Canadian wildfire smoke prompts precautions at South Bend Cubs game, but fans still fill Four Winds Field

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Smoke from Canadian wildfires pushed air pollution into the unhealthy range across much of Michiana on Friday, prompting an Air Quality Action Day and forcing many residents to rethink their outdoor plans.

Despite the smoky conditions, the South Bend Cubs’ game against the Peoria Chiefs at Four Winds Field went on as scheduled after rain moved through the area before first pitch, improving air quality. 

For some fans, those concerns were personal. One young fan said she was worried about attending because her sister has asthma.

“My mom said we should still come, but I was worried because she has asthma and I don’t know what could happen to her — anything could happen.”

Others said the smoke had already affected their families before they even arrived at the ballpark.

“I have a kid sister, so she was coughing a lot when it was smoky around our house,” another fan said.

Another described how the poor air quality impacted relatives with allergies.

“It was really bad when I was at my aunt’s house because they have allergies, and when we went out it was hard for them to breathe, so they stayed inside — same with their dog,” the fan said.

The South Bend Cubs also adjusted their routine because of the air quality. The club’s athletic trainer said no players experienced any health issues, but the team held both Thursday’s and Friday’s workouts indoors to minimize time spent in the smoky conditions.

While the smoke changed the team’s preparation, it didn’t stop many fans from coming to the game. One youth baseball player said he had already played through the smoky conditions twice before arriving at Four Winds Field.

“We had two baseball games. One yesterday and we had one this morning at 8 a.m., and it was really bad, so we didn’t really care about it and we just played through,” he said.

South Bend Cubs President Joe Hart said fans will not receive refunds because the game was played as scheduled. He said rainfall before first pitch improved air quality back into the normal range, allowing the game to continue safely.