Ballparks - # 19 - Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, PA

12 August 2003

Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia (12 August 2003)

In 2003, Beck’s sister Reneé traveled from Wisconsin with her two sons for a summer vacation visit. We did a day trip to Philadelphia. Saw the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall and ended the day at Veterans Stadium for a game, coincidentally against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers. We took seats in the left field bleachers. I did not realize at the time that the Vet was in its last days. In March 2004, Citizens Bank Park became the new Phillies’ home and the Vet was demolished. Here’s a video of the event. I do love watching these controlled implosions.

South Philadelphia Sports Complex, 1971

(From Google Images)

When Veterans Stadium opened, the South Philadelphia Sports Complex looked very different. Seen from above, the Vet (1971-2004) is big and round on the lower right. On the upper left is John F. Kennedy Field (formerly Municipal Stadium; 1926-1992). The football, track and concert venue is now the site of the Wells Fargo Center. In between is the Spectrum (1967-2010) where the Flyers hockey and 76-ers basketball teams played.

Since the stadium was built and run by the city, it was named in a non-commercial, patriotic way. This was before we realized we could make a few million by selling naming rights to some corporation.

Attached to the stadium was a plaque that has since been relocated next to the new ballpark. It reads:

PHILADELPHIA VETERANS STADIUM

April 4, 1971

Dedicated to those brave men and women of

Philadelphia who served in defense of their country

Bleacher View, Veterans Stadium, (12 August 2003)

Vets was the quintessential ‘70’s clean, symmetrical, cookie-cut, plastic playpen. Phillies in the summer. Eagles in the winter. Real grass means mud in a rainy football game and we don’t want that. We want those uniform colors to be there in the second half so the TV audience can tell the players apart. Sorry that plastic grass injures the players more but hey, we pay them a lot.

What they got was considered the worst playing surface in professional sport. The only dirt on the infield was a sliding pit around each base. The rug was replaced six times and never was right. Some called it the “Field of Seams.” When the baseball and football seasons overlapped, the gridiron markings were seen at ballgames.

Veterans Stadium (12 August 2003)

Upper deck seating all around meant that over 65,000 could attend football games and baseball fans needed binoculars to see anything. The top catwalk had a large Liberty Bell sign that lit up at night. It was saved from demolition and now resides outside one of the entrances at Citizens Bank Park.

Sadly, apart from some memorable events like the team’s first World Series win there in 1980, the Vet had too many negative memories. There were the Eagles fans who were so rowdy, a jail cell and presiding judge were installed on site. As the venue deteriorated, there was a hole that allowed visiting teams to peep through to the cheerleaders dressing room. The mice infestation was so bad, a team of cats was deployed. Finally, during the 1998 Army-Navy game, a railing gave way and eight cadets were injured. That was the last straw and prompted the movement to replace the stadium.

Veterans Stadium (12 August 2003)

The view from our bleacher seats toward the ones in right field. The visiting team had a bad year but managed to win this game 6-3. The date at the top will take you to the box score if you want more details. The one notable player on the field that day was the Phillie first baseman, Jim Thome. He went on to lead the National League with 47 home runs and was voted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.