Cubs' Stadium Before Wrigley Had a Mental Institution Just Past Left Field and You Need to Know This

With baseball currently on hold, there's just so miss about the National Pastime. The sounds of the crack of a bat on a home run, the cheering fans, and... strange shouts from a nearby mental hospital?

Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, was built in 1914 and has stood the test of time as one of the truly iconic sporting venues in the world. But before the Cubs moved into their storied North Side home, they played at a ground called West Side Park. It no longer stands today, but back in its heyday, West Side Park boasted the distinction of having quite the unique neighbor just beyond left field: a mental institution.

Yup, just beyond te wall wall stood a mental health facility that was part of Cook County Hospital. Not only is this bizzare to begin with, but the fact that some players reportedly claimed to hear noises from the field emanating from "out of left field" could not have helped their focus during games.

It's worth wondering whether the former site of West Side Park is haunted, right? Luckily, Wrigley Field gets so loud that there could not possibly be such an issue there.

Baseball truly never ceases to amaze with its deep, rich history that has no rival in this half of the world. And it just makes us miss the game even harder.