Spring Training on an Island: 100th Anniversary of the Chicago Cubs in Avalon

Presented by the Catalina Island Museum on Sunday, February 28, 2021
One hundred years ago to the day, the museum celebrated the anniversary of the arrival of the Chicago Cubs baseball team for spring training.
Beginning in 1921, William Wrigley Jr.'s beloved baseball team traveled West for spring training on Catalina Island. This lasted for a span of thirty years, except during World War II when the island acted as a military training facility. Sports broadcasters gave updates on the team’s progress but also ended up advertising Wrigley’s island off the southern California coast. This resulted in lifelong Cubs fans on the island and around the country.
In honor of this historic anniversary, the museum was thrilled to welcome Brian Bernardoni, Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field Historian as its special guest. Through historic images and great stories, he shared the history of the Cubs, their decision to use the island for spring training, the island's own Wrigley Field and much more!