As tributes poured in after the death of rock legend Ozzy Osbourne at 76, one unexpected memory kept resurfacing—not from a stage or a concert hall, but from a baseball stadium in Chicago.
It was the kind of chaotic, hilarious, and oddly heartwarming moment that only Ozzy could deliver.
The Day Ozzy Took Over Wrigley Field
Back in 2003, Ozzy and his wife Sharon were invited to a Chicago Cubs game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Wrigley Field.
As special guests, they were asked to lead the crowd in the traditional seventh-inning stretch song, Take Me Out to the Ballgame.
Ozzy, proudly sporting a Cubs jersey and his signature energy, stepped up to the mic ready to hype the crowd.
“Alright, Chicago!” he shouted. “I want to hear a real crazy crowd start singing with me.
Are you ready? Are you ready? I can’t hear you, are you ready? One, two, three!”
He Knew the Tune… But Not the Words
What followed was a mix of music, mumbling, and pure Ozzy-style confusion.
As the organ played, it became painfully clear that while the Prince of Darkness had the melody down, the lyrics were a mystery to him.
He barely got through the first line before trailing off into unintelligible hums and mumbles.
Even the famous “one, two, three strikes you’re out” part tripped him up.
Players from both teams looked on from the dugouts, clearly entertained by the surreal scene unfolding above them.
Fans Loved Every Second of It
Despite the lyrical meltdown, the Wrigley crowd didn’t miss a beat.
They sang loud and proud, helping Ozzy along while cheering him on.
Once the song wrapped up, Sharon shouted toward the Cubs’ dugout, “Now let’s get some runs!” Ozzy, in full cheerleader mode, followed with, “Yeah, let’s get some runs! Come on, don’t mess around! Let’s get some runs, guys!”
The fans ate it up. What could’ve been a cringeworthy moment turned into one of the most beloved seventh-inning stretches ever.
Social Media Reacts with Love and Laughter
After news of Ozzy’s death broke, clips of that iconic Wrigley Field moment started making the rounds again online.
“Unforgettable and totally wild,” one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Another shared, “Hats off for the legend of the legends. We will miss you Ozzy. RIP the lord of darkness.”
Even the Cubs fan group Just Another Year joined the chorus of tributes, writing, “Rest in peace to Ozzy Osbourne.
Your 7th inning stretch at Wrigley will never be forgotten.”
Ozzy’s Final Goodbye Comes Full Circle
Ozzy passed away peacefully on Tuesday morning, surrounded by his family.
In their public statement, his loved ones shared, “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning.
He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis.”
Just weeks before, Ozzy had one last emotional moment with his fans, reuniting with his original Black Sabbath bandmates—Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward—for a farewell performance in his hometown of Birmingham, England.
A Rock Legacy That Defined Generations
Ozzy first formed Black Sabbath in Birmingham in 1969, and over the decades, the band became a cornerstone of heavy metal.
With hits like Paranoid and War Pigs, they sold over 100 million records and built a fan base that spanned the globe.
In recent years, Ozzy had been open about his struggles with Parkinson’s disease, announcing in 2020 that he was battling the condition.
At his final show, he told the crowd, “You’ve no idea how I feel—thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
He made it clear it would be his last time performing due to his health.