Centennial Seats to honor Wrigley's history

SAN FRANCISCO -- Starting Friday, downtown Michigan Avenue will be lined with 50 custom-made pairs of ballpark seats, each depicting a special moment at Wrigley Field to help celebrate its 100th anniversary.

Cubs Charities partnered with 47 Chicago-based nonprofits, celebrities and artists to paint the Centennial Seats. There will be an online auction where participants can place bids to purchase them with all proceeds to be split between Cubs Charities and the respective partnering organization.

From actor Vince Vaughn and the Chicago Blackhawks to the National Museum of Mexican Art and South Chicago Art Center, each organization or person has painted a scene that pays tribute to a moment in Wrigley's history. Some of the memories include Ernie Banks' Major League debut, installation of the scoreboard, Babe Ruth's "called shot," and the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

The Centennial Seats will be on display along Michigan Avenue throughout the summer. Participants can place bids from FridayAug. 10 at www.cubs.com/chairs.

To help raise awareness and promote the auction, Cubs Charities is calling for Chicagoans and Cubs fans alike to tweet, post and Instagram photos of themselves with the Centennial Seats. Use the hashtags #WrigleyField100 and #CentennialSeats, and you'll be able join the philanthropic effort and spread the word.

A map has been created that pinpoints where each seat is located.

Sponsored by Magellan Corporation, the Centennial Seats will be installed on Thursday.

Information about the seats and Wrigley's 100th birthday celebration will be available on Thursday at www.wrigleyfield100.com.