Cubs’ Home Playoff Games Would Be Played in St. Louis

CHICAGO —  The Chicago Cubs will play any postseason games at Busch Stadium in St. Louis rather than at Wrigley Field, their home park that has no lights, the National League announced Monday.

“I’ve said for four years it’s going to happen,” said Dallas Green, Cub general manager. “I recognize the lead time to get lights is up.”

Lawrence Gunnels, attorney for the Tribune Co., which owns the Cubs, said “we made the best effort we could last year” to overturn city and state laws that outlaw night baseball in Wrigley Field.

Baseball is under a television contract that requires night telecasts during postseason play. City and state laws prohibit night baseball at Wrigley Field, the only major league ballpark without lights.

National League President Chub Feeney called it “an unfortunate situation, but given the lack of lights at Wrigley Field, the best alternative is to have the Cubs play in the nearest NL Eastern Division city.”

The Cubs recently entered into an agreement in principle with the Civic Center Corporation in St. Louis, the owner of Busch Stadium, for use of the facility if the Cubs win their division.

“It was not our decision,” Green said. “We’ve worked very hard to make people understand, and it hasn’t worked out yet.”

Feeney also expressed hope that the continuing effort by the Cubs to install lights at Wrigley Field will be successful, thus avoiding the need for such action in the future.