Veteran Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Philadelphia, in the state of Pennsylvania USA. It is located on the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. The seating capacity registered in 1971 was 65,358 seats for football, and 56,371 for baseball.
It hosts the Philadelphia Phillies from Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1971 to 2003 and the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL) from 1971 to January 2003. The 1976 and 1996 Major League Baseball All-Star Games were held there.. The vet also hosted the US Navy football tournament-17 times between 1980 and 2001.
In addition to professional baseball and football, the stadium hosts other amateur and professional sports, major entertainment events, and other civil affairs. It was destroyed by an explosion in March 2004 after being replaced by the adjacent Citizens Bank Park and Lincoln Financial Field. The parking lot is now in its former location.
Video Veterans Stadium
History
Inception, design and construction
In early 1959, the owner of Phillies, R. R. M. Carpenter Jr., proposed the construction of a new baseball stadium for the Phillies on 72 acre (290,000 m 2 ) land adjacent to Garden State Park Racetrack in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The Phillies' house, Shibe Park, began to show its age (built in 1909), has inadequate parking space, and is located in a deserted neighborhood. Furthermore, in 1959 alcohol sales at sporting events were banned in Pennsylvania but valid in New Jersey. The proposed ballpark will have 45,000 fans, expandable to 60,000 and will have 15,000 parking spaces.
Athletics Philadelphia in the American League has moved to Kansas City, Missouri after the 1954 season and the Philadelphians will not lose any other professional sport. In 1964, the Philadelphia voters approved a $ 25 million bond issue for the new stadium that serves as the home for both Eagles (who play at Franklin Field University of Pennsylvania) and Phillies. Due to cost swelling, voters had to go to polls again in 1967 to approve another $ 13 million. At a total cost of $ 60 million, it is one of the most expensive ballpark to date.
The stadium was named by the Philadelphia City Council, in 1968, for veterans of all wars. In early December 1969, the Phillies expected that they would play the first month of the 1970 season at Connie Mack Stadium before moving to a new place. However, the opening was delayed a year due to a combination of bad weather and cost swelling.
The stadium design is almost circular, and is known as the "octorad" design, which seeks to facilitate soccer and baseball. The Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego is similarly designed. As with other cities where this dual approach is tried (other examples include RFK Stadium in Washington, DC; Shea Stadium in New York City, Astrodome in Houston; Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta; Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis The Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, and Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh), the size and shape of a very different playing field make the stadium inadequate for sports needs.
First game
The Phillies played their first game at the stadium on Saturday, April 10, 1971, beating the Montreal Expos, 4-1, before 55,352 spectators. Jim Bunning (named Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996) was the winning pitcher while Bill Stoneman took the loss. Entertainer Mike Douglas, whose daily talk show was recorded in Philadelphia, sang The Star-Spangled Banner before the game. The host for the opening ceremony is the recently-played Phillies broadcaster announcer Harry Kalas. Boots Day opens the game with grounded to Bunning. Larry Bowa had the first stroke of the stadium and Don Money outwit the first home run.
Last game
Over the age of the stadium, his condition deteriorated. A hole in the wall allows visiting team players to peer into the Cheerleaders Eagles dressing room. So many rats infect the stadium so that the security forces hire cats as rats. The last football match played on Vet was the loss of the 27-10 Eagles to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the NFC Championship Game on 19 January 2003. The Eagles moved to Lincoln Financial Field in August 2003.
The last match ever played in the stadium was the afternoon of September 28, 2003, the loss of Phillies 5-2 to the Atlanta Braves. The last hit was recorded by Greg Maddux from Braves, the last loss by Phils' Kevin Millwood. The last Phillies match was scored by Marlon Byrd at the top of the third inning, and the final round was altogether by Braves' Andruw Jones in doubles by Robert Fick (who also got a final blow at Tiger Stadium as Detroit Tiger 4 years earlier) on the 5th. the last on Vet was a single by Phills' Pat Burrell at the bottom 9. The next dough, Chase Utley, was grounded in double play to end the game and Vet. However, the ceremony that followed attracted the hearts of the best-selling people. Both Paul Owens, former general manager, and Tug McGraw, a former pitcher, made their last public appearance in the park that day; later that winter the two men died. The last public-aired words uttered in the park by Harry Kalas - a veteran announcer who helped open the facility on April 10, 1971 - who parroted his typical home run call: "And now, the Veteran Stadium is like 3-1 strolling into Jim Thome or Mike Schmidt. Being on a looooooong journey... IT OUTTA HERE !!! "The team played their first game in their new home at Citizens Bank Park at 12 April 2004.
Disassembly and warning
On March 21, 2004, the 32-year stadium exploded within 62 seconds. Frank Bardonaro, President of Chicago-based AmQuip Crane Rental Company pressed the "charge" button and then Bardonaro and Nicholas T Peetros Sr., Project Manager for Driscoll/Hunt Construction Company merged to press the "fire" button to trigger an explosion when Greg Luzinski and Phillie Phanatic, the Phillies mascot, pushed the ceremonial button for the fans. Parking spaces for sports facilities are currently being built in 2004 and 2005 on site.
