National League Park , commonly referred to as the Baker Bowl after 1923, was a baseball stadium home to the Philadelphia Phillies from 1887 until 1938, and the first home field of the Philadelphia Eagles from 1933 to 1935. It opened in 1887 with a capacity of 12,500. It burned down in 1894 and was rebuilt in 1895 as the first ballpark constructed primarily of steel and brick and with a cantilevered upper deck.
114-413: The ballpark's first base line ran parallel to Huntingdon Street; right field to center field parallel to North Broad Street ; center field to left field parallel to Lehigh Avenue; and the third base line parallel to 15th Street. The stadium was demolished in 1950. The Philadelphia Phillies had played at Recreation Park since their first season in 1883. Phillies owners Al Reach and John Rogers built
228-603: A Baptist temple, it has now become a prime part of the Avenue of the Arts. Where Broad Street intersects with Clearfield Street in North Philadelphia is the exact location of the 40th Parallel . One of the busiest streets in the country, Broad Street is shut down for the annual 10-mile (16 km) Broad Street Run . Passing by some of Philadelphia's most famous landmarks, the course averages over 35,000 participants
342-559: A $ 8.7 million project to brighten North Broad with 41 stainless steel light masts. In early 2025, the Philadelphia Parking Authority will install speed cameras along Broad Street. Southern Boulevard Parkway is a landscaped segment of South Broad Street in Philadelphia , connecting Marconi Plaza and FDR Park from Oregon Avenue at Broad Street southward five intersections to the gateway entrance of
456-526: A .303 batting average in 63 games. Despite playing only the second half of his rookie season, Thompson ranked among the National League leaders with seven home runs (third most in the league) and nine triples (10th most in the league). Displaying a strong arm that would be one of the main features of his defensive game, Thompson also ranked fifth in the league with 24 outfield assists in only 63 games. In 1886, team owner Frederick K. Stearns made
570-534: A .310 batting average with 101 runs scored, 13 triples, and eight home runs in 122 games. His 89 runs batted in (RBIs) ranked third in the National League. His defensive statistics continued to impress as well. He led the league with 11 double plays from the outfield, ranked second with a .945 fielding percentage, and was fourth in the league with 194 outfield putouts. The 1886 Wolverines compiled an impressive 87–36 record (.707 winning percentage), but lost
684-533: A .391 batting average . Thompson signed with the Indianapolis Hoosiers of the newly formed Western League in 1885. He compiled a .321 average in 30 games with the Hoosiers. He was approached by a Union Association team and offered more money, but in a show of "steadfastness to his word", Thompson refused the offer and remained with Indianapolis at a pay of $ 100 per month. The Hoosiers were
798-500: A Philadelphia All-Star team featuring Grover Cleveland Alexander at night before 8,000 fans on July 25, 1932. Alexander had led the Phillies to the 1915 pennant at the ballpark and was cheered warmly when he came to bat. The lights were placed on 50-foot-high poles around the playing field and powered by a portable 1000-watt generator with a 250-horsepower engine and radiator. A small incident occurred overnight on August 2–3, 1935, when
912-480: A big splash when he purchased the Buffalo infield that had become known as the "Big Four", consisting of Dan Brouthers , Hardy Richardson , Jack Rowe , and Deacon White . In addition, Detroit pitcher Lady Baldwin won 42 games in 1886, a major league record for a left-handed pitcher. The 1886 season was Thompson's first full season in the majors. Thompson made a major contribution to the 1886 club as well, compiling
1026-545: A championship parade was for the Philadelphia Flyers in 1974 . Since the 1980s, residents and visitors have often parked illegally in the striped median strip of Broad Street, which is paved in the same way as the road surface and is not raised, particularly in South Philadelphia , with the city and parking authority rarely enforcing the law against doing so except during major events such as
1140-537: A fire, inflicting $ 80,000 in damages (equal to $ 2,817,231 today), which was covered fully by insurance. The fire also spread to the adjoining properties, causing an additional $ 20,000 in damage, equal to $ 704,308 today. While the Phillies were playing a short road trip and staging six home games at the University of Pennsylvania Grounds at 37th and Spruce, a building crew worked around the clock erecting temporary bleachers. The makeshift stands were finished in time for
1254-555: A higher probability of foul flyouts and extended an advantage to pitchers. Seats were added along the left field wall prior to the 1896 season. The ballpark was held in such high regard that in April 1897, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported on Phillies' outfielder Sam Thompson singing the park's praises to the team's new players as they returned to Philadelphia from spring training, "...Thompson says that if he can see
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#17327909758711368-453: A hit and two RBIs in his first game, he totaled seven hits, four runs, three RBIs and a triple in eight games with the Tigers. At age 46, he became, and remains, the oldest player to hit a triple in the major leagues. Detroit sports writer Paul H. Bruske noted that Thompson was still able to throw the ball from deep right field to the plate "on a line" and that he still had "a lot of speed on
1482-523: A home run after 14 games. However, Thompson opted to leave the team in May 1898 and return to his home in Detroit. His sudden retirement has been attributed to a "combination of homesickness and chronic back pain." Other accounts indicate that continued tension with manager Stallings contributed to Thompson's decision to retire. Late in the 1906 baseball season, Thompson briefly returned to the major leagues as
1596-521: A hotel there. The next morning, the players were told that the team had arranged a fishing trip for them. The players boarded the steamship Annette and enjoyed the first day and night of successful fishing. After three days, the players became suspicious, but the ship captain laughed when asked when they would return to Detroit. As the players became mutinous on the sixth day, the captain admitted he had been ordered to keep them "out at sea" for 10 days. In another account, Thompson described his 10 days aboard
