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College duo flies to Arizona, gets $35 seats for playoff game
By Mike Egenes
megenes@pantagraph.com
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PHOENIX — Tickets for the Cubs’ first home game of the National League Division Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks sold out in a blink.

With online ticket brokers selling box seats for as much as $2,500 each, getting through the Wrigley Field turnstiles is even more difficult.

But a pair of local college buddies has found a way around both of those roadblocks by making a road trip to Phoenix to watch Game 1 of the series Wednesday night at Chase Field.

The tickets? A mere $35.

Drew Barringer, a junior English major at Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, and Alex Whitworth, a junior economics major at Illinois State University, Normal, are making a down-and-back trip for a chance to see Game 1, which was not a sellout.

“People might laugh that we flew all the way to Arizona, but we’re getting to see the Cubs play at a relatively decent price,” Barringer said Wednesday afternoon while having lunch at a restaurant inside Chase Field, home of the Diamondbacks.

The 2005 Bloomington High School graduates found roundtrip airfare for $300 apiece. Plans for overnight accommodations weren’t all that clear.

“After all of this, we’re nearly broke,” Barringer said.

Barringer, a diehard Cubs fan, said he will chronicle the trip for The Argus, IWU’s student newspaper, in a story he plans to call “Chasing History: My Week with the Chicago Cubs.”

He doesn’t have tickets to Games 3 and 4 but plans to hang out outside Wrigley Field when the series comes to Chicago.

Whitworth has remained a Diamondbacks fan after living a little more than two years in the Phoenix area and attending one year at Arizona State University in nearby Tempe. He admitted the trip is a little crazy, but worth it.

“Who knows the next time something like this might come up again,” Whitworth said. “We figured, why not?”

Barringer and Whitworth said they wanted to stay for Game 2 tonight.

“But my professors weren’t too hot about the idea of missing two days of class, let alone three,” Barringer said. “Plus, we have tickets to Smashing Pumpkins (Thursday) night at Braden Auditorium.”

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Reader comments on this story - 30 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Lighten Up wrote on Oct 5, 2007 8:03 AM:

" Wow, who know there were so many people who've never taken a day off work? "

Nothing wrote on Oct 4, 2007 9:47 PM:

" A friend of mine got tickets for 21 bucks and flew standby on Airtran for 71 bucks. "

Yant Yin wrote on Oct 4, 2007 8:21 PM:

" I happen to be a relative of the Diamondbacks fan and while I question his choice of ball teams (Go Cubs), I think it's wonderful he got to go to AZ and see a play off game. He is a highly responsible young man, has worked hard since high school, and is a great student as well. I think he made a good choice! "

Please... wrote on Oct 4, 2007 4:31 PM:

" Live a little! What a story to tell their kids. Please continue to live spontaneous, there are some that wish they did. It's refreshing to hear good news for a change. "

Sam I Am wrote on Oct 4, 2007 3:43 PM:

" WASTE OF MONEY. PAYING THAT MUCH TO SEE THE CUBS LOSE?!?!? DONATE TO CHARITY!!! "

Cynic wrote on Oct 4, 2007 3:11 PM:

" So these boys have jobs and they asked for time off. That means someoneelse had to fill in and do thier work so they could go to a ball game. Yep sounds real responsible. I think I will dump my work on someone else and go fishing for a couple days. "

To: a wrote on Oct 4, 2007 3:07 PM:

" And this is "newsworthy" how? "

A wrote on Oct 4, 2007 2:50 PM:

" Just because this story isn't "hard news" does not mean it is not newsworthy. This might come as a shock, but stories other than gang fights, assaults, embezzlement and ridiculous points of legislature from our governor qualify as news stories. You should take a lesson from these two young men and begin enjoying your own lives instead of leaving mindless comments. "

To: DadHasNo$ wrote on Oct 4, 2007 2:05 PM:

" These guys do have their priorities straight. Besides being full time students they both have jobs that give them the money and opportunity to attend events that interest them. They both asked for time off from work and school, which I find very responsible. It's too bad you don't know more people like Alex and Drew. "

DadHasNo$ wrote on Oct 4, 2007 1:51 PM:

" Hmmmmmmm.....jetting off thousands of miles for a baseball game...hurrying back to make a rock concert....spending even MORE time hanging around a ballpark in Chicago...nice to know their time, energy, talents and priorities are all in sharp focus! "

