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Beginning with the Oscar winning film Rocky in 1976, the steps became widely known as The Rocky Steps after they played a significant role in a popular Philadelphia-based six-movie series. In a now-legendary scene from the first Rocky film, the title character, Rocky Balboa (played by Sylvester Stallone), finishes a grueling training run by ascending the steps’ daunting heights and exulting at the top, arms raised triumphantly, to the tune of “Gonna Fly Now”. The Rocky steps appeared in a four of five sequels.Before Rocky III, released in 1982, Stallone commissioned A. Thomas Schomberg to create a bronze statue of Rocky. After filming for the movie completed, Stallone donated the statue to the City of Philadelphia. The statue is located at the bottom of the outside stairs at the Philadelphia Museum of Art—the famous steps Stallone was filmed running up and down. Gaze at the vista of the city from the majestic building.Rocky was the first sports film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture. In 2006 it was ranked fourth on the American Film Institute’s 100 Most Inspiring Movies of All Times.

Actor Sylvester Stallone in front of the Rocky Sculpture.

The fictional Rocky Balboa of Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky movies was immortalized in bronze in 1980. After filming for the movie completed, Stallone donated the statue to the City of Philadelphia. 

The Rocky Steps were immortalized in the 1976 movie 'Rocky,' when Sylvester Stallone famously ran up them and raised his arms triumphantly at the top. Photo by su1droot - Flickr. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. 

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Philadelphia's Boxing Heritage 1876-1976 from Acadia Publishing

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Rocky sculpture by artist A. Thomas Schomberg

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The 72 stone steps before the entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania have become known as the "Rocky Steps" as a result of their appearance in the triple-Oscar-winning film Rocky and four of its sequels, Rocky II, III, V and Rocky Balboa, in which the eponymous character runs up the steps to the song "Gonna Fly Now". The statue of Philly boxer Rocky Balboa is located at the bottom of the stairs, and was created by A. Thomas Schomberg in1980. The Rocky Statue and the “Rocky Steps” are two of the most popular attractions in Philadelphia.

The Rocky Statue and Steps

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With stops at over twenty landmarks, monuments, and historical markers, this trail includes past and present Philadelphia sports venues and other landmarks related to the history of sport. 