1710-417: A lightning bolt hit the flagpole and splintered it. The reporter wryly observed that if the Phillies were to win the 1935 pennant, they would have no place to hang it. That was a safe proposition, as the Phillies finished in seventh place, 35 + 1 ⁄ 2 games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs. When the Phillies departed in 1938, the ballpark did not offer motor vehicle parking, and would never feature
1824-462: A major league record. His 166 RBIs in 1887 (in only 127 games) was 62 more than anyone else in the league that year, and it stood as the major league record until 1921 when Babe Ruth collected 168 (albeit in 152 games). Thompson still holds the major league record for most RBIs in a single month with 61 in August 1894 while playing for the Phillies. Thompson was also one of the best power hitters of
1938-480: A north–south axis between 13th Street and 15th Street, containing what would otherwise be known as 14th Street in the Philadelphia grid plan . It is interrupted by Philadelphia City Hall , which stands where Broad and Market Street would intersect in the center of the city. The streets of Penn Square, Juniper Street, John F. Kennedy Boulevard , and 15th Street form a circle around City Hall at this point. It
2052-664: A player for the Detroit Tigers . With starting outfielders Ty Cobb and Davy Jones out of the Tigers lineup with injuries, Thompson volunteered to fill in. At age 46, Thompson had remained active, playing baseball for the Detroit Athletic Club and other local teams. Accordingly, in late August and early September 1906, he took his old place in right field for Detroit. Thompson's return to baseball led to an increase in attendance, as "the stands and bleachers were full of special Thompson delegations." After getting
2166-575: A popular brand of soap. This led to the oft-reported quip that appended "... and they still stink!" In 1936, a vandal snuck into the Baker Bowl one night and actually wrote that phrase on the Lifebuoy ad. Conventional wisdom ties their failures to the Baker Bowl, but they often finished poorly in Shibe Park as well. At the ballpark on September 17, 1900, in game 1 of a doubleheader against
2280-402: A separate press box nor public address system. The stadium would never feature its own lights for night games. National League Park was distinguished by its right field wall which at its closest distance was only 280 feet (85 m) from home plate, with right-center only 300 feet (91 m) away. Behind the right field wall was North Broad Street and North Broad Street train station across
2394-468: A sign on the ballpark's exterior reading National League Park. The Phillies referred to it as National League Park in newspaper advertisements through the final game day, June 30, 1938. Huntingdon Street Grounds was an early common name for the ballpark after the street running behind the first base line and intersecting Broad Street behind home plate where the ballpark's primary entrance was located. On July 11, 1923, The Philadelphia Inquirer coined
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#17327909758712508-480: A thriving urban residential community, countryside recreation and the focal location point for regional metropolitan spectator sporting events. The Boulevard was utilized as the main entrance and central roadway in the 1926 Sesquicentennial Exposition , a world's fair hosted in Philadelphia, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence , and
2622-458: A waste of time for him to write to me about signing. The cheese-paring methods of the management ... have been the causes leading to my resolution. ... The management [has] made a barrel of money, but they grind the players into the dirt." Thompson finally agreed in March 1894 to return to the Phillies, but only after management agreed to improve travel accommodations. In 1894, Thompson was part of
2736-714: A year. Broad Street from Oregon Avenue at Marconi Plaza to City Hall , in South Philadelphia and Center City , is the location of the Mummers Parade , which has been held annually every New Year's Day since 1901. Broad Street often serves as the main parade route for Philadelphia sports championship parades, most recently for the Eagles Super Bowl LII victory. During the Phillies 2008 World Series victory parade, an estimated two million people lined Broad Street. The largest gathering for
2850-856: Is merely referred to as part of Broad Street. Broad Street is home to several Philadelphia cultural landmarks. Broad Street between Spruce and Market Streets is known as the Avenue of the Arts , and includes the Academy of Music , and the Kimmel Center . Two blocks north of City Hall is the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts , and further north is the New Freedom Theatre . The South Philadelphia Sports Complex , near Broad's south end along Southern Boulevard Parkway ,
2964-550: Is one of the earliest planned streets in the United States, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a continuous north–south street, planned by surveyor Thomas Holme and developed for Philadelphia in 1681. Broad Street is served by many public transit routes, including SEPTA 's Broad Street Line subway and several SEPTA city bus routes . As of 2023, the entire length of Broad Street
3078-488: Is part of Philadelphia's High Injury Network , the small fraction of city streets on which the majority of traffic deaths and serious injuries occur. Broad Street has gone through various changes since its beginnings in colonial-era America . Thomas Holme introduced the first geographical plan of the city to William Penn in 1687. Proposing a center square, Holme designed the street to be roughly 100 feet (30 m) across and 13 miles (21 km) long. Penn intended that
3192-650: Is the site of Citizens Bank Park , Lincoln Financial Field , and the Wells Fargo Center . Demolished sports facilities located in this area were John F. Kennedy Stadium , the Spectrum , and Veterans Stadium . As a result, the Philadelphia Flyers are nicknamed the "Broad Street Bullies". South of the sports complex and interchanges with the Schuylkill Expressway (Interstate 76) and Interstate 95 , Broad Street has its southern terminus in