Cynic wrote on Oct 4, 2007 12:23 PM:

" And this is news, How? "

Who knows when this might happen again?? wrote on Oct 4, 2007 11:41 AM:

" What a sad statement to make for a FIRST round playoff game. "

Wonder if wrote on Oct 4, 2007 9:45 AM:

" I'm sure the money they spent is what they had left over after they paid for their own education. I know they wouldn't have accepted any government financial aid if they could spend their own money on the Cubs trip and the Smashing Pumkins concert to the point of being "nearly broke." "

Rock Bottom wrote on Oct 4, 2007 9:33 AM:

" I couldn't believe this story received a banner headline on the front page today. This paper has hit rock bottom under the leadership of the current corporation, publisher and department heads. The Pantagraph has become nothing more than a dumbed- down tabloid that features subject matter and "news" that is of personal interest to its leadership and some of its writers. For those that work there and are still interested in producing a good product, I feel sorry for you. "

Whatever wrote on Oct 4, 2007 8:36 AM:

" They exploited a weakness in the market and got to see their favorite team for about what it would cost in Chicago. The difference: They got to go halfway across the country and visit a place they've never been. Good job guys. You are true Cub fans. Go Cubs go. "

... wrote on Oct 4, 2007 8:33 AM:

" Must be a slow news day for the Pantagraph. Cubs losing and their delusional fan base hoping for glory is another daily occurence. "

To J: from A Friend wrote on Oct 4, 2007 8:31 AM:

" Unlike you and me, they actuall did something rather than merely deride someone on a newspaper post. They are young and having fun. Good luck boys. "

Dman wrote on Oct 4, 2007 7:56 AM:

" Hey "J", why do you look at things only monetarily? The kid got to see AZ, some sights and his favorite ballclub play in a playoff atmosphere. I'd bet he is on cloud 9, and the 335 bucks he spent is an afterthought. "

To: J wrote on Oct 4, 2007 7:47 AM:

" Well it says there in the article that one of them is a Diamondbacks fan, so he found himself a nice $335 win!! Cheaper then trying to get tickets up in Chicago... "

Reality for "J" wrote on Oct 4, 2007 7:45 AM:

" I would be willing to bet, that even with the loss. they had a better time than you have seen in a long, long time. "

D wrote on Oct 4, 2007 7:41 AM:

" Probably will be your boss someday J. "

To: J wrote on Oct 4, 2007 7:28 AM:

" I'd recommend that you restrict your comments to the articles (if any) that you know something about. Based on the frenzy in Chicago over the Cubs, this was a brilliant idea! It's about being there, regardless of the outcome of the game. And one of them was a D-backs fan. But I understand.....it was late when you made your comment and actually reading the article first would have required effort. "

To J wrote on Oct 4, 2007 7:24 AM:

" So because they spent money on something that they love that makes them dumb? Get a life...at least they are getting out and having fun. I wish I could say that same about a person that chooses to make ignorant comments at ONE IN THE MORNING on the pantagraph! "

LRT-P wrote on Oct 4, 2007 7:16 AM:

" You are only young once. I wish I would have been able to do something like that at your age. GO CUBS!! "

Hey dudes! wrote on Oct 4, 2007 7:08 AM:

" Don't listen to the loser bashing posters. Glad ya got to see the game, too bad they lost. We'll get em tonite! GO CUBS!!! "

Human Interest Story? wrote on Oct 4, 2007 7:08 AM:

" Three buddies and I drove to Atlanta for Game Five of the 2003 NLDS, but I'd hardly call that "news." And we only paid something like $12 for our playoff seats in Atlanta. "

To J; wrote on Oct 4, 2007 6:44 AM:

" Read the article. Whitworth is a Dbacks fan which was clearly spelled out in the article. You must not be the brightest either. "

H Carey wrote on Oct 4, 2007 6:44 AM:

" Roundtrip plane tickets $300, Game Tickets $35, Beer $8.50 each, me sitting at home watching the Cubs lose....Priceless. "

men are from... wrote on Oct 4, 2007 5:56 AM:

" this must be a boy thing. I could: 1)take yoga lessons and improve my health 2) buy shoes to improve my appearance 3) buy enough food for one month......... "

J wrote on Oct 4, 2007 12:28 AM:

" Obviously not the brightest of kids. Hope you enjoyed your $335 loss. "
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