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Fans' impressions of
Shibe Park



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Jeff Lego, Bradenton, FL -- Sep 21, 2006 20:57 PM
6 visit(s). My rating: 5
Interesting place, players would walk the corridors, the upper deck seemed to take forever to ascend. The greenest grass and the brightest Phillies red I had ever seen (before color telecasts). I wanted the old man's job in left field, the guy who struggled to warm up the Philly left fielder. Loved exiting the ballpark through the outfield doors across the field. Wise chips, Ballantine Beer, MAB paints, Yankee Maid hot dogs, Coca-cola sign that Richie Allen would clear on left field roof, 3.25 box, 2.25 reserved, 1.00 bleachers, Longines clock, red box seats, pink reserved. I could go on and on. My first ballpark, hard to compare it.


Frederick Nachman, Chicago, IL -- Oct 15, 2006 23:46 PM
1 visit(s). My rating: 7
My only visit was in April 1968, Phils vs. Astros. Neither team got a runner past second; Phils won 2-0 on HRs by Dick Allen and, strange as it seems, Bobby Wine, off Dave Guisti. Chris Short was the WP. The stadium was pretty run down by then but it was a great place to see a game. We were in the upper deck just past first base and it seemed like we were hanging right over the field. The billboards painted on the leftfield wall and high fence and scoreboard (no stands) in rightfield made this a unique place. Shame it was replaced by the featureless Vet.


Drew Fullam, Anchorage, AK -- Jan 17, 2007 03:04 AM
10 visit(s). My rating: 7
I saw my first game at Connie Mack the Phils beat the Pirates 9-5 on an NBC Saturday afternoon game in August (I believe) of 1964 (yes that 1964-before the crash). I was 7 at the tiema nd will never forget the green grass and Johnny Callison one hopping his throws from right field in that bald patch he wore out with his throws. I can remember Mother's Day 1965 and my Mom saying Johnny's gonna hit one out for me and the next pitch disappeared over the right field wall, causing the guy in front of us to say "hey lady I'd like to know it happens when it happens not before." I always wondered where those moon shots of Richie Allen would have landed in the Vet and which block they landed in at Connie Mack. I hated getting a "Pole Seat" behind a pole but loved the stadium. In 1970n I had the tipof my glove on a Willie Mays foul ball off Jim Bunning , wish I caught it. I miss when baseball was just a game. Great site. Thanks


Paul Edwards, Niagara Falls, NY -- Jun 04, 2010 23:15 PM
1 visit(s). My rating: 9
1969. I looked at that fancy main tower from across the street and knew. It was the best thing I'd ever see at a ballpark. Stylish windows and brick walls down the streets. Inside, all red seats. We sat between first and home, maybe 15 rows up. The scoreboard to our right. Philly and Houston, Jackson over Griffin 1-0. Hisle tripled off a steel wall in right center, it almost rolled back to the infield dirt. Allen played first, used his cleats to write BOO in the dirt between pitches as an angry crowd jeered him. But only some memories are accurate. Allen really did write BOO in home games late that season. Philly beat Houston 1-0, 8-15-69. Jackson all the way. But it was against Lemaster, with Billingham in relief. And Hisle had a homer. Could it have been inside-the-park? Another memory. We had relatives there. The day after the game we met them at their home in a ritzy part of town. The patriarch invites us to walk around the neighborhood. Some really large mansions. Ho-hum. Then a big stone home with a metal fence around it. White paint splashed on much of the front yard and some of the house, including windows. "That's where Richie Allen lives," my relative said.


BRAD COOK, KANSAS CITY, MO -- Jul 01, 2012 18:35 PM
1 visit(s). My rating: 5
In 1969 I had a seat in the upper deck, directly behind home plate, about 10 rows from the rail. The seat in front of me was empty but two guys were sitting on either side of it. The rest of the seats around us were empty.
Dick Allen came up and swung at a fastball, fouling it straight back. I didn’t notice it until the ball came over the railing and was coming right at me like a bullet!
The two guys in front each dove to either side and the ball traveled like a bullet between them, right over that empty seat. It was coming right at my chest and the thought of catching a foul ball never entered my mind. I dove for the aisle; the ball hit my wooden chair and broke it. It hit right were my heart had been and would have killed me if I hadn’t seen it coming.
I looked at the broken wooden slate, thinking of what I had just avoided. I picked up the wood as a souvenir. Until the usher came down and took it from me saying, “We might want to fix it.” I doubt it. The ballpark was going to be torn down. I walked out of there in one piece, fortunately!


BRAD COOK, KANSAS CITY, MO -- Jul 01, 2012 18:46 PM
1 visit(s). My rating: 5
One of the first things Gene Mauch did when he took over the Phillies was move the bullpen from left field to right. Right field had a 50 ft steel wall and fly balls to right had a home field advantage. If the Phillies had runner(s) on base and a ball was hit to right the bullpen coach would see if it was going to hit the wall or be caught. If it was going to hit the wall he would wave a white towel and the runners would take off. Visiting teams wouldn't have this advantage and would have to wait to see if the ball was caught or not. A slight advantage for the Phillies!


