I have been a casual Phillies fan for most of my life. My late father was a die hard Phillies fan due to the fact that he was from Pennsylvania and the Philles AAA team was loctcated in our home town in during the 1950s. Since his death 12 years ago I have started to carry the torch for him.

Now the reason for this post. Ever since child hood I have had a fasination with Connie Mack Stadium. I still remember hearing Pee Wee Reese signing on the Game of the Week by saying "Live from Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania it's the Falstaff game of the week." Unfortunately I never had the chance to go there. The closest I came to it was in August of 1971. I was in Philadelphia on my way to McGuire Air Force Base to begin my overseas tour. I do know that the week I was in Philadelphia fire ravaged through the old stadium destroying most of the original structure. Over the years I have amassed a large collection of information about the grand old stadium.

If there are any members from the Philadephia area or anywhere for that fact, that have been to any sporting event at Shibe Park/Connie Mack Stadium would your please share you experiences with me.

You'll like this Diamond Jim ! Poke around the whole site too,there are some great stadiums of the past on this site with plenty of old photos.

Stadium Graveyard (http://www.stadiumpage.com/stadiumgraveyard/)

Thanks Jimmy, you do know I am in my 36th year as a Flyer fan?

I've been a season ticket holder since 1987 & a Flyers fan since 1974 when I was in grade school.One of my 1st games ever was in 1985 when Dave Poulin scored on Goslin of the Quebec Nordiques on 5-3 short handed breakaway.That was one of the most spectacular moments in my life that night at The Spectrum.Wow,I was shaking from the thrill of that goal.The house was rocking.I thought the 3rd level was going to fall on us.It was shaking from the thunderous roar.

I've only missed two years doing season tickets recently.I love the boys.I don't think there going anywhere but I'll still be behind them 100%.

I'm glad you like the site.They had great photos of the demolition of Shea which I followed from the beginning.Now they're doing the demo photos of the old Yankee Stadium.But I don't think that will start in full till sometime this summer.

Enjoy

For about 6 months my son lived in Germantown about two blocks from the house of Connie Mack's daughter, the house where Mr Mack passed away. In Janur\ary of 07 we made a quick weekend run out there to take him some of his things but the Flyers were out of town. The way it looks now (he now lives in Houston) that will be the only chance I would have to see them play in person. That was the first time I had been to Philadelphia since 1972 and I do not for see any more trips in the future.

It's not the nicest of town.We usually hit Pats King of Steaks or Genos on 9th & Passyunk at least once a month for cheesesteaks before a game.A few years ago,we met Kerry Fraser & Pat Dapuzzo the ref & linesman before a game.That is really the only other place in Philly I visit other than the Sports Complex.

Did they tear down all of the old baseball parks ? I was once told that there was still a facade of one of the old time parks still standing some place in Philly.

Did they tear down all of the old baseball parks ? I was once told that there was still a facade of one of the old time parks still standing some place in Philly.

I don't believe there is in Philadelphia, but I know there is in Pittsburgh. The center and right centerfield wall and flagpole of Forbes Field is still standing, plus they have a brick trail following the path where the rest of the wall went to left field with a plaque marking Maz's home run spot and the left field foul pole. You can follow the foul line into the Forbes Quad (a U of Pitt building) to where home plate is encased in glass in the floor. It's about 10 feet off from it's original place because of the building layout. If it would have been placed in the exact spot, it would have been in stall #5 of the women's restroom. Also, I just heard that they moved the section of wall that Maz's home run went over, complete with the 406 marker to a new display at PCN Park. This was pretty neat to see, since I wen to a game at Forbes in 1968. Our return visit was in June of 07.

Jimmy, check these out.

That last shot of Pittsburgh looking at the bridge.I've stood in that exact location a few years ago.My ex g/f and I went to the old Three Rivers too.I think it was June 1st 1997.There was a tornado touch down on Mt Washington that evening.We were up there 40 minutes before.We watched it from the stadium.

I watched a couple games at Connie Mack and saw Johnnie Callison hit a home run. My older brother had some stadium seats after it closed (old wood seats) but they are long gone. Should have kept them!

Johnny Callison was one of my favorites, along with Tony Taylor.

I was kind of surprised/disappointed that the Phillies didn't incorporate some visual elements from Connie Mack Stadium into CBP. Not that CBP isn't a very nice stadium, but it's sort of generically retro whereas imitating Connie Mack would have added some uniqueness. IMHO.

" . . . it's sort of generically retro . . . "Has anyone else noticed that all the newer parks are looking somewhat alike?

Yup,the new Citi Field in Queens sort of has similarities to many other stadiums.
It's almost like the team owner sat down and picked a stadium out of a book and said build it.I would have loved to see more of the Mets orange color scheme in the new stadium.Especially the seathing like it was in the old Shea.