On June 6, 2005, World War II D-Day anniversary, a plaque and monument to commemorate the place where the stadium stands and a memorial to all veterans dedicated by the Phillies before their match against the Arizona Diamondbacks. On September 28, 2005, the second anniversary of the final stadium match, a historical marker commemorating where the baseball stadium was standing. In April 2006, the granite chamber marked the location of the former home plate, a pitcher mound, and three bases for baseball, and a soccer placement, was added in Western Parking Lot U.
Maps Veterans Stadium
Seating capacity
Stadium features
The stadium is a complex structure with its seats plated in seven separate levels. The lowest, or "Level 100", extended only part way around the structure, between about a 25-yard line for football matches and near two rest places for baseball. "Level 200" consists of field-level squares, and "Level 300" housed labeled "Terrace Boxes". These three levels collectively form the "Lower Stands". "Level 400" is reserved for press and officials; top level starts with "Level 500" (or "loge box"), "Level 600" (top seat reserve, or individual seat), and finally, "Level 700" (general reception for baseball). Initially, the chairs were shades of brown, terra cotta, orange and yellow, looking like autumn days, but in 1995 and 1996, the blue chairs replaced the autumn.
At one time, the stadium could accommodate over 71,000 people for football, but restructured in the late 1980s - including the removal of a few lines from Level 700 around most stadiums to accommodate the construction of the Penthouse Suite - bringing capacity to around 66,000.
The stadium was strongly criticized by baseball people. Even with multi-purpose stadium standards, the upper deck is very high, and many seats in the area are so far away from the field making it difficult to see games without binoculars. Like most of his contemporaries, the dirty area is quite roomy. About 70% of seats are in fair territory, adding to the feel of the stadium cave. No dirt in the garden except for a sliding hole around the base. In the fall, football signs are clearly visible in the vast outfield area. Although the size of the stadium allows Phillies to destroy previous attendance records, during the years that Phillies did not do as well, even the 35,000 crowd looked sparse.
The stadium has been known for providing both Eagles and Phillies with terrific home-field advantages. In particular, acoustics greatly increase crowd noise in the field, making it almost impossible for opposing teams to hear each other.
700 Level
The "700 Level" is notorious for being home to rowdiest fans in the Philadelphia Eagles game, and to a lesser extent, the Philadelphia Phillies game. In his book If Football is a Religion, Why Do not We Have Prayer? , JereÃÆ' Â © Longman describes Level 700 as having a reputation for "unfriendly taunts, fighting, public urination and general weirdness." Due to the increase in facilities, there is no equivalent either in Lincoln Financial Field or Citizens Bank Park. This name has also been an inspiration for the Philadelphia-related website, as well as the weekly "Letter to Editor" section on the Philadelphia Inquirer's Sports Week page.
Play surface
The field surface, originally consisting of AstroTurf, contains many loopholes and uneven patches. In some places, the seams are clearly visible, giving him the nickname "Field of Seams". It constantly attracts the "worst NFL field" ratings in a player survey conducted by the NFL Players Association, and visiting players often fall prey to dangerous conditions that result in a lot of injuries. The NFLPA reportedly threatened to sue the city for bad conditions, and many sports agencies told the Eagles not to consider the signing or design of their clients. The Eagles, for their part, complained to the city on various occasions about the conditions at the stadium. Baseball players also complain about the surface. It's much harder than other AstroTurf surfaces, and the shocks that occur on it often cause back pain.
Two of the most widely publicized injuries that were blamed on the surface of the match took place exactly six years. On October 10, 1993, Chicago Bears receiver Wendell Davis had both of his cleats trapped in a seam while he planted to jump to a bomb taken from QB Jim Harbaugh. She tore both her patellar tendons, ending her career. On October 10, 1999, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin suffered a neck injury that caused him to retire early. (The previous unseeded eagle rallied from a 10-0 deficit and won 13-10.)
In 2001, the original AstroTurf was eventually replaced by a new surface, NexTurf. It's much softer, and is reportedly easier on the knees. However, the city crew who installed the new grass reportedly did not install it properly, so it was spotted in several places.
The first football match in the new territory is scheduled to take place on August 13, 2001, when Eagle played the Baltimore Ravens in a pre-season game. However, Ravens coach Brian Billick refused to let the Ravens take the field to warm up when he found a trench around the area where the third base is covered by NexTurf pieces. Crew City failed to try to fix the problem, forcing the game to be canceled. Then, players from both teams reported that they sank into the grass at a location near the infield piece. Team president Joe Banner was furious after the match, calling the stadium conditions "completely unacceptable" and "embarrassing for Philadelphia city." City officials, however, promise that the stadium will be suitable for play when the regular season begins.
