Cookie Cutter Stadiums
I saw games in the Vet, 3 Rivers, River Front and St Louis in the 70,s 80,s, except for the arches in S.L. they where almost indistinguishable. Multi-purpose, they where better for football than baseball, the Vet carpet was the worst, took 3 years off Mike Schmidt,s career.
Also saw games in the old Yankee stadium and Shibe Park in Philly, now those where parks.
There was something about the smell of the old parks, beer, peanuts, cigars "old", they smelled old, it was great ! They also had "bad seats", you could get stuck behind beams, have have half the field cut off. Never forget the Longines Clock at the top of the Scoreboard in Shibe or better known locally as Connie Mack Stadium. (Also there where rooftop seats, people who lived on the street off right field could sit on thier roofs and clearly see the game, cheap seats, they would also sell them for big games)
Also saw games in the old Yankee stadium and Shibe Park in Philly, now those where parks.
There was something about the smell of the old parks, beer, peanuts, cigars "old", they smelled old, it was great ! They also had "bad seats", you could get stuck behind beams, have have half the field cut off. Never forget the Longines Clock at the top of the Scoreboard in Shibe or better known locally as Connie Mack Stadium. (Also there where rooftop seats, people who lived on the street off right field could sit on thier roofs and clearly see the game, cheap seats, they would also sell them for big games)
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Comment by Jack (6) on June 26, 2010 at 9:06am
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Those were the good old days. But I am glad the "cookie cutters" are no more!
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Comment by Kurt Smith on June 15, 2010 at 5:28am
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Yeah, the place could definitely get hopping with a big crowd, although a full house at Citizens Bank can wake up the neighborhood too... :-)
Kind of off the topic but NASCAR has this same venue problem right now. Almost half their races are run on 1.5-2 mile speedways, and the races aren't nearly as exciting as when they go to a short track like Martinsville. Same deal, build a place with as many seats as possible.
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Comment by Irv Lammie on June 14, 2010 at 7:27pm
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Philly had the worst turf, the NFL made them repair a very dangerous seam years ago. Mike Schmidt said the turf in the Vet took 2 to 3 years off his career, hot very hard surface. It was special when they packed 65-68K into it for a big game, LOUD.
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I am a Philly guy and went to many games at the Vet. I also saw Riverfront, Busch, and Three Rivers. They weren't quite the same, but they didn't exactly give you a comfortable baseball feel. All four of those parks have been replaced by far better ones. Citizens Bank is awesome, as is PNC and the new Busch. Great American ain't too shabby either.
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Comment by Ken on June 14, 2010 at 1:04pm
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I remember those 70's stadiums as well - you couldn't tell one from the other (and the Astro Turf was particularly lousy in some of those stadiums - ie the Vet in Philly). The Vet was also one of the first stadiums I visited for a ball game.
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Never been to Fenway or Wrigley, hope they never close those doors.
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Yes the hollowed ground of old Yankee stadium, did make us think of the greats that walked the field there. I likeded Shea, thought the field and layout was great, but those dam planes. Being a Phils fan, Callison hit a winning homer in the Allstar game the year it opened 64 and Bunning threw a Perfect game at Shea on Fathers day the same year. Lots of Philly history at Shea. That also was the year of the great collapse 6 game lead with 10 to play, very sad.
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Comment by Sharon (25 Parks) on June 9, 2010 at 9:16pm
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The Vet was my first stadium. It was magical to me. Took my breath away, but then that was because of the whole experience of my first major league game. Camden Yard took my breath away too. Wow, I never had seen anything like that. I'll never forget the feeling walking into those two stadiums. I never got to Connie Mack so I don't know the smells etc. I've been to old Yankee Stadium but being a Met fan, that didn't have quite the same feeling as you got from it! Although I did appreciate the history of knowing the historical players that played on that same field I was looking at. Kind of like walking around Independence Hall and knowing I'm walking on the same bricks and looking at the same trees that Washington, Adams, Jefferson and Ben Franklin did. Goose bumps!
Have you been to Fenway or Wrigley?
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