Wrigley Field's Vestigial Torco Sign

The famed Torco sign on Sheffiled in 1987...

By: Mark Susina via flickr

Sheffield, behind the bleachers, began changing...

By: Mark Susina via flickr

This photo is dated May 26, 2010...

By: Mark Susina via flickr

Getting back to the Torco days...

The next one is a gem from Blue Batting Helmet, but I'm not certain his sleuthing got his to right moment in time...

Is this Steve Trachsel pitching to Deion Sanders?

The writer suggests the name on the scoreboard says Deion Sanders, and the stats beneath his name suggest this is a game between the Cubs and Braves on May 29, 1987.

On the contrary, I believe this game took place in 1994 or 1995. First of all, the league standings flags are divided into three divisions. Second, the three-division format began in 1994. Therefore, it could not have been before '94.

Stay with me now: it seems the final season the Torco sign hung above Wrigley Field was 1995. Crain's Chicago Business, on April 22, 1996, stated that Torco would sublease the sign to Southwest Airlines. The Lawrence Journal World on June 13, 1996, confirms that the Torco sign was indeed gone.

I can't really make out the statistics in the photo online, but if it's indeed Deion Sanders, on the Braves, it would be in April 1994. It looks, to me, like he might be wearing a Reds uniform. If he's on the Reds, it could be 1994 or '95. It doesn't look like he's wearing a San Francisco Giants uniform in this picture  but he did play in Wrigley Field after the Reds traded him to the Giants in '95.

If anyone can shine light on the mystery  please drop us a note in the comments. Thanks!

Moving on...

Cubbie-blue.com shared this beauty not too long ago...

Good times in '94/'95!

The flags, again, are in 3-division formation. So, this was '94 or '95.

If the third baseman pictured is Todd Zeile, it's 1995.