Guestbook Entry by Glenn Herbert
Allentown, PA
I am 52 years old. grew up in Philadelphia my entire life. When
I was a child I discovered and adored the Phillies, going to games
at Connie Mack. I heard my mother and uncle tell me how they use
to work for Jerrold's Electronics and it was located across the
street from Baker Bowl, where the Phils played for over 40 years.
My uncle would sneak away from his soldering table to peak on the
Phils game (all afternoon games, of course). He's recall Chuck Klein
catching balls off the short, right filed wall and nailing batters
at 2nd base!
The only thing is, they Phils weren't very good as I grew up.
My dad told me of a team that use to play in Philadelphia called
the A's, the same team that had just moved to Oakland (late 1960's).
So I looked them up. They were in 9 World Series and won 5 of them
while in Philadelphia. UNREAL! My poor Phils were in just two and
lost um both. So I became a BIG A's fan.
Then my dad and uncle (both born in Phila in 1910) told me how
they use to go to the rooftops seats across from Shibe Park. Then
my dad told me how he use to babysit for Jimmy Dykes, a former A's
player (and later manager). Then I moved to a new neighborhood and
heard my new friend's home use to belong to one of the A's players.
Then I discovered the Internet, and then all the terrific pictures
on the A's, Columbia Park, Shibe Park, Connie Mack. I have rooftop
seats from the 1913 World Series posted as my desktop, and my "screen
saver" is a long slide-show of many more pics of the rooftop
seats, the "spite fence", and anything I could find on
the A's when they belonged in Philadelphia (including a few I found
from Columbia Park, where the A's played until 1908.)
I use Google Maps and travel down the streets as they are today
and look at the homes I can find in old pictures from Columbia Park
and Shibe Park. I am excited when I can go back over 100 years and
take it all in, then and today.
Then I read here of how a few dreamers like myself like to imagine
the impossible (so it seems) happen and the A's come back. I have
a far fetched dream and imagine a couple of billionaires putting
up tax write off money and buy the site where the present church
now is that once had Shibe Park located there for nearly 50 years.
They lure the A's here. The neighbor is fixed up, the city makes
roads terrific for lots of traffic, build parking lots near by,
etc. The rooftop seats are built right where they once were.
Over 30,000 fans attend each game and the most incredible story
I could ever imagine comes true. It is OK to dream. I am supportive
beyond words to have my A's come home. My dad, mom, and uncle have
long passed on, but their memories of telling me about this team
are vivid to me.
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