The Cubs’ moving truck appeared at Wrigley Field this morning, signaling two more weeks until the start of spring training.
The annual hauling of Cubs’ equipment to their spring training home in Mesa, Ariz., coincided with Groundhog Day this year. It was a low-key affair compared to a few years ago when the marketing department found a sponsor for the move and turned it into a media event.
Lynn Ambrosy, the driver for Midway Moving and Storage, said he was up until 2 a.m. getting the truck ready for the 34-hour drive to Mesa.
“Getting the decals all done and waxing the whole trailer down,” he said. “It’s going to be a beautiful trip.”
The truck has always had Cubs’ decals on the side, but this year they’ve added a new decal pointing out the fact they are the 2016 world champions.
Five movers for the company helped load the truck Thursday morning along with Cubs’ personnel, overseen by Cubs equipment manager Tom “Otis” Hellman. Three of the Midway movers will take the ride down to the Cubs’ complex in Mesa.
The truck usually pulls up to the Cubs’ media entrance for loading, but with ongoing construction at Wrigley due to the renovation, it was parked in a lot across the street. Dozens of suitcases and bags were sitting on a corner of Waveland Avenue, and a forklift brought was used to bring over some of the heavy training equipment from the clubhouse.
Ambrosy said the 18-wheeler has room for everything.
The truck is loaded up at Wrigley Field for spring training on Feb. 2, 2017.
“Personal luggage, all the balls, the bats, their training equipment,” he said. “We’re working on another trailer with more graphics on it, and that’ll be the official Cubs trailer.”
Has anyone ever tried to stow away in the truck?
“No,” he said. “There’s no room.”
Ambrosy said he enjoys driving the Cubs’ moving truck to Arizona because Cubs’ fans typically honk their horns at him all during the trip and give him a thumbs-up, except around St. Louis.
With the 2016 title under their belt, Ambrosy figures to get more recognition this trip, though he admitted not everyone is a Cubs’ fan.
“We were in San Diego one time delivering furniture and they told us to leave,” he said. “They don’t like the Cubs there.”
The truck was scheduled to leave Wrigley late Thursday morning and get on the road after finishing the paperwork.
Cubs’ pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 14.
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