Oct. 09--Thrilled Cubs fans who converged on Wrigleyville Wednesday night were generally well-behaved, and police reported only nine misdemeanor arrests.
Hundreds of revelers flooded Clark and Addison streets after the Cubs clinched a 4-0 wild-card victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Fans danced in the middle of the road, chanted, hugged, sang and carried each other on their shoulders.
But several officers at the scene and police officials said the celebrations was relatively low-key. Uniformed and mounted officers formed a perimeter around the area but mostly just monitored the activity without intervening. Police helicopters could be seen hovering overhead.
Chicago police are expecting more crowds as playoff games continue, and will be ready even if they approach the levels of last June when the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup and 25 people were arrested, some on serious charges.
"We're there to be ambassadors and to make sure everyone's safe and can enjoy a Cubs win," said Anthony Guglielmi, chief spokesman for the Chicago Police Department.
Uniformed officers began shutting down Clark at Addison toward the bottom of the eighth inning of the Pirates game, preventing people from entering the area and only allowing people already lined up outside the bars to exit.
Officers there said the move was aimed at crowd control. Most fans essentially were corralled into the Clark and Addison intersection, as well as onto Addison between Clark and Sheffield Avenue. Officers permitted a limited number of motorists parked in the area to pass.
Crowds started thinning around 11 p.m. and police reopened streets around 11:30 p.m., about 90 minutes after the final out. Streets and Sanitation crews moved in shortly after to begin cleaning up the area.
Anyone visiting the area during the Major League Baseball playoffs can expect to see more of what they saw on Wednesday night -- a large uniformed police presence, mounted police, and other specialized equipment, including police helicopters, Guglielmi said. What people won't usually notice are the plainclothes officers who help to keep order when needed but otherwise blend into the crowds.
The chief of patrol was out in Wrigleyville on Wednesday night, and is expected to be on hand for any other large crowds, Guglielmi said.
"We have a lot of resources we can dedicate" to police presence around Wrigley and other parts of the city when needed, Guglielmi said.
Jim Spencer, president of East Lake View Neighbors, noted that Murphy's Bleachers at Sheffield and Waveland avenues had more security guards than usual on staff that night.
"We sort of brace for it as a part of living close to Wrigley Field," Spencer said. "It was no more inconvenient than any night game. It seemed to go OK. I haven't heard any complaints from the neighbors."
According to a message to residents from Ald. Tom Tunney, 44th, neighborhood bar owners had agreed to serve drinks in plastic cups instead of glass. Liquor stores also were asked to stop sales at 10 p.m. during any series-deciding games, Tunney said. Tunney also noted there would be extra trash pickups for area businesses for as long as the playoff run lasts.
"This neighborhood is used to the celebrations with the Hawks, so I think they really learned from it," Spencer said. "They seemed to put together a formula of cooperation with the bars, and I think that has worked. I think the police showed they were well-prepared."
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