Ever since its grand opening in 2003, Lincoln Financial Field has made it a main priority to become one of the few solely energy-self-sufficient stadiums worldwide and reduce its environmental footprint. The stadium is well known for its full commitment to its waste management and renewable energy programs. Studies have shown that a single NFL game with 70,000 people in attendance produces 58 tons of carbon dioxide emissions and around 15-25 tons of landfill waste per game. As part of the “Go Green” initiative, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), city officials, and other businesses fitted the facility with over 11,00 solar panels and 14 wind turbines that supply over 4mw of generating capacity. The majority of these solar panels are located in the parking lot, which happens to be the largest array of solar panels in Philadelphia. This array of solar panels at Lincoln Financial is also the largest of any stadium in the NFL. The solar panels supply the bulk of the self-sufficient energy, while the wind turbines have been explained by the Eagles president, Don Smolenski, as more of “...a visual representation of our commitment to sustainable efforts” (Simon, 2016). One of the biggest accomplishments that this initiative has achieved is a 99.8 percent waste diversion rate through numerous recycling and compositing programs. These efforts have shown to save the stadium over 140 tons of waste from reaching landfills every season.The stadium is known for its rowdy fanbase, and Philadelphia Eagles fans relish their reputation as some of the most intense fans in the NFL. While creating a hostile environment for opposing teams, the stadium can even turn hostile on their own players. When Donovan McNabb made his first appearance at Veterans Field after he was drafted in 1999, he was met with boos because most fans hoped for a different draft pick. Donovan went on to be one of the best quarterbacks in Eagles franchise history.The most notorious event at Veterans Stadium is the bombardment of snowballs at Santa Claus in 1968. After a disastrous season was about to come to an end, the Eagles were getting ready for their annual Christmas-themed halftime show for the last game of the year. When the hired Santa Claus did not show up due to a snowstorm, a random fan dressed as Santa Claus was picked out of the crowd as the replacement, and he was bombarded with snowballs.Sports Complex HistoryThe area in South Philadelphia, now used to house multiple stadiums and arenas, first began in 1926 with the Sesquicentennial Exposition in Philadelphia. The Sesquicentennial International Exposition was a World’s Fair to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In conjunction with the fair a large stadium was built. After the exposition, all that remained was the stadium, which was now renamed Municipal Stadium. In 1964 the stadium was renamed again to honor President John F. Kennedy. During its run JFK Stadium hosted the Philadelphia Quakers who were part of the first American Football League, the Philadelphia Eagles, and numerous Army-Navy games. The stadium was demolished in 1992.In 1967, The Spectrum Arena was opened and hosted teams such as the Philadelphia 76ers (NBA) and the Philadelphia Flyers (NHL). The Spectrum hosted numerous Stanley Cup Finals, NBA finals, and a few All-Star games for both the NHL and NBA. There were dozens of concerts held at the arena, including Aerosmith, Genesis, Pink Floyd, The Who, The Doors, and many more. Before its closing in October 2009, rock group Pearl Jam performed The Spectrum's last concert. By April 2011, the demolition of The Spectrum was complete, and the area now consists of a parking lot. Plans to open a 300-room hotel on this site are underway.Veterans Stadium started construction in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on October 2, 1967, at a cost of $60 million dollars, making it one of the most expensive stadiums of its time. Veterans Stadium was home to both the Philadelphia Phillies (MLB) and the Philadelphia Eagles (NFL) from 1971 to 2003. The first game played at the new stadium was on April 10, 1971, when the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Montreal Expos 4 – 1. The first game for the Philadelphia Eagles was played on September 26, 1971, against the Dallas Cowboys who beat the Eagles 42 – 7.Fans would go on to name Veterans Stadium “The Vet." Fans and players generally maligned the stadium, with players complaining about the hard surface under the artificial turf. Visiting players not only had to deal with the hard turf but also notoriously rowdy Phillies and Eagles fans. Visiting players referred to “The Vet” as a “hellhole”. “In a 1989 game against the Dallas Cowboys, rowdy fans tossed snowballs at visiting players, coaches, and officials; even then, Mayor Ed Rendell got into the act–to his later embarrassment and chagrin–betting a fan that one of his missiles couldn't reach the field. Eight years later, the Eagles became the first team in sports to set up an on-site courtroom to handle the gamut of game-day infractions from public drunkenness to fist-fights to harassing visiting rooters. To help maintain decorum, the police department even dispatched officers dressed in opposition jerseys to sit in the Vet's upper 700-level.” "The Vet" was becoming too costly to maintain so the decision was made to demolish it and build two new stadiums. The Eagles would play their final game at "The Vet" in 2002 while the Phillies played their last game a year later. Before demolition began, rock group Bon Jovi performed the very last concert at Veterans Stadium to a sold-out crowd. On March 21, 2004, Veterans Stadium was imploded in only 62 seconds and replaced by a parking lot for two new stadiums, Lincoln Financial Field and Citizens Bank Park.The South Philadelphia Sports Complex is now home to three stadiums and arenas. The Wells Fargo Center arena opened in 1996 and hosts games for the Philadelphia 76ers and the Philadelphia Flyers. The arena also plays host to numerous concerts throughout the year, including a holiday production of The Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Lincoln Financial Field, also known as “The Linc”, opened in 2003 and hosts the Philadelphia Eagles. In 2015 “The Linc” will also host the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which is a championship soccer game to determine the regional champion between North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Citizens Bank Park, also known as “The Bank”, opened in 2004 and hosts games for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Lincoln Financial Field, located in the South Philadelphia area, has been home to the Philadelphia Eagles since its grand opening in 2003. This $512 million dollar stadium holds seating for nearly 70,000 fans. For many years, the team shared Veterans Stadium with the Philadelphia Phillies. The Vet was built in 1971, and this new stadium was constructed adjacent to the old Veterans Stadium. Following the stadium's opening in 2003, the first sporting event was a soccer match between Manchester United and FC Barcelona.