3306-605: The Annette as follows: "We were prisoners, but well cared-for prisoners. Anything in the line of creature comforts you could find packed away on ice. We lived on the best in the market, and spent the rest of the time in fishing and playing poker, chips having very thoughtfully been provided. On the night of the tenth day, at midnight, we were all taken ashore where Watkins met us and signed us to our contracts." The players were only later presented with their accumulated mail which included scores of offers from other clubs. A writer in
3420-483: The Cincinnati Reds , the Phillies were discovered to have been stealing opponents' signs using hidden wires and an electronic device. Phillies’ backup catcher Morgan Murphy sat in the team's centerfield clubhouse window which faced home plate. The Phillies ran wires from Murphy, under the field, to a battery-powered device in a box buried underneath the third-base coach's box. From centerfield, Murphy would spot
3534-502: The Detroit Free Press later noted: "Detroit magnates showed some inside baseball brains and great finessing in sending the players away from all tempters for that period when they belonged to no club." Regardless of the trickery by Detroit, Thompson considered Detroit to be a mecca. He recalled his first time in 1885 viewing Woodward Avenue with Indianapolis teammate Mox McQuery . They gazed with "open-mouth amazement" at
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3648-783: The Great Migration of the early 1900s, numerous jazz and blues clubs opened in the city, including the Uptown Theater , which was built on North Broad Street in 1927. By the 1950s, Broad Street residential areas had been replaced with skyscrapers as well as the newly developed Penn Center . Since the 1970s, the street has undergone various city renovations. Using $ 100 million in public funds, Broad received new lighting and streetscaping, theater restorations and new restaurants and cafes. Lamp post fixtures have been improved as well as sidewalk pavements and subway entrances. In 2015, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter introduced
3762-545: The Northwestern League . A scout for Evansville travelled to Danville and was referred to "Big Sam", who was working on a roof in Stinesville . Thompson was initially reluctant to give up his carpentry career and travel 150 miles to Evansville, but he ultimately agreed to give it a try. Unfortunately, the league folded in early August 1884, after only five games. In five games at Evansville, Thompson compiled
3876-567: The South Philadelphia Sports Complex and Xfinity Live! , and the Philadelphia Navy Yard . In 1904, a plan for park and parkway improvements in South Philadelphia was designed by Samuel Parsons Jr., but work stopped by 1910. In 1912, the city's director of public works, Morris Cooke, engaged Olmsted Brothers , an architecture firm, to produce designs for League Island Park , Oregon Plaza and
3990-463: The "wondrous pavements", having never seen a street as "clean and smooth as a table." Thompson joined the Wolverines lineup in early July. In his first plate appearance, he had a hit off New York Giants ' Hall of Fame pitcher Tim Keefe . The Wolverines were in last place when Thompson joined the club, but won 12 of their first 13 games after Thompson took over in right field. Thompson compiled
4104-602: The 1,320 ft (400 m) by 15 ft (4.6 m) wide bicycle track which encircled the field, and others in the terraces above left field. Philadelphia Mayor Edwin Henry Fitler attended along with the city's political and business leadership and many baseball leaders, including New York Giants owner John B. Day , Brooklyn Dodgers' founder and owner Charlie Byrne , Baltimore Orioles manager Billy Barnie , and Philadelphia Athletics manager Lew Simmons . The Phillies defeated New York 15 to 9. The original layout of
4218-522: The 50th anniversary of the 1876 Centennial Exposition. Open green areas, parking, and huge exposition buildings flanked the Boulevard lined with linden trees and flowering crab apple trees , individual obelisks as the 13 columns for each of the original Thirteen Colonies known as the "Founders Pylons", various standards, banners , and a huge 80 foot high 27 ton replica of the Liberty Bell at
4332-481: The Baker Bowl on May 30, 1935, grounding out to first base in his only at bat but getting an assist by throwing a runner out at home plate on a relay play from left field. He reitred, at 40, after a poor start, confident of receiving a managerial offer, but one never came from any franchise, only a brief stint as a 1st base coach three years later for the Brooklyn Dodgers. When the ballpark first opened, it
4446-1230: The Broad Street Run. Public transportation along Broad Street includes SEPTA 's Broad Street Line subway, which served an average of about 137,000 riders per weekday in 2010, running beneath Broad Street for most of its length. The subway starts at the Fern Rock Transportation Center in the Fern Rock neighborhood in North Philadelphia and begins to follow Broad Street at the Olney Transportation Center , extending south through Center City to NRG station at Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia . Several SEPTA City Bus routes run along Broad Street, with Routes 4 and 16 following Broad Street for most of their routes. The Route 4 bus follows Broad Street from Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia north to Rising Sun Avenue in North Philadelphia, where it diverges to
4560-483: The Depression, and the Phillies new ownership were not in a position to make badly needed renovations. The Chicago Tribune ran a series of articles on baseball parks during the summer of 1937; the article on the Phillies' ballpark was merciless in its ridicule. Included was the oft-repeated joke of this era that the Phillies had remodeled the clubhouse by installing brand new nails to hang their clothes upon. This
4674-400: The Hoosiers' battery of Larry McKeon and Jim Keenan . The Wolverines were outbid by the Cincinnati Reds for McKeon and Keenan but wound up with the Hoosiers' manager ( Bill Watkins ) and the rest of the team's starting lineup. The only catch was that a 10-day waiting period would allow other teams to outbid Detroit. Marsh and Maloney promptly sent the players to Detroit and quartered them in
