Shibe Park / Connie Mack Stadium

[tdinan]

Is it still a bad neighborhood? I just read the nice "To Every thing a season" by Bruce Kuklick and I was wondering about the actual conditions of the area around the old Shibe (the book was written in 1991).

It's a horrendously scary neighborhood. I was never so frightened when I went to visit the site a few years ago. The church itself is OK, but the surrounding urban blight is about as bad as I have ever seen.

[jints15]

Exactly. Could you imagine the Phils playing up on Lehigh today? LOL. My grandfather told me stories about Shibe. Wish I could have seen a game there in person, at least one.

Im from NY and my dad is an old NY Giants fan we used to make at least 1 trip per year when the SF Giants came to Philadelphia when they had Mays, McCovey and Marichal. I never forgot when we parked our car in the street near Connie Mack Stadium there would be at least ten kids run up to you and ask to watch your car for a $1.00. Connie Mack was one of my favorite parks that I went to along with the Polo Grounds.

[killebrewski]

Is it still a bad neighborhood?

Yes it is.

[killebrewski]

Im from NY and my dad is an old NY Giants fan we used to make at least 1 trip per year when the SF Giants came to Philadelphia when they had Mays, McCovey and Marichal. I never forgot when we parked our car in the street near Connie Mack Stadium there would be at least ten kids run up to you and ask to watch your car for a $1.00. Connie Mack was one of my favorite parks that I went to along with the Polo Grounds.

Great story. Thanks for sharing!

[Tampa Bay Giants]

Im from NY and my dad is an old NY Giants fan we used to make at least 1 trip per year when the SF Giants came to Philadelphia when they had Mays, McCovey and Marichal. I never forgot when we parked our car in the street near Connie Mack Stadium there would be at least ten kids run up to you and ask to watch your car for a $1.00. Connie Mack was one of my favorite parks that I went to along with the Polo Grounds.

I believe that was the case in a lot of cities around that time.

I'm originally from Cincinnati, and the first game my father took me to was at Crosley Field on June 5, 1965.
Giants - 1
Reds - 0
It was a Saturday afternoon game and attendance was 25,262. I got to see Marichal, Mays, McCovey, Rose, Pinson, Frank Robinson, and the great Jim Maloney in that game. We sat down the right field line near the bullpen.

Anyway, when we parked the car, there were a bunch of kids swarmed the car wanting to watch the car. My Dad paid up $3 to 3 different kids. I asked him later about why he did that. My father, the stoic figure who looks like James Garner and speaks like Clint Eastwood said...."Insurance..." and that was all he said on the matter.

[DarioMet]

Glad to know that unlicensed car-park attendants are not just a southern italian prerogative Interesting stories, indeed, thank you.

[stuarthouse]

I believe that was the case in a lot of cities around that time.

I'm originally from Cincinnati, and the first game my father took me to was at Crosley Field on June 5, 1965.
Giants - 1
Reds - 0
It was a Saturday afternoon game and attendance was 25,262. I got to see Marichal, Mays, McCovey, Rose, Pinson, Frank Robinson, and the great Jim Maloney in that game. We sat down the right field line near the bullpen.

Anyway, when we parked the car, there were a bunch of kids swarmed the car wanting to watch the car. My Dad paid up $3 to 3 different kids. I asked him later about why he did that. My father, the stoic figure who looks like James Garner and speaks like Clint Eastwood said...."Insurance..." and that was all he said on the matter.

Ah, yes. The old protection racket.

[Lpeters199]

From LIFE magazine:

[Lpeters199]

Was there a home run line on the high right field wall and scoreboard, or did a ball have to clear everything to be a home run?

[old perfessor]

Was there a home run line on the high right field wall and scoreboard, or did a ball have to clear everything to be a home run?

The ball had to clear everything except the the Longines clock on top of the scoreboard to be a homerun. Balls hitting the Longines Clock on top of scoreboard were homeruns. The right field wall was 33-34' feet high. The scoreboard with the Ballentine ad was 60' high. The Longines clock on top of the scoreboard was 75' high.

Richie Allen, Joe Adcock (both RH) and Wes Covington (LH) are the only hitters credited with hitting a ball over the scoreboard. No one hit one over the clock or apparently is credited with hitting the clock.

[soup]

[Paul W]

previous pix - 6/6/59

[jnakamura]

Hand-me-down scoreboard from Yankee Stadium.

[Lpeters199]

Thanks, old perfesser. Home runs to right field must have been pretty rare. Left handed hitters paid a high price for the owners being so greedy as to block the view from across the street.

[mdseverin]

Since the A's are one of the few teams without a new stadium, and will most likely get one in the next decade. Do you think they should design something that pays homage to Shibe? Like the classical domed enterance and facade. Or should they go with the Cisco Field design, or something more modern like Target Field?

I know on these threads that most people are sick of the retro look. But no new ballpark looks like Shibe. I'm also not sure if this would really fit with Northern California architecture. I am just curious what others think.