Anno Catuli....A Q&A with Lakeview Baseball Club

What do those signs mean on the rooftop beyond the right field wall on Sheffield Avenue? What does AC stand for? What does EAMUS CATULI mean/ The signs on the rooftop at 3633 North Sheffield Avenue have raised a lot of questions through the years and have become a part of Wrigley Field, although they are not owned by the Chicago Cubs. The AC and EAMUS CATULI signs are owned and operated by Lakeview Baseball Club.

The Lakeview Baseball Club was the first rooftop club and opened in 1988 and remains to this day as the only private club. The signs on top of their building have become very famous over the years and recently two members of their staff took time to answer a few questions for the CCO.

Chicago Cubs Online: How long has the Lakeview Baseball Club been in existence?

Lakeview Baseball Club: August 8, 1988

(note: August 8, 1988 was the first night game at Wrigley Field against the Philadelphia Phillies but the game was rained out after 3 1/2 innings. The first full night game was played on August 9, 1988....the Cubs beat the Mets 6-4)

CCO: When were the signs first installed?

LVBC: 1995

CCO: The two signs on the rooftop of the Lakeview Baseball Club have become a part of the landscape of Wrigley Field, who came up with the idea for the signs?

LVBC: Robert G. Racky, former Managing Director (retired)

CCO: What was the motivation behind the signs?

LVBC: It was a contest for a free membership at the time.

CCO: There is a lot of speculation about the meaning of the two signs, some think that "AC" stands for "Year of the Cub" and others think it means "After Championship", what is the true meaning? Also, what is the true meaning of "EAMUS CATULI!"?

LVBC: AC is an abbreviation for Anno Catuli, Latin for year of the Cub. Eamus Catuli roughly translates as Let's Go Cubs

CCO: Who owns the Lakeview Baseball Club?

LVBC: The members

CCO: Is there any affiliation between the Cubs and the Lakeview Baseball Club?

LVBC: The Cubs and Lakeview Baseball Club have settled all their legal differences.

CCO: Who is responsible for maintaining the signs?

LVBC: Our Facilities Engineer

CCO: Who changes them?

LVBC: Our Facilities Engineer

CCO: When do they change? For example, at the beginning of last season the sign read "AC026097", by calendar year it should have read "AC036198".

LVBC: At the end of each season

CCO: Are the numbers by year or by season?

LVBC: By season

CCO: This year should read "AC046299" how is that determined?

LVBC: The Cubs last won Division title in October 2003, the National League title in October 1945, and the World Series in October of 1908, so in October of 2006 is was changed to AC036198

CCO: In the unfortunate scenario that the Cubs go 100 years between World Series Championships, is there a plan to change the sign to add another digit?

LVBC: Yes, we are currently working on this issue.

CCO: Lakeview Baseball Club was the first to put seats on their rooftop, who came up with the idea to add the seats in order to enhance the experience of Wrigley Field?

LVBC: In the mid-1980's former Managing Director Robert G. Racky took his three young children to a Cubs game, they mentioned how cool it would be to watch a game from the rooftop of one of the buildings across the street. Mr. Racky took the idea to the next level.

It will be great the day we are able to see six zeros when we look above the right field wall at Wrigley.

I would like to thank Mary and Heather for taking time out of their day to answer these questions for the CCO.

Click on the links for more information on Lakeview Baseball Club and Ball Park Rooftops