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4788-643: The Lorraine was one of the tallest residential structures in Philadelphia. Private clubs such as the Columbia and Mercantile were popular during the Gilded Age . At the turn of the 20th century, Broad Street transformed from a bustling boulevard to a cultural magnet for music and the arts. On January 1, 1901, the very first Mummers Day parade was held, becoming a staple of Philadelphia culture. As jazz and gospel music grew in popularity in Philadelphia with
4902-484: The National League pennant, finishing 2½ games behind the Chicago White Stockings . Thompson had his breakout season in 1887 when he won the National League batting crown with .372 batting average, and he set a major league record with 166 RBIs. Thompson also led the league in hits (203), triples (23), slugging percentage (.565), total bases (308), and at bats (545). On May 7, 1887, Thompson became
5016-461: The National League with a 62-68 record. In 1897, at age 37, Thompson was sidelined by pain and appeared in only three games. Some accounts suggest that Thompson's absence from the lineup may have also been the result of his not getting along with Philadelphia's new manager George Stallings . Without Thompson, the 1897 Phillies dropped to 10th place with a 55-77 record. Before the 1898 season began, Thompson gave an interview in which he questioned
5130-441: The National League with a career-high 20 home runs. He also became the first major league player to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases (Thompson stole 24 bases) in the same season. Thompson improved his batting average to .313 in 1890 and led the league in both hits (172) and doubles (41). Thompson's batting average dipped slightly below .300 in 1891 (.294) but bounced back in 1892 to .305. In each of his first four seasons with
5244-483: The Philadelphia Navy Yard. The parkway consists of the central median landscaped area including the bordering east and west tree lined sidewalks and various sized green spaces which separates opposing lanes of traffic, and roadway intersections. Broad Street is a historic city street and this landscaped segment is bordered by an urban residential townhome community and the entrance to the major venues of
5358-434: The Phillies chances to compete in 1898: "What are the Phillies' chances this season? Six clubs, Cincinnati Baltimore, Boston, New York, Cleveland and Brooklyn are bound to beat them, and they will have to fight hard to lead the second division, and I very much doubt if they can do that." Though his loyalty to the Phillies was questioned, Thompson did return in 1898 and was batting .349 with 15 RBIs, five doubles, three triples,
5472-502: The Phillies were unable to compete for the National League pennant, finishing in fourth place in 1893 and 1894 and in third place in 1895. Thompson's 1893 totals included a league-leading 222 hits and 37 doubles. After the 1893 season, Thompson vowed not to return to Philadelphia in protest over the owners' penny-pinching ways and the team's inability to compete for a pennant. In October 1893, Thompson announced: "I shall not play again in Philadelphia, and I told Harry Wright it would be
5586-454: The Phillies, Thompson finished among the league leaders in total bases and RBIs. He ranked third in total bases in 1889 (262), 1890 (243), and 1893 (263), second in RBIs in 1892 (104), and third in RBIs in 1890 (102). He also tallied a career-high 32 outfield assists to lead the National League in 1891. (It has been suggested that Thompson's assist and home run totals in Philadelphia were aided by
5700-499: The World Series and led all hitters with a .362 average, two home runs, seven RBIs and a .621 slugging percentage. During the 1888 season, Thompson was sidelined with a sore arm during most of the season and appeared in only 56 games. His batting average declined by 90 points to .282, and the fortunes of the entire 1888 Detroit team followed suit. The team finished in fifth place with a 68-63 record. With high salaries owed to
5814-517: The attention of bleacher fans down the left field line. Many of the fans ran to the top of the wooden seating area, and the added stress on that section of the bleachers caused it to collapse into the street, killing 12 and injuring 232. This led to additional renovations to the stadium and forced ownership to sell the team. The Phillies temporarily moved to the Philadelphia Athletics ' home field, Columbia Park , while their ballpark
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#17327909758715928-465: The ballpark to show off the reconstructed and reinforced left field bleachers. The grandstand improvements were inspected by the City of Philadelphia's Chief Building Inspector and granted his approval. The Phillies' new ownership refurbished the ballpark further prior to the 1905 season. They had the grandstand painted and every seat cleaned. As they had the previous year before the season, the Phillies had
6042-680: The bases." In 15 major league seasons, Thompson compiled a .331 batting average with 1,988 hits, 343 doubles, 161 triples, 126 home runs, 1,305 RBIs, and 232 stolen bases. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. Thompson was one of the most prolific run producers in baseball history. His career RBI to games played ratio of .923 (1,305 RBIs in 1,410 games) remains the highest in major league history, higher even than Lou Gehrig (.921), Hank Greenberg (.915), Joe DiMaggio (.885), and Babe Ruth (.884). In 1895, Thompson averaged 1.44 RBIs per game (147 RBIs in 102 games), still
6156-530: The cantilever just once more he will die happy. Many of the boys have never seen the monument at Broad and Huntingdon streets, and Samuel has given luminous descriptions of the hump, grade, and drainage system." Prior to the 1897 season, Phillies owner John Rogers claimed that the ballpark's capacity was 20,008. During the August 8, 1903 game against Boston with 10,078 in the stands, an altercation between two drunken men and two teenage girls on 15th Street caught
6270-611: The center square would eventually be home to Philadelphia City Hall . During the American Revolutionary War , Broad Street was often settled by Continental Army troops moving in and out of the city. As the city's population grew, Broad Street was extended both north to Vine and south to Dickinson, eventually reaching the Delaware River waterfront, where today's Philadelphia Naval Shipyard stands. It remains Philadelphia's longest straightaway and one of