The problem was caused by heavy rains over the weekend before the game, which made the dirt in the sliding holes and pitcher mounds so soft that the pieces that covered them in the football configuration became flaccid and uneven. Even when the new dirt is shifted over, it quickly becomes the same as the saturation of old dirt. The problem is solved by using a hot asphalt mixture, which allows for a solid game surface, but requires a jackhammer to be removed each time the stadium is converted from football back to baseball (between August and October each year).
Fans
Fans who attend matches at the stadium for football matches earned a reputation as the most intense in the sport, especially at the famous Level 700, the highest seat level in the stadium before the construction of a luxurious skybox behind the seating area. The stadium became famous for the admiration of Eagles fans.
One of the more notable examples of fans' behavior was during the 1989 season in a follow-up game with the so-called "Bounty Bowl". On Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 1989, the Eagles defeated the Dallas Cowboys at Texas Stadium, 27-0. In the game, Cowboys licker, Luis Zendejas suffered a concussion when a rough block by linebacker Jessie Small after the kickoff. After the match, Cowboys beginner Jimmy Johnson's head coach commented that Eagles coach Buddy Ryan wins a gift to Zendejas and Cowboys midfielder Troy Aikman. Two weeks later, on December 10, they played a rematch that was dubbed "Bounty Bowl II" at the stadium that the Eagles won 20-10. The stadium seats are covered with snow in the stands. The volatile mix of beer, "gifts" and intense hatred for "American Team" (which is 1-15 seasons) caused fans throwing snowballs at players and Dallas coaches. Beer sales were banned after the incident for two games. A similar incident in 1995 at the Giants Stadium during the San Diego Chargers national broadcast game - the New York Giants led the NFL to decide that the seating area should be cleared of snow in a certain period of time before kickoff.
Liberty Bell Classic, college baseball tournament Division Philadelphia I, played at the stadium since its inception in 1992 to 2003. The original eight schools are:
In the first championship match in 1992, Delaware beat Villanova 6-2.
The stadium hosted the 10th Atlantic Conference Baseball Tournament 2009, won by Fordham.
Small League Baseball
In November 1987, the new owner of the AAA Phillies franchise, Maine Guide, was considered to play the 1988 season in Vet because Lackawanna County Stadium would not be ready until the 1989 season. The team had to play the 12:35 game during the day when the Phillies had a scheduled night game on Vet. Ownership was chosen to remain at Old Orchard Beach for 1988, renamed the 'Maine Phillies' club, and moved to Moosic, Pennsylvania in 1989 as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons.
East League Trenton Thunder played two home games at the stadium in April 1994. The Thunder defeated the Canton-Akron Indians, 10-9, ahead of 483 fans on April 20, 1994, and won 9-3 on 21 April. Phillies broadcaster Tom McCarthy was at the booth for the Thunder for these two games.
Soccer
The stadium is home ground for Philadelphia Atoms and Philadelphia Fury, both North American Football League teams. The Fury attracted 18,191 fans for April 1, 1978, their opener at the stadium that they lost 3-0 to Washington's diplomats. The Fury averaged 8,279 per game in 1978 NASL, 5,624 per game in 1979 NASL, and 4,778 in the NASL season of 1980. The club was moved to Montreal in the 1981 NASL season.
The stadium hosted an exhibition match on August 2, 1991, between the US National Team and the English professional football club Sheffield Wednesday F.C.. John Harkes played for Wednesday, the first American to play in the English Premier League. 44,261 fans saw the US scoring twice in the second half to beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-0.
Philadelphia established an offer committee to host matches for the 1994 World Cup to be played in the United States. President Phillies, Bill Giles, is on the Philadelphia bid committee and hopes to use the Veteran Stadium for the match. In addition to the challenge of installing a natural grasscourt for the game, FIFA will require Phillies to vacate the stadium for a month to allow sufficient preparation time before the game. Giles can only offer 17 days. Of the nine spots that were eventually chosen to host matches, no one returned home to a professional baseball club.
Soccer high school
Veterans Stadium hosted the Philadelphia City high school football matches from 1973 to 1977 and in 1979. The series was suspended in 1980. With the introduction of the Philadelphia Catholic League into what is now the PIAA District XII (formed at the time of the Public League) with PIAA in 2002), "City Title Game" was restored in 2008.
Professional wrestling
The only professional wrestling event held at the Veterans Stadium was the National Wrestling Alliance/Jim Crockett Promotions The Great American Bash on July 1, 1986, with the attendance of 10,900. This event is the beginning of a summer tour of 14 cities.
Concert
The stadium has hosted numerous concerts in the stadium, by renowned artists of various genres.
More events
The venue also hosts religious events including the annual devotional of Jehovah's Witnesses, which is open to the public every year. It also hosted the crusade of Billy Graham in 1992.
Photo gallery
Further reading
- Birker, Paul Arthur (2005). Veteran Stadium; Field of Memories . Philadelphia: Temple University Press. ISBN: 1-59213-428-9.
- Westcott, Rich (2005). Veteran Stadium: Dismantled . Xlibris Corporation. ISBN: 1-4134-5915-3.
References
External links
- Philadelphia Phillies: "Veteran Stadium: Field of Memories"
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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