CHICAGO -- Julianna Zobrist, wife of Cubs second baseman Ben Zobrist, sang "God Bless America" and the national anthem on Monday while members of the USO unfurled a large flag in center field as part of Memorial Day at Wrigley Field.
After Julianna sang, Ben Zobrist ran over and hugged his wife.
"This morning, she said she was a little bit nervous," Ben said. "I kind of said, 'Yeah, I know, right.' She's always seemed like such a pro and she handles it so well. I'm always super confident in her abilities and she is, too. When she's out there, it's just an enjoyable experience to see her out there and watch the crowd. I don't know if anybody else did, but when I hear her singing that song and the crowd and the day today, it gave me some chills. It was cool."
Both the Cubs and Dodgers wore camouflage caps and their uniforms had camouflage numbers and lettering as part of Major League Baseball's Memorial Day celebration. Wrigley Field was decked out in red, white and blue bunting.
Cubs manager Joe Maddon said the day has special meaning for him.
"You think of the veterans," Maddon said. "I was driving in today and listening to Sirius radio, and they would play 'Taps' as part of a tribute. My dad [Joe Sr.] served, my uncles have served. The fact that they did that, we're all very fortunate. I'm driving down Clark Street and thinking about that. I'm driving ... and watching everybody have a good time because of the people who did this for us.
"The one regret I have in my own personal life is that I never did serve," Maddon said. "At the time, it was very unpopular. The Vietnam War was going on and I was in college, and at the time you thought you were fortunate to not have to do that. Retrospectively, that would be the one life experience that I missed out on that I wish I had done."
Maddon said his father didn't pressure him to join the service.
"He wanted me to play football," Maddon said.