6384-411: The city and the country had to offer. The intended result was to create a Suburban Village by blending the countryside with the urban environments and developing an organization of open space, views and providing the advantages of increased health benefits of purity of air and facilities for quiet out-of-door recreation. This original concept design facilitated surrounding development in the next century of
6498-592: The close of the exposition, but the area continued to draw development in the 1960s with a new stadium, bowling alley, drive in movie theater, movie theater, and the Aquarama Aquarium Theater of the Sea . The development pattern continued with the connstruction of two venues for Philadelphia's four primary professional athletic teams, the 76ers , Eagles , Flyers , Phillies . Veterans Stadium , an outdoor stadium that opened in 1971 and closed in 2003,
6612-502: The collapse, one individual died of heart failure in the subsequent stampede that injured 50. As in 1903, the Phillies rented from the A's while repairs were being made to the old structure. The left field stands and bleachers were entirely rebuilt with fresh lumber prior to the 1932 season. While the ballpark would never feature its own floodlights for night games, the House of David baseball team, traveling with portable arc lights, played
6726-498: The dirt with his cleats. Before the Phillies' groundskeeper could stop him, Corcoran had unearthed the electronic box and showed it to umpire Tim Hurst . Hurst disciplined no one, signaled the game to continue, and is reported to have shouted, "Back to the mines, men!" On June 9, 1914, Honus Wagner hit his 3,000th career hit in the stadium. Babe Ruth, then with the Boston Braves, played his final major league baseball game in
6840-638: The dominant team in the Western League, compiling an .880 winning percentage. In mid June 1885, the Western League disbanded, and a mad rush developed to sign the players on the Indianapolis roster, a line-up that included Thompson, Deacon McGuire , Sam Crane , Chub Collins , Jim Donnelly , Mox McQuery , Gene Moriarty , and Dan Casey . Thompson later told the colorful story of his acquisition by Detroit. Detroit sent two representatives (Marsh and Maloney) to Indianapolis, principally to sign
6954-458: The early decades of the game. He still ranks among the all-time major league leaders with 61 double plays from the outfield (16th all time) and 283 outfield assists (12th all time). Thompson also had good speed on the base paths and, in 1889, he became the first major league player to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in the same season. Thompson was born in Danville, Indiana , in 1860. He
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#17327909758717068-801: The east to head to the Fern Rock Transportation Center. The Route 16 bus follows Broad Street from Philadelphia City Hall north to its terminus at Cheltenham Avenue , where the bus route continues west along Cheltenham Avenue to the Cheltenham-Ogontz Bus Loop. The entire street is in Philadelphia in Philadelphia County . 39°57′03″N 75°09′50″W / 39.950827°N 75.163968°W / 39.950827; -75.163968 Sam Thompson (outfielder) Samuel Luther " Big Sam " Thompson (March 5, 1860 – November 7, 1922)
7182-406: The era before Babe Ruth . At the end of the 19th century, Thompson's 126 career home runs ranked second only to Roger Connor . Defensively, Thompson still ranks among the all-time major league leaders with 61 double plays from the outfield (16th all time) and 283 outfield assists (12th all time). Thompson has also been credited by baseball historians with perfecting "the art of throwing the ball to
7296-415: The erection of the new left field stands. Prior to the 1907 season, a new corrugated roof was placed over half of the grandstand, and the visiting team clubhouse was refurbished with new showers and other amenities. Through the 1907 season, the batters eye in centerfield was stonework and reflected the sun. Prior to the 1908 season, the Phillies' painted the stonework green to match the wood fences and reduce
7410-413: The establishment of the post-season interleague championship. While the Phillies were occasionally at least respectable in the dead-ball era, once the lively ball was introduced the team became less competitive. It was an extremely hitter-friendly park, making it an especially difficult place to pitch. For a number of years, a huge advertising sign on the right field wall read "The Phillies Use Lifebuoy ",
7524-537: The fence. Because of its material, it made a distinctive sound when balls ricocheted off it, as happened frequently. The clubhouse was located above and behind the center field wall. No batter ever hit a ball over the clubhouse, but Rogers Hornsby once hit a ball through a window. The proper name of the original ballpark was Philadelphia Ball Park while the rebuilt structure from 1895 was National League Park . The opening-day game program in 1887 called it Philadelphia Ball Park. Photographs during its later years show
7638-446: The field was different from its shape by 1895. In 1887, the dimensions of the playing field were left field 425 ft (130 m), center field 330 ft (100 m), and right field 290 ft (88 m). The long left field distance was to the outer wall before the bleachers were added. The center field was much closer than it became later when the center field area was extended over the sunken railroad tracks. The bicycle track
7752-586: The fifth highest of all time. Thompson also led the National League with a career-high .696 slugging percentage, and he hit for the cycle on August 17, 1894. In 1895, Thompson compiled a .392 batting average with 211 hits in 119 games and led the National League in slugging percentage (.654), total bases (352), extra base hits (84), home runs (18), and RBIs (165). His average of 1.39 RBIs per game in 1895 remains second in major league history—trailing Thompson's 1.44 ratio in 1894. Thompson also continued to perform well defensively with 31 outfield assists, second most in
7866-427: The finest defensive performances of his career. Despite appearing in only 119 games in the outfield, he led the league in outfield fielding percentage (.974), outfield assists (28), and double plays from the outfield (11). One sports writer noted that, even at age 38, Thompson "possessed an arm that the fastest sprinters in the big league had a lot of respect for." As a team, however, the Phillies fell to eighth place in
