When Lou Piniella left the Cubs for good last August, one thing he left behind was his Lincoln Town Car, which remained in the manager’s parking spot in the Wrigley Field lot for the rest of the season, forcing interim manager Mike Quade to park his car across the street at McDonald’s.

“Look, I got out of town so quickly, I forgot to take my car with me,” said Piniella. “What do you want me to do about it? I felt bad for Mike, I really did.”

The modest Quade, who drives a 2006 Ford Taurus with the Illinois license plate BALDY57, didn’t mind the walk from across the street, but was happy to hear that Piniella’s car had finally been towed away this winter, opening up the manager’s parking spot for himself.

“It’s like going from the outhouse to the penthouse. I’m super excited,” said Quade of his new accommodations in the team parking lot located just outside the left field grandstand. “Peanut shells, hot dog wrappers, bird crap, urine, vomit. I can’t wait.”

By Jeremy Barewin

Jeremy Barewin