Overview of the Ballpark Informally known by various names including Philadelphia Base Ball Park and the Huntingdon Street Grounds, National League Park—as it was officially called—was the home ballpark of the Philadelphia Phillies between 1887 and mid-1938. It gradually came to be known as Baker Bowl after William F. Baker, owner of the Phillies between […]

A New Beginning “This is not a sixth place ball club,” said Phillies’ new manager Pat Moran at the team’s 1915 spring training camp in St. Petersburg, Florida. Referring to the club’s disappointing finish the previous year, Moran sensed that he had a pennant contender on his hands and knew it was his job to […]

The opening lines of Charles Dickens classic work, A Tale of Two Cities, are a most apt starting point to tell the story of the 1930 Philadelphia Athletics. It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. The best of times, of course, applies to the team itself. The 1929 A’s were […]

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Philadelphia Athletics first American League championship, one of nine the team would win during its illustrious history. The 1902 title was, in some respects, the most improbable the Mackmen would claim. The year started disastrously for the A’s—not on the ball field, but in the courts. Mack […]

Who was Charles “Pop” Kelchner? Why does he deserve to be in the Hall of Fame? Many readers from the Lehigh Valley remember “Pop” as a legend in his own time .Born in 1875 in Berks County, he spent most his life deeply involved in athletics. After graduating from Lafayette College in 1898 where had […]

It is a difficult feat to revitalize the reputation of a perhaps less than Hall of Fame baseball career years after you have hung up the spikes. Max Bishop, however, has done just that. Seventy years after he retired from major league baseball in 1935, his reputation stock continues to rise. To a group of […]

Muggsy McGraw, once upon a time when the American League was in its infancy, made the now famous remark that Messrs. Shibe and Mack had a White Elephant on their hands in taking hold of the Athletics in this city. Look around Shibe Park today. Think of the wonderful success the Athletics have had since […]

Introduction Connie Mack was the object of many celebrations and tributes during his 50-year reign as manager of the Philadelphia Athletics. One of the more elaborate ceremonies to honor the A’s pilot took place in Philadelphia on May 17, 1941, This article revisits that event—Connie Mack Day—and the festivities which took place to pay tribute […]

Februqry 8, 1956: A sad day for baseball fans. Connie Mack passes away at the age of 93. A man born during the Civil War, born the son of Irish immigrants became the most dominant figure the game of baseball had known. Connie Mack entered this world in East Brookfield, MA on either December 22 […]

Mention 21st and Lehigh to any Philadelphia baseball fan of yesteryear, and there is never a doubt what that means. It was the address of Shibe Park. Before there was artificial turf, before there were retractable roofs, exploding scoreboards, mascots, dancing girls, and designated hitters, Shibe Park was one of Philadelphia’s special treasures. The ballpark […]