7980-417: The finger were surgically removed in mid-May 1894. Despite the injury and partial amputation, and being limited to only 102 games, Thompson compiled a .407 batting average with a career-high 28 triples and a league-leading 147 RBIs. His 1894 ratio of 1.44 RBIs per game remains the all-time major league record. Also, his 28 triples was the second highest total in major league history up to that time and remains
8094-577: The first player in major league history to hit two triples with the bases loaded in the same game. The 1887 Detroit Wolverines featured four future Hall of Fame inductees (Thompson, Dan Brouthers , Deacon White , and Ned Hanlon ) and won the National League pennant with a 79-45 record. The Wolverines then went on to defeat the St. Louis Browns of the American Association in a 15-game World Series challenge. Thompson played in all 15 games of
8208-516: The former Philadelphia Naval Shipyard . Joe Frazier's Gym , the personal training gym and home where former heavyweight boxing champion Joe Frazier lived and trained in preparation for his fight against Mohammed Ali and George Foreman , is located at the corner of Broad St. and W. Glenwood Ave champion boxer; it has since been turned into a furniture store. The former offices for The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News newspapers are on Broad Street just north of City Hall and
8322-404: The former PA State Building is at the intersection with Spring Garden Street. The Public School District Administration relocated between these two landmarks. Also located on North Broad at its intersection with Fairmount Avenue is the historic Divine Lorraine Hotel . Farther north, Broad passes through the campus of Temple University and its performing arts center, which opened in 1891. Once
8436-422: The game on August 18. During the 1894–95 off-season, the park was fully rebuilt, seated 18,800, and was dedicated on May 2, 1895. The Phillies' National League Park was the first ballpark to be constructed primarily of steel and brick to prevent future fires. The ballpark had outer brick walls on all four sides, three wide steel stairways between decks, and a series of fifteen 30-foot heavy iron girders supporting
8550-531: The gateway of Oregon Plaza. The Boulevard was illuminated at night with spectacular visual displays of the Liberty Bell surrounded with 26,000 light bulbs, the Founder Pylons each with a powerful searchlight projecting skyward, and the shooting projection of lights from the Tower Of Light. This provided a fantastic effect for that time period. The structures were demolished or removed following
8664-423: The glare; moved the score board to the right field foul line; and for the first time built covered dugouts described as "small pavilion-like sheds erected over the players' bench, completely shutting the bench out from view of the people in the grandstand." The park was refurbished again prior to the 1909 season with increased seating capacity, new box seats, and renovations to the players' clubhouse. The park itself
8778-504: The intersection of Cheltenham Avenue on the border of Cheltenham Township and the West / East Oak Lane neighborhoods of North Philadelphia to the Philadelphia Navy Yard in South Philadelphia . It is Pennsylvania Route 611 along its entire length with the exception of its northernmost part between Old York Road and Pennsylvania Route 309 (Cheltenham Avenue) and the southernmost part south of Interstate 95 . Broad Street runs along
8892-448: The league. From June 11 to 21, Thompson had 6 consecutive games with at least 3 or more hits. Since then, only Jimmy Johnston (June 24–30, 1923) and George Brett (May 8–13, 1976) had 6 straight games with at least 3 or more hits. At age 36, Thompson played his last full season of professional baseball in 1896. His average dipped to .298, but he still managed to collect 100 RBIs. Thompson's throwing remained strong as he turned in one of
9006-556: The longest urban boulevards in the United States. During the early 19th century, Broad Street was home to many wealthy residents, especially around the Rittenhouse Square area. Homes were designed in Victorian and Gothic styles. South Broad became center for the fine arts with the establishment of the Academy of Music in 1857. The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and Adelphi Theater were also built during
9120-399: The major league record until 1921 when Babe Ruth collected 168 (albeit in 152 games). Thompson still holds the major league record for most RBIs in a single month with 61 in August 1894 while playing for the Phillies. Manager Bill Watkins in 1922 called Thompson "the greatest natural hitter of all time." Defensively, Thompson was known to have one of the strongest arms of any outfielder in
9234-499: The move as an opportunity for the Phillies to cut expenses as stadium upkeep would be split between two clubs. The final game was played on June 30, when a crowd of only 1,500 spectators watched the Phillies lose to the New York Giants , 14–1. Broad Street (Philadelphia) Broad Street is a major arterial street in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . The street runs for approximately 13 miles (21 km), beginning at
9348-425: The new National League Park for $ 80,000 with a capacity of 12,500 to open for the 1887 season. Philadelphia's Building Inspectors' office issued a permit to Joseph Bird on August 4, 1886, to construct a pavilion 130 x 105 feet, one story high, at the northeast corner of Fifteenth and Huntingdon Streets. The pavilion was built of iron and brick and featured two turrets. The ballpark's superintendent would live in one of
9462-412: The only all-.400-hitting outfield of all-time. All four Philadelphia outfielders ended the season with a batting average better than .400 ( Tuck Turner at .416, Thompson and Ed Delahanty at .407, and Billy Hamilton at .404). Thompson missed a month from the 1894 season with an injury to the little finger on his left hand. Doctors determined that the smaller bones in the finger were dead, and portions of
9576-405: The opposing catcher's signals, and then send an electronic signal – once for a fastball and twice for a breaking ball. Phillies infielder Pearce Chiles coached third-base, received the signal beneath his feet, and signaled to the batter. Cincinnati shortstop Tommy Corcoran had noted Chiles' unusual leg jolts. In the third inning, Corcoran walked to the third-base coach's box and began digging at