All new stadiums seem to have seating configurations with sharp angles, one or two upper decks in the the outfield, and asymmetrical outfields. The only difference seems to be in the exteriors. Welcome to cookie cutter stadiums II.

Fred Wilpon grew up in Brooklyn as a Dodger fan. He said that Citi was going to resemble Ebbets Field. I haven't seen the inside yet, but the outside main entrance does look a lot like Ebbets.

here is the scorecard from the final game

Jim, I have been out of town and missed this topic. I saw my first ML game at Shibe Park in 1948 when I was ten years old. Buddy Rosar singled in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth to give the Phila. Athletics a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Browns. The players I remember were Ferris Fain 1B, Pete Suder 2B, Eddie Joost SS, Hank Majeski (?) 3B, Buddy Rosar C, Ben Chapman CF. I am not sure about Majeski or Chapman and I cannot remember the other outfielders or the pitcher that day. Since then I attended uncountable games at Shibe/ Connie Mack. For many years I would get tickets from my Tasty-Kake dealer ( a sponser) for the home opener. I enjoyed the games there more than at Veterans Stadium. Moed away from the area in2001 and have not seen a game since.

Thanks geonaz,

That's the kind of response I was looking for. :up


Could this be the game you were at? Saturday June 12, 1948

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1948/06121948.htm

Thanks geonaz,

That's the kind of response I was looking for. :up


Could this be the game you were at? Saturday June 12, 1948

Events of Saturday, June 12, 1948 (http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1948/06121948.htm)
I can't say for sure but it does agree with my cloudy memory. My 13 year old brother and I sent in empty Sealtest pint ice cream boxes and received free tickets for the game. My 17 year old brother drove to the game and had to pay, i believe, 75 cents to get in. Even with the free tickets we were able to sit in the first row behind third base. I never cared for baseball before that but I was forever after that. I remember going to the Philadelphia airport to welcome the Phillies home after finally breaking their 23 game losing streak. I don't remember the year but I do know I must have been crazy to love a team that set a modern record for consecutive losses. Connie Mack stadium may not have been the greatest but I loved to sit either in right field on the bend in foul territory facing home plate on an angle. I also would often sit in the upper deck in the first row whenever possible. APBA Baseball Game would send me free deluxe box seats every couple years because I was such a good customer. They would be behind the visitors dugout. I better quit now. I could go on and on and bore you to death. Sorry. George

I better quit now. I could go on and on and bore you to death.

George, you better not quit, this is the stuff I am looking for. Retrosheet has a lot of game recaps with complete inning by inning discripiton, I was hoping your game from 1948 would be one of them. You keep typing and I'll keep reading. :up :up :)

Here are some of my favorite Phillie players:

Ruben Amaro
Jack Baldschun
John Buzhardt
Johnny Callison
Jimmie Coker
Wes Covington
Tony Curry
Clay Dalrymple
Bobby Del Greco
Don Demeter
Turk Farrell
Tony Gonzalez
Art Mahaffey
Robin Roberts
Chris Short
Bobby Gene Smith
Tony Taylor
Lee Walls
Ted Savage

I am just a pup (57), the Athelitics were gone to Kansas City before I knew what was going on . My son gave me a book entiled Connie Mack and the Early Years od Baseball. It was 643 pages and only covered his life from his birth in 1862 until the end of the 1914 season. If it had covered his whole life until he died in 1956 it would have been 6 inches thick instead of 4. It was great, I wished I would have live in that era.

Jim, my all time favorite was Richie Ashburn. I remember all the players you have mentioned. On one of my trips to the airport I tried to shke Tony Taylor's hand not realizing he had injured it and it was bandaged. He always was a gentleman and always smiled at the fans. I could not understand what he said. Bobby Wine was one of my favorites as well. Not so much as aplayer but because of the type of man he was. He lived near me and would be an occasional customer at my father's store and gas station. He bought Tommy Lasorda's house in suburban Norristown, PA. I sold Bobby a lawn tractor in 1980 after the Phillies won the series. He told me several years earlier that he would buy one if the Phillies ever won the series. About two weeks later he called me at Sears and ordered the tractor. Wonder what he's doing now. Next time I'll write about the 1950 pennant race and Don Newcombe starting both games of a twi-nite double header against the Phillies. Oops, I just did write about it. Dodgers won both games but Newcombe won only the first game. There were about eight members of the Grogg clan in attendance that night and it was a school night. Oh well, enough rambling for tonight. Bye

My all time favorite was Richie Ashburn.

I was fairly young at that time, I remember Richie with the Cubs and the Mets. You keep on posting an I'll keep on reading.

