Shibe Park/Connie Mack Stadium

[Diamond Jim]

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.

 

[Jimmy 440]

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

 

[Diamond Jim]

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

 

[Jimmy 440]

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

 

[Diamond Jim]

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.

 

[Jimmy 440]

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.

 

[Diamond Jim]

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.

 

[Diamond Jim]

Forbes Field

Jimmy, check these out.

 

[Jimmy 440]

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.

 

[Zorak]

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!

 

[Diamond Jim]

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

 

[SideshowBob]

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.

 

[Ira Lacher]

" . . . it's sort of generically retro . . . "

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

 

[Jimmy 440]

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.

 

[Ira Lacher]

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.

 

[Diamond Jim]

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.

 

[dantheman77]

here is the scorecard from the final game

 

[geonaz]

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.

 

[Diamond Jim]

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

 

[geonaz]

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

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