Chicago Cubs Gold Glove Outfielder Ian Happ to Appear at Four Winds Field July 1

STORY UPDATED JUNE 23, 2024

SOUTH BEND, IN – The South Bend Cubs will be kicking off their 4^th of July celebrations a couple days early as Chicago Cubs Gold Glove outfielder Ian Happ will make a special guest appearance at Four Winds Field on July 1. Gates open at 6:00 p.m. and first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. VIP Meet and Greet tickets are sold out but you can still purchase individual tickets for the game. Happ will throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game and will sign autographs on the concourse for one hour only.

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With the Chicago Cubs having a scheduled off day on Monday, July 1 after a series in Milwaukee, followed by a series against the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field beginning July 2, Happ’s appearance is subject to change due to the Chicago Cubs baseball schedule.

“I'm excited to come back to Four Winds Field and see the amazing fans in South Bend," said Ian Happ. “We're lucky to have amazing affiliates in the Cubs organization and I loved every second of being a South Bend Cub!"

“We are incredibly honored that Ian Happ would take the time out of his busy schedule to come back to Four Winds Field where his professional baseball career started,” said South Bend Cubs Team President Joe Hart. “It speaks to the character of Ian that in the middle of the MLB season, he would come back to South Bend for a special appearance for charity. I encourage the fans to pack Four Winds Field and give him a warm welcome back.”

Originally selected with the ninth-overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft out of the University of Cincinnati, Ian Happ's path to the Chicago Cubs almost immediately began in South Bend. Following a quick stint in short-season Eugene, Happ was assigned to South Bend to conclude the summer of 2015. While playing as a member of South Bend's inaugural Cubs season, Happ crushed five home runs and drove in 22. He quickly elevated up the farm system, making his Major League debut on May 13, 2017 and mashing 24 home runs his rookie season. In seven seasons with Chicago, Happ has hammered 125 round trippers, to go along with 392 RBI. The 29-year-old also started his 2018 season with a bang, when he took the first pitch thrown in the MLB that year out of the yard in Miami for a lead-off home run. He was voted a National League All-Star in 2022, and has won back-to-back Rawlings NL Gold Glove Awards in 2022 and 2023.

Off the field, Happ is known for his generous contributions to the Chicago community and beyond. In 2018-19, Happ began the "Through My Eyes" project, where he commissioned art prints of Wrigley Field from his view along with artist Patrick Vale. The proceeds from the project went to Happ's charity. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Happ released his own coffee brand, 'Quarantine Coffee', which had a portion of sales go directly towards COVID-19 relief charities. Since then, he has also teamed up with Connect Roasters and Morale Supply Company to sell 'Morale Blend' coffee. In 2015, the same year he was drafted, Happ's father, Keith, passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. Later, the Happ family debuted the 'Happ Family Charitable Fund' to support mental health awareness and wellness through organizations like Bring Change to Mind and First Tee Greater Chicago. Happ continuously works with a number of Chicago based charities to raise money for those in need.

The South Bend Cubs will welcome the Peoria Chiefs to Four Winds Field for their 4^th of July weeklong celebration July 1 -3. Both July 2 and 3 will have a special fireworks display and July 3 will also feature a special post-game concert. Details on the concert will be available in the coming weeks. Opening Day at Four Winds Field is April 9.

About the South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs are the High-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Over the past 35 seasons, the team has won five Midwest League titles, most recently in 2022, and captured nine division titles. In 2023, the organization was selected as the Single-A Bob Freitas Award recipient by Baseball America. Four Winds Field, home of the South Bend Cubs, was voted Best High-A ballpark in the country by Ballpark Digest in 2022 and 2023, having also won the award as a Low-A ballpark in 2017. In 2019, the South Bend Cubs hosted the final Midwest League All-Star Game. In 2015 the team was named Ballpark Digest's Team of the Year and received the John H. Johnson President's Award, the highest award in minor league baseball. The team is owned and operated by Swing-Batter-Swing, LLC whose principal shareholder is Andrew T. Berlin of Chicago, Ill.