Man I was so tired I spelled my own name wrong. I am not Grogg, I am Groff. I think Grog is a character in the BC comic strip. Us old folks need our rest. One of my saddest memories at Connie Mack was in 1964 when the Phillies blew the NL pennant. I was sitting in a deluxe box seat behind the Reds dugout when I think it was Chio Ruiz stole home in the late innings of one of the games in the losing streak. I will never forget the grin on his face as he looked right into my eyes as he returned to the dugout. I thought the Phillies would never again get to the world series. What made it even worse was that the father of a friend had series tickets from his company but he did not like baseball. He asked me if I would take his son to the game if He gave me the tickets. DUH, what do you think was my reply? You mentioned Wes Covington, I attended a game when Jim Bunning was pitching and had a no-hitter going into I believe the seventh inning. There was a fly ball hit to Wes and he was so slow he could not quite get to it and it tipped off his glove for the first of the game. I forget the outcome of the game and even the opposing team but it was a long time before I forgave Wes. If I recall correctly he wore shoes with lead inserts before the game in an attempt to make him faster. Did not seem to work. More later.

I saw my first game at Schibe Park about 1942 or 43. Before the "A's" moved to Kansas City. Used to sit right behind the A's dugout for about $3. Would take the Reading Railroad to N. Broad St. Station and walk the 7 blocks to the field. Is Schibe Park long gone? The railroad apparently is. !st Eagles game in 1944. Steve Van Buren ran the opening kick off back 94yds. for a TD. Many Phillies games after the A's left. Got back there some tine in the 70's. to see a Phillies game. Now if I could only get a decent cheese steak in California!

Hi Clapple,

Thanks for you input.

Yes, Shibe Park is gone. The Phillies left it in 1970 for Verteran's Stadium. It stood open to vandels, the upper deck grandstand behind home plate was a victim of arson in 1971, until it was demolished in 1976. A church now stands at the corner of 21st and Lehigh.

Check out this link and see what the ole girl looked like in her final days: http://www.stadiumpage.com/stadiumgraveyard/

I was in Philadelphia back in Janurary of '07. My son took us to Dallasandros up in Germantown for a cheesesteak. After that, I will never eat another one unless it comes from Dallasandros. It was great!!!! :up

Here are a couple of more websites with pics of old ballparks.

Ballparks by Munsey and Suppes (http://www.ballparks.com/baseball/index.htm)
Ballparks of Baseball-The Fields of Major League Baseball (http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/)

Has anyone else noticed that all the newer parks are looking somewhat alike?

Yeah. Why not. They are mostly all from the same designer/builder "HOK".
Most new stadiums are smaler capacity ballparks with oddball dimesnsions and fence heights. Wells and other nuances. Some are over the top. Citi Field comes to mind. In that stadium no Met club leader will ever hit 35 HR's in a season again.
I would have liked to have been at the meeting where they decided the outfield wall dimensions and shapes.
I would have removed my shoes and jumped up on the conference table and yelled "What the hell are you people thinking about!!!
Anyway, the retro idea is cool.

It's not the nicest of town.We usually hit Pats King of Steaks or Genos on 9th & Passyunk at least once a month for cheesesteaks before a game.A few years ago,we met Kerry Fraser & Pat Dapuzzo the ref & linesman before a game.That is really the only other place in Philly I visit other than the Sports Complex.

Did they tear down all of the old baseball parks ? I was once told that there was still a facade of one of the old time parks still standing some place in Philly.

Save for Center City and the Sports Complex area, Philly is well, my parents always told me if I didn't have anything nice to say , say nothing.
Ok my opinion of Philly except for the aformentioned areas is "nothing".
I have seen some of the neighborhoods and it is tragic what Philadelphia city politicos have allowed to happen there.
ANyway, not trying to hijack the thread.
I always wanted to visit some of the old ballparks before they tore 'em down.
Wrigley and Fenway are the only two left now.

My first game ever was in 1954 when I saw the NY Giants play the Phillies in Connie Mack. I was also there the day Granny Hamner had 3 triples in one game. (Still a record I believe). As a teenager, we drove from Lewisburg to Harrisburg to take the train to see many Sunday games. Many great games and the beer man on the train never checked for your age. Johnny Callison and Wes Covington still remain my favorite players for those teams, but the blown pennant in 1964 made me swear off the Phils for the rest of my life. Byrun Saam is still a legend in my mind and the reason I got into radio announcing as a young man. I guess seeing this topic and a couple of Keystone Lights opened up my memory... THANKS.


:):):):):):)

Here is a great site for old ballparks
Ballparks, Arenas and Stadiums (http://albums.phanfare.com/5406850/9999/)

with sections for Connie Mack Stadium & Baker Bowl
Shibe Part Part I (http://albums.phanfare.com/5406850/2414356#imageID=38722383)
Shibe Park Part II (http://albums.phanfare.com/5406850/2414367#imageID=51615315)

Tony, thanks for those links. Some of those photos will be added to the collection.