9690-422: The original ballpark and other stadiums. Use of the cantilever design would become, and continues to be standard in the construction of stadiums. The sweeping curve behind the plate was about 60 feet (18 m), and instead of angling back toward the foul lines, the 60-foot-wide (18 m) foul ground extended all the way to the wall in right, and well down the left field line. The spacious foul ground allowed for
9804-430: The outfield. After the close of the Baker Bowl, the terms "cigar box" and "bandbox" were subsequently applied to any "intimate" ballpark (like Boston's Fenway Park or Brooklyn's Ebbets Field ) whose configurations were conducive to players hitting extra base hits and home runs. The ballpark would also be referred to as "The Hump" in reference to the hill in center field covering the partially submerged railroad tunnel in
9918-513: The plate on one bounce, which catchers found easier to handle than the usual throw on the fly." Bill Watkins , who managed Thompson in Detroit, recalled: "He was a fine fielder and had a cannon arm and will live in my memory as the greatest natural hitter of all time." In a 1913 story on Thompson, Detroit sports writer Maclean Kennedy noted that Thompson's drives "were the direct cause of more hats being smashed, more backs that were thumped til they were black and blue by some wild-eyed fan sitting in
10032-427: The platforms and roof of the upper deck. The upper deck was made possible by the use of the cantilever system. Cantilever design was a new architectural technique in stadium construction in 1894, and National League Park was the first to be constructed with it. The ballpark's cantilevered concrete supports eliminated the need for many of the support columns in the pavilion that had made for “obstructed view seating” in
10146-670: The progression of the Industrial Revolution , Philadelphia became a center for trade and commerce. Transportation growth gained prominence with the construction of the Broad Street Station in 1881. Social life dominated the street during the second half of the 19th century. Elaborate hotels such as the Divine Lorraine and the Majestic were centers for nightlife . Standing over 10 stories tall
10260-402: The right fielder more room to catch foul fly balls, theoretically mitigating the close proximity of the outfield wall to some extent. During a game on May 14, 1927, parts of two sections of the lower deck extension along the right-field line collapsed due to rotted shoring timbers, again triggered by an oversize gathering of people, who were seeking shelter from the rain. While no one died during
10374-505: The same time period. Banks and offices grew in number around center city as well as high rise structures. The corner of Spring Garden housed Baldwin Locomotive Works founded by Matthias Baldwin in 1825. Baldwin's company was one of the biggest steam locomotive producers before the transition to diesel powered trains. Broad Street's biggest addition came with the construction of City Hall intersecting Broad and Market. With
10488-414: The seat behind, more outbursts of frenzied shrieks and howls of glee, than those of any other player who ever wore a Detroit uniform", barring only the two great stars of the day, Ty Cobb and Sam Crawford . Thompson was married in 1888 to Ida Morasha of Detroit. They had no children and made their home in Detroit until Thompson's death. After retiring from baseball, Thompson invested in real estate and
10602-634: The short 300-foot right field fence at the Huntingdon Street Grounds .) The Phillies were a good, but not great team, during Thompson's first four years in Philadelphia, finishing in fourth place in 1889, 1891 and 1892, and in third place in 1890. From 1893 to 1895, Thompson hit his stride with the Phillies. During those three years, he hit .390 and averaged 207 hits, 125 runs, 146 RBIs, 21 triples, and 24 stolen bases. And he compiled those numbers while striking out an average of only 14 times per season. Despite Thompson's contributions,
10716-512: The stands inspected by the chief of the city's Bureau of Building Inspections prior to Opening Day, and publicized his approval that they met all codes. The Phillies erected field-level seats extending from the left field stands around to the centerfield club house before the 1906 season, which increased capacity by 3,000 spectators. The ballpark had featured hanging seats in left field on Lehigh Avenue beneath which fans parked carriages, bicycles, and other vehicles; these accommodations were lost with
10830-426: The street beyond right field that extended through into center field. Outfielders would occasionally feel the rumblings of the trains passing underneath them. During the 51 + 1 ⁄ 2 seasons the Phillies played there, they managed only one pennant, in 1915 . The 1915 World Series was the first attended by a sitting US president, Woodrow Wilson , and the last to be played in a venue whose structure predated
10944-450: The street level along the outfield fences. This tunnel continues to be used today by SEPTA Regional Rail 's Main Line . To prevent fans from viewing the games over the right field wall along the now higher Broad Street, the Phillies constructed the 12-foot-high (3.7 m) fence before the 1894 season. On August 6, 1894, the grandstand and bleachers of the original stadium were destroyed in
11058-526: The street. The right field wall came to be known as the Baker Wall after William Baker , who ran the club from 1913 until his death in 1930. The right field wall and fence in its final form was 60 feet (18 m) high. By comparison, Fenway Park 's left field wall, the Green Monster , is 37 feet (11 m) high, and 310 feet (94 m) away. The wall was an amalgam of different materials. It
11172-428: The stretch of south Broad Street from Oregon Avenue south to Pattison Avenue and southward to League Island . The unifying medial green space including the tree lined sidewalks on the east and west connected the two parks developed from river swamp lands that were filled and regraded. In 1926, a second Parkway was constructed on Moyamensing Avenue from Oregon Avenue to the intersection of Packer Avenue, and Packer Avenue
11286-607: The team's star players, and gate receipts declining markedly, the team folded in October 1888 season with the players being sold to other teams. On October 16, 1888, Thompson was purchased from the Wolverines by the Philadelphia Quakers (known as the Philadelphia Phillies beginning in 1890), for $ 5,000 cash (equal to $ 169,556 today). In his first season with Philadelphia, Thompson hit .296 and led
