Keep on trucking

Over 1,800 miles separate the Cubs’ two homes: Wrigley Field and HoHoKam Park in Mesa, Ariz. And just one truck is responsible for getting all the equipment there.

Under heavy snow on Feb. 9, children from the local Inter-American Magnet School helped send off the truck, singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and dropping off letters addressed to Cubs players.

Clubhouse manager Tom “Otis” Hellmann and his staff began preparing for the departure back when the 2009 season ended. They loaded the truck in one morning and then flew to Arizona to empty it back off and set up when pitchers and catchers reported Feb. 18.

“We’ve got the bicycles, the vacuum cleaners and two-wheelers,” said Otis . “We used to bring down eight equipment and desks, but we’ve moved on with that. We have our stuff there and here now, which is very nice.”

– Sean Ahmed