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The High Drama Of The Wrigley Rat

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

Cheers rolled through Wrigley Field Tuesday night. The Cubs lost that night to the Pittsburgh Pirates, though they've clinched a playoff spot. Another drama unfolded above right center field. Photographer Will Byington was rolling as a large rat kept trying to leap from the shallow fencing, just above the fabled outfield, onto a wall into a small patch of grass next to the bleachers. Cubs fans, who, to be blunt, have cheered on quite a few rats over the years, clapped and shouted as the rat jumped once but missed, then twice but fell short, kind of like the Cubs always used to. Then finally, jumped a third time and...

(SOUNDBITE OF CHEERING)

SIMON: All right. The video of his leap was soon winging around the Internet. A number of people have commented that Wrigley Rat had to jump several times because he looks especially well-fed Well, Rick Bayless has a green chiles taco stand in the right field seats. Wrigley Rat may just need a little exercise.

(SOUNDBITE OF THE BOOKS' "CLASSY PENGUIN") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

Scott Simon is one of America's most admired writers and broadcasters. He is the host of Weekend Edition Saturday and is one of the hosts of NPR's morning news podcast Up First. He has reported from all fifty states, five continents, and ten wars, from El Salvador to Sarajevo to Afghanistan and Iraq. His books have chronicled character and characters, in war and peace, sports and art, tragedy and comedy.