNDERSTAND IT WHEN THEY GET OLDER, YOU KNOW, AND THEY’LL THEY’LL BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT THEY’VE HAD. AND HOPEFULLY THEY TAKE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, STORIES WITH THEIR KIDS. AND GRANDKIDS. IT’S AWESOME AT WRIGLEY FIELD. BEAU BOWMAN KCCI EIGHT NEWS. IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. MAN, THAT’S SO COOL. A BIG THANK YOU TO BEAU BOWMAN AND PHOTOJOURNALIST ROBBY RISSMAN FOR THEIR TERRIFIC WORK ON THIS TRIP. SO GLAD TO HAVE THEM ON OUR TEAM. WE WILL HAVE MUCH MORE ON THE CHICAGO CUBS AND SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS GAME, BUT THE MEMBERS OF THE BASEBALL TEAMS WEREN’T THE ONLY ONES FROM OSKALOOSA MAKING MEMORIES ON THE FIELD TODAY. BAGLEY WE SAY, OH, WOW. DON’T THEY SOUND GOOD? THAT’S THE HIGH SCHOOL CHAMBER CHOIR FROM OSKALOOSA. OH, I LOVE IT. I LOVE SO MANY DREAMS COME TRUE FOR ALL THESE KIDS. THEY PERFORM THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER ON THE FIELD BEFORE THE SCRIMMAGE. THEY SOUND UNBELIEVABLE. WOW. I LOVE IT. WH
Wrigley Field rolls out the red carpet for Oskaloosa baseball
Updated: 10:43 PM CDT May 7, 2025
The Oskaloosa High School baseball team embarked on a journey that will be etched in their memories forever—a five-hour road trip to Chicago to experience the magic of Wrigley Field. For these young athletes, the opportunity to visit the iconic ballpark and watch the Chicago Cubs take on the San Francisco Giants was a dream come true.The day began with excitement as the team arrived at Wrigley Field, stepping onto the warning track to watch batting practice. “It’s pretty cool,” one athlete said before his teammate interjected: “No, it’s amazing, not just pretty cool.”The highlight of the trip came after the Cubs game when the lights illuminated the field, and the Indians got their chance to play on the historic diamond. For the first time in Wrigley Field’s history, the Cubs hosted a high school exhibition game, made possible through a partnership with Musco Lighting, a company based in Oskaloosa.”Walking out on the turf, walking out on the grass — it doesn’t get any better than this,” said Jeff Rogers, CEO of Musco Lighting. The day was equally special for the coaches and parents. KCCI spoke with Nick Bonnett, an assistant coach with a son on the team — teared up as he said, “Watching the Cubs play at Wrigley Field was my dream. I always knew it, and now my son gets to, and I get to play catch with him.”Head Coach Bill Almond knows the significance may be lost on some of the younger kids, but knows they’ll grow to appreciate the experience. “At some point, they’ll understand it when they get older, and they’ll be thankful for what they had. Hopefully, they take a lot of stories to their kids and grandkids. It’s awesome,” Almond said. » Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play
CHICAGO —
The Oskaloosa High School baseball team embarked on a journey that will be etched in their memories forever—a five-hour road trip to Chicago to experience the magic of Wrigley Field. For these young athletes, the opportunity to visit the iconic ballpark and watch the Chicago Cubs take on the San Francisco Giants was a dream come true.
The day began with excitement as the team arrived at Wrigley Field, stepping onto the warning track to watch batting practice. “It’s pretty cool,” one athlete said before his teammate interjected: “No, it’s amazing, not just pretty cool.”
The highlight of the trip came after the Cubs game when the lights illuminated the field, and the Indians got their chance to play on the historic diamond.
For the first time in Wrigley Field’s history, the Cubs hosted a high school exhibition game, made possible through a partnership with Musco Lighting, a company based in Oskaloosa.
“Walking out on the turf, walking out on the grass — it doesn’t get any better than this,” said Jeff Rogers, CEO of Musco Lighting.
The day was equally special for the coaches and parents. KCCI spoke with Nick Bonnett, an assistant coach with a son on the team — teared up as he said, “Watching the Cubs play at Wrigley Field was my dream. I always knew it, and now my son gets to, and I get to play catch with him.”
Head Coach Bill Almond knows the significance may be lost on some of the younger kids, but knows they’ll grow to appreciate the experience.
“At some point, they’ll understand it when they get older, and they’ll be thankful for what they had. Hopefully, they take a lot of stories to their kids and grandkids. It’s awesome,” Almond said.
» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page
» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play