Chicago Cubs: Classic Wrigley Field features that no longer exist

Chicago Cubs: Few seemed to know what it was, but the name was recognizable.

For decades the black and white sign with the simple name “Torco” stood high and tall on one of the buildings on Sheffield Avenue. Back before massive seating structures and party decks were erected on the roofs of the ancient Chicago brick buildings, the old Torco sign stood out quite well to the patrons at the ballgame.

Go back and watch old classic Cubs games from the 80s and early 90s and every time they show a side view of a runner at third looking towards right field, that Torco sign will be in the distance. Back then there was not much advertising at Wrigley Field, but that was one of the few signs.

“I dunno know what dat Torco-sign means,” says the fictional Chicago super-fan from the early 90s, “I just know I see it every time I watch da Cubs play!”

This particular sign was in reference to Torco Holdings inc, which saw its reign end a little over a decade ago. Since then the sign has sported the logo of a number of different companies including Southwest, Bud Light, and Gilbert’s Craft Sausages. In 2015 Gilbert’s crafted their ad to look like the old Torco sign with the same color scheme and design.

Today it does not matter what goes up there next because the right-field video board pretty much blocks that area.