11400-402: The term Baker Bowl after then Phillies owner William F. Baker . Baker had purchased the club in 1913 and would own the club until his death in 1930. Built for the expectations of baseball in the dead ball era, it came to be seen as cramped and inadequate during the post-1920 live ball era. The ballpark was written about as "The Cigar Box" and "The Band Box", referring to the diminutive size of
11514-572: The turrets. The new ballpark was to have opened on April 4, 1887, for the preseason City Series against the Philadelphia Athletics, but inclement weather delayed final construction. The Phillies played their first game in the new ballpark on Saturday, April 30, 1887, in the home opener against the New York Giants. 18,000 tickets were sold for the first game, with 13,000 in the stands. An additional 5,000 fans crowded onto
11628-618: Was an American professional baseball player from 1884 to 1898 and with a brief comeback in 1906. At 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m), the Indiana native was one of the larger players of his day and was known for his prominent handlebar mustache. He played as a right fielder in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Wolverines (1885–1888), Philadelphia Phillies (1889–1898) and Detroit Tigers (1906). He
11742-487: Was extended from 20th Street to Broad Street (Southern Boulevard) for access to the Sesquicentennial Exposition . The two parks were later renamed Marconi Plaza and FDR Park , and the median landscaping was named Southern Boulevard. Olmsted's design was centered on the availability of open space to all residents. Olmsted wanted to create a place that took advantage of the best characteristics that
11856-399: Was financially comfortable in his later years. He was appointed a U.S. Deputy Marshall during World War I and also worked as the crier in the courtroom of U.S. District Court Judge Arthur J. Tuttle . He was "well known" and a "well liked" figure at the federal building in Detroit. Thompson died in 1922 at age 62. He had a heart attack while serving as an election inspector on November 7 and
11970-469: Was in contrast to the 1890s when the same clubhouse was known for its handball court, pool, trainers' facilities, and locker room. The ballpark was abandoned during the middle of the 1938 season , as the Phillies chose to move five blocks west on Lehigh Avenue to rent the newer and more spacious Shibe Park from the Athletics rather than remain at the Baker Bowl. Phillies president Gerald Nugent cited
12084-468: Was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. Thompson had a .331 career batting average and was one of the most prolific run producers in baseball history. His career run batted in (RBI) to games played ratio of .923 (1,305 RBIs in 1,410 games) remains the highest in major league history. In 1895, Thompson averaged 1.44 RBIs per game, and his 166 RBIs in 1887 (in only 127 games) remained
12198-413: Was originally a masonry structure topped by a wire fence. With the advent of the live-ball era in 1920, it became significantly easier to hit home runs over the near right field wall. The Phillies extended the barrier upward with masonry, wood, and a metal pipe-and-wire fence. The lower part of the wall was rough and eventually a layer of tin was laid over the entire structure except for the upper part of
12312-515: Was painted green which the Philadelphia Inquirer welcomed as an improvement "instead of the old glaring assortment of rainbow colors which predominated in the past." It was around this time that the double deck on the first base side was extended from the dugout all the way to the right field corner. This extension ran parallel to the foul line instead of curving, resulting in a relatively large amount of foul territory. This factor gave
12426-457: Was praised as among the finest baseball palaces in America. Phillies' ownership under Colonel John Rogers invested in the grounds and made continuous improvements the 1890s, and the Phillies' owners in the early 1900s did the same. William Baker, the Phillies' owner from 1913 to 1930, neglected the ballpark's maintenance and allowed it to fall into disrepair. Baker died in 1930 in the early days of
12540-415: Was repaired. The Phillies played sixteen games at Columbia Park in August and September 1903. The Phillies rebuilt the stands prior to the 1904 season, which had the effect of reducing capacity. Following the 1903 disaster, Phillies owner James Potter and the other club officers hosted National League president Harry Pulliam and the city's baseball writers for a luncheon, and then made an official tour of
12654-475: Was stricken again later in the morning after being taken to his home located at 6468 Trumbull Avenue in Detroit. Upon learning of Thompson's death, his former Detroit manager Bill Watkins recalled Thompson as "not only a great baseball player, but as one of the finest gentlemen I ever knew." At Thompson's funeral, "Michigan's foremost citizens – state and city officials, judges, bankers, doctors, millionaires, laborers – paid homage ... to their beloved friend", and
12768-669: Was the fifth of eleven children born to Jesse and Rebecca Thompson. He was educated at the Danville Graded School. After reaching adulthood, Thompson became employed as a carpenter in Danville. He and five of his brothers also played on a local baseball team known as the Danville Browns. In July 1884, Thompson began his professional baseball career at age 24, playing for the Evansville, Indiana , team in
12882-588: Was the home field of the Eagles and Phillies. The Spectrum , an indoor arena that opened in 1967 and closed in 2009, was the home stadium of the 76ers and Flyers. Although the thoroughfare carried the name of Broad Street the green space was officially designated in the 1950s Philadelphia Home Rule City Charter as part of the Fairmount Park urban park system as parkland, to be known as Southern Parkway . No traces of this name exist in this area today and it
12996-522: Was upgraded in October 1890. During the 1891 baseball season, the Phillies welcomed fans to ride their bicycles to games, check and lock their cycles at the park, and then use the bicycle track at the end of the game. Following the 1893 season, the Reading Railroad constructed a railroad tunnel under the intersection of Broad Street and Lehigh Avenue and the ballpark's centerfield, creating the ballpark's distinctive outfield "hump", and elevating
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