Shibe Park / Connie Mack Stadium

**zxasqw12** · 04-06-2008, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by BSmile

The last 3 are of Shibe in the stages of demolition (sad).

Sad indeed. Looking at these pix makes me glad that there won't be lingering deaths for Shea and Yankee Stadium. It would be painful to watch these great old parks deteriorate like that.

At least when the end comes, it will be quick

**Lpeters199** · 05-19-2008, 11:50 AM

She was a beauty.

Attachment 42857

**Lpeters199** · 05-19-2008, 11:55 AM

The big scoreboard.

Attachment 42858

**Lpeters199** · 05-19-2008, 12:46 PM

http://pro.corbis.com/popup/Enlargement.aspx?mediauids={49fd7db0-7c57-4250-83e1-c806ccb9ae80}|{ffffffff-ffff-ffff-ffff-ffffffffffff}&qsPageNo=1&fdid=&Area=Search&TotalCo unt=20&CurrentPos=11&WinID={49fd7db0-7c57-4250-83e1-c806ccb9ae80}

**alpineinc** · 05-19-2008, 01:38 PM

Dead links.

**Mario Mendoza...HOF Lock** · 05-19-2008, 04:08 PM

Great photos, Lpeters.

**Mario Mendoza...HOF Lock** · 05-19-2008, 05:39 PM

1934 A's vs Tigers

Rowhouses across street (kind of like Wrigley today)

More demolition

1930 World Series

1929

Cleaning up for '29 Series

**Astros4Life** · 05-19-2008, 08:24 PM

im interested to know whose idea it was to put up the tall wall so the people on the rooftops couldn't see the game...it looks like a nice stadium even with the wall but i think it would have looked better with the rooftop seating

**Gary Dunaier** · 05-19-2008, 09:57 PM

Originally Posted by Mario Mendoza...HOF Lock

Rowhouses across street (kind of like Wrigley today)

I believe those rowhouses are still standing today.

Originally Posted by Astros4Life

im interested to know whose idea it was to put up the tall wall so the people on the rooftops couldn't see the game...it looks like a nice stadium even with the wall but i think it would have looked better with the rooftop seating

It was the Phils' idea. They didn't like the idea of so many people watching the games for free, so they erected what is commonly known as the "spite fence" in the 1930s specifically to block the view of the houses across the street.

I agree with you... being able to see those rowhouses would have added character to Shibe.

**Lpeters199** · 05-19-2008, 10:16 PM

Did a ball have to carry over the high louvred wall to be a home run, or was there a home run line on top of the ads? Also, just how high was the wall?

**JWB13** · 05-19-2008, 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by Gary Dunaier

I believe those rowhouses are still standing today.

It was the Phils' idea. They didn't like the idea of so many people watching the games for free, so they erected what is commonly known as the "spite fence" in the 1930s specifically to block the view of the houses across the street.

I agree with you... being able to see those rowhouses would have added character to Shibe.

You're right about everything except it wasn't the Phillies who put up the spite fence, it was Connie Mack's idea in 1935, three years before the Phillies moved in. The people of 20th Street took the A's to court, but the A's won.

And those row houses still exist today:

http://www.ebaseballparks.com/shibe.html

Scroll down to see 20th Street today.

**HoldenV8** · 05-21-2008, 01:45 AM

They left this for Veterans Stadium??

**Bazookadale** · 05-21-2008, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by HoldenV8

They left this for Veterans Stadium??

Pretty much had to.Much as we loved the old park it was on it's last legs.After Mack sold it the Phillies did little to maintain it. The neighborhood around it was deteriorating, the was no place to park and you didn't want to walk through that part of town at night - or daytime for that matter!They had to move - the Vet was what everyone thought was cutting edge technology. It took quite a few cities building bad parks to learn what a mistake it was.

**Astros4Life** · 05-21-2008, 08:39 PM

When did the phils start playing in Shibe, was it before or after the A's moved to KC

**alpineinc** · 05-21-2008, 09:15 PM

Originally Posted by Astros4Life

When did the phils start playing in Shibe, was it before or after the A's moved to KC

A's at Shibe - 1909-1954

Phils at Shibe - part of 1927, then 1938-1970

They shared the park for over 17 seasons.

**Pelt** · 05-22-2008, 11:03 AM

Under construction - 1908.

**Pelt** · 05-22-2008, 11:09 AM

**stlfan** · 05-22-2008, 11:10 AM

That construction photo makes it look like it was built in the middle of rural farmland.

**Astros4Life** · 05-22-2008, 09:19 PM

Originally Posted by alpineinc

A's at Shibe - 1909-1954

Phils at Shibe - part of 1927, then 1938-1970

They shared the park for over 17 seasons.

i had no idea they shared it for that long, i understood the phils left the baker bowl but i didnt know it was in 38, i thought it was in the 40s or 50s

**old perfessor** · 05-23-2008, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by alpineinc

These two photos are from both ends of a doubleheader on Sunday, October 2, last day of the 1966 season, vs the Dodgers. Many interesting bits of history at play here, among them Drysdale and Koufax pitched for LA in their final twinbill together, although LA already clinched the pennant.

In the first photo (first game) all the commotion is Johnny Callison being carried off after being the front end of an inning ending double play, and was taken out of the game. #10 Bill White is seen heading back out the first base for the top of the 2nd. Phillies won the opener, 4-3, with Chris Short pitching the final two innings to get his 20th win, the only time in his otherwise average career. Although Drysdale didn't lose, he would go on to lose both Games 1 and 4 in the following week as Baltimore swept away the Dodgers in the '66 WS.

A classic pitching matchup in the nightcap, Koufax is seen batting in the second photo (he batted right) in the 3rd inning against the great Jim Bunning (Wes Parker just stole second, and the catcher having a word with umpire Doug Harvey is none other than Bob Uecker!), and would go on to win 6-3, notching his career high 27th win against 9 losses, striking out 10, in his final regular season game, and second to last of his career - his last game would be losing Game 2 of the WS in LA on Thursday. Ironically, Bunning would be denied this last career chance for a 20th win this day, settling for the last of his four 19 win seasons (he won 20 only once, back in '57 with the Tigers).

Wow!! Those are great color photos of Connie mack Stadium from 1966!! Thanks very much for sharing them. What is the origin of the photos? Are there any more?

**Lpeters199** · 05-23-2008, 03:50 PM

A grand old park.

Attachment 43114

**Lpeters199** · 05-23-2008, 03:53 PM

She was stunning even in black & white.

Attachment 43115

**alpineinc** · 05-23-2008, 04:54 PM

..........

**Brackish__4** · 05-23-2008, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by alpineinc

This is fun!

Thursday, July 10, 1969. Lou Brock rounding third to score on Curt Flood's 2-run double, making it 8-3, with a 9-3 final. An otherwise nondescript game, with both teams having nondescript years, the Cubs and Mets already well ahead of the (inaugural) NL East pack by now (although the Mets have yet to make their move, as witnessed by the Cubs victory on the board). Starting time is odd - first pitch was just past 6 pm, with the clock now after 8, probably accounting for the paltry 3,888 attendance.

LOL! I love it! These old scoreboards are like little time machines! The scoreboards now stink. Just think about the last pitch of Don Larson's perfect game, with the outfield fence scoreboard showing everything you need to know about that game. As much as I hate the Red Sox, Fenway's scoreboard in left looks pretty sweet in photographs.