Bruce Becker, Bellingham, WA -- Aug 28, 2013 12:44 PM
10 visit(s). My rating: 9
Saw scores of games from 1958-68 including doubleheaders vs. every NL opponent. Researched and painted two interiors for Bill Goff, Inc. 20 years ago I was the expert for Connie Mack Stadium signage. The gamblers sat in the CF upper deck. Field ran slightly uphill from RF foul line due to natural slope on 21st ST. Shallow slope from deep CF to the fence. RF scoreboard was purchased from the NYYankees when they installed a new one. Close examination of photos of interior reveal jerry-rigged poles and supports as the park showed her age. PHILCO Lucky numbers were posted on the light standard in RCF.


randy mast, MEDINA, OH -- Mar 15, 2015 10:58 AM
1 visit(s). My rating: 7
I went to Connie Mack Stadium one time. It was 1970 the last year for the park. I remember our seats were literally missing they had been removed. I can remember the wood floors of the upper deck and how they had paths worn through the finish. I also remember old giant light bulbs hanging from the ceiling they looked like they had not been changed for fifty years. All said it was probably at one time a grand place to visit, but by 1970 as in all cities urban decay had taken over, and not only was it in disrepair but the neighborhood around it was decaying. I was at a spring training game a few years ago and told a Phillie fan sitting next to me that I need to go out to their new park as it would be my 3rd phillie ballpark. A guy sitting behind me had me beat, he also saw the Phillies play at the Baker Bowl!


Zach LaFleur, Fowlerville, MI -- Feb 12, 2016 19:56 PM
1 visit(s). My rating: 5
This park closed before I was born (by almost three and a half years), but from pictures and movies that I have seen of it, it would have been my favorite visiting team ballpark (after, of course, Tiger Stadium in Detroit, my home team and all time favorite)! The home plate grandstand was absolutely beautiful, just as a corner piece of cake is my favorite, because of sweetness on two sides and top, quite similar to that grandstand's style in Philadelphia? They never would have had to build Veterans Stadium if there was enough land to build the right to center field double deck and not have it encroach on the playing field or the sidewalk and 20th St. behind it!


Zach LaFleur, Fowlerville, MI -- Feb 14, 2016 01:35 AM
1 visit(s). My rating: 9
This park would have been my favorite out of town ballpark for me because, of course, Tiger Stadium in Detroit was my favorite local ballpark ever! If Shibe Park ever was able to be expanded by building that double deck grandstand from right to center field, there wouldn't have been a need for Veterans Stadium, but what they have now in Philadelphia (Citizens Bank Park) is so much better than the Vet! That home plate grandstand used to be one of the most elaborate ever built and it reminds me of a corner piece of cake (which is what I go for as often as possible)! True, it closed three and a half years before I was born, but they are now building them much like this one, only better in terms of facilities, comfort, and after all those bland cookie cutters, it is about time!


Zach LaFleur, Fowlerville, MI -- Feb 19, 2016 19:20 PM
1 visit(s). My rating: 8
OK, third time is the charm, Andrew! I shared my impressions of Connie Mack Stadium At Ben Shibe Park twice previously earlier this week (and if the first one had shone up, these tries wouldn't be necessary)! This would be my favorite out-of-town ballpark for me, being a Tigers fan from Michigan since I was ten (and they last won the World Series)! I even likened its home plate grandstand to a piece of cake (opulence compared to sweetness of frosting and skill of decoration). If they had enough land from right to center field, they wouldn't have ever had to build that Veterans Stadium in South Philadelphia (that was likened to a toilet bowl or soap box)! They might have still had to build Citizens Bank Park to replace it by now, but who knows, both Fenway and Wrigley are now over 100 years old due to proper maintenance and generous upgrades by their owner operators?


Zach LaFleur, Fowlerville, MI -- Feb 19, 2016 19:22 PM
1 visit(s). My rating: 8
OK, third time is the charm, Andrew! I shared my impressions of Connie Mack Stadium At Ben Shibe Park twice previously earlier this week (and if the first one had shone up, these tries wouldn't be necessary)! This would be my favorite out-of-town ballpark for me, being a Tigers fan from Michigan since I was ten (and they last won the World Series)! I even likened its home plate grandstand to a piece of cake (opulence compared to sweetness of frosting and skill of decoration). If they had enough land from right to center field, they wouldn't have ever had to build that Veterans Stadium in South Philadelphia (that was likened to a toilet bowl or soap box)! They might have still had to build Citizens Bank Park to replace it by now, but who knows, both Fenway and Wrigley are now over 100 years old due to proper maintenance and generous upgrades by their owner operators?


Zach LaFleur, Fowlerville, MI -- Feb 19, 2016 19:23 PM
1 visit(s). My rating: 8
OK, third time is the charm, Andrew! I shared my impressions of Connie Mack Stadium At Ben Shibe Park twice previously earlier this week (and if the first one had shone up, these tries wouldn't be necessary)! This would be my favorite out-of-town ballpark for me, being a Tigers fan from Michigan since I was ten (and they last won the World Series)! I even likened its home plate grandstand to a piece of cake (opulence compared to sweetness of frosting and skill of decoration). If they had enough land from right to center field, they wouldn't have ever had to build that Veterans Stadium in South Philadelphia (that was likened to a toilet bowl or soap box)! They might have still had to build Citizens Bank Park to replace it by now, but who knows, both Fenway and Wrigley are now over 100 years old due to proper maintenance and generous upgrades by their owner operators?



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