Lincoln Financial Field

Wilt Chamberlain played in the NBA from 1959-73, serving as the center for the Philadelphia Warriors (now Golden State Warriors), the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Los Angeles Lakers. Chamberlain is known for his offensive prowess, once scoring 100 points in a single game. He is also known for his rivalry with Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics, one of several NBA rivalries that helped to define an era of NBA basketball.After a college career that included challenging segregation in Lawrence, Wilt was drafted by the Philadelphia (San Francisco) Warriors. Thanks in part to his successful rookie season, the team made it to the conference finals against the Boston Celtics, and that is where the rivalry of Wilt Chamberlain vs. Bill Russell in playoff matches was born. Russell's team beat Chamberlain's teams eight times while Chamberlain's teams prevailed twice. After many years of an early exit in the playoffs, in the 1966-67 season, Chamberlain finally won his first title with the Philadelphia 76ers.Wilt Chamberlain broke many records during his time as an NBA player, but his most memorable one is his 50.4 PPG (Points Per Game) average in the 1961-62 regular season. He also averaged 48.5 minutes per game which meant he rarely left the floor that season.After his NBA career, Wilt spent one year as an ABA player-coach for the San Diego Conquistadors. He also played and managed for a short-lived professional volleyball league and was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame. In 1992, the man known as "Wilt the Stilt" and "The Big Dipper" was hospitalized for an irregular heartbeat, an ailment that plagued him for many of his final years. Chamberlain passed away in 1999 at the age of 63.

Wilt Chamberlain's memorial statue was originally built and unveiled on June 28, 2004, in front of the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, which is now known as the Wells Fargo Center. The statue was created to honor Chamberlain's legendary basketball career, but also for his life of support on behalf of a variety of organizations that were important to the people of Philadelphia. Chamberlain also supported important social causes, including his work to challenge segregation at several establishments during his college and early professional days.

Wilt Chamberlain Statue, Wells Fargo Center

The stadium was origiinally known as Spectrum II given its replacement of the iconic but dated Spectrum. Prior to Wells Fargo securing naming rights, the stadium was known as CoreStates Center from 1996 to 1998, First Union Center from 1998 to 2003, and Wachovia Center from 2003 to 2010. The Wells Fargo Center was built as a stadium for the Philadelphia Flyers and the 76ers but has served as a home to countless other events, including the 2000 Republican National Convention that saw George Bush and Richard Cheney secure the nomination and the 2016 Democratic National Convention that elected Hillary Clinton as the Democratic candidate for president. Chair of the Democratic National Committee, Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, was quoted saying, “In addition to their commitment to a seamless and safe convention, Philadelphia’s deep-rooted place in American history provides a perfect setting for this special gathering” (Livingston, 2016).

The Wells Fargo Center has been the home of the Philadelphia Flyers and the Philadelphia 76ers since 1996 and is part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, which includes Lincoln Financial Field and Citizens Bank Park. The stadium was constructed on the site of the former John F. Kennedy Stadium, which could hold as many as one hundred thousand spectators. That former stadium served the city starting in 1926 when it opened as part of the city's World Fair of that year and operated until 1992. The former stadium was referred to as Philadelphia Municipal Stadium until 1964, when it was renamed in honor of the slain president.

Wells Fargo Center

The Spectrum arena was built on September 30, 1967, at the cost of $7 million for the Philadelphia 76ers and Flyers. Both teams were able to use the field for almost thirty years. In 1996, the Wells Fargo Center opened its doors and both the Flyers and 76ers followed. The Wells Fargo Center is still the current home for these professional teams. The Spectrum arena, however, was also home to the Philadelphia Wings (NLL), Kixx (NPSL), and Phantoms (AHL). Many well-known athletes played at the arena such as Julius Erving, Maurice Cheeks, Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer, Bobby Jones, and Billy Cunningham. Each of these had retired numbers held at the arena. The arena held other important events unrelated to Philadelphia organizations such as the NHL and NBA All-Star Game of 1976, or the 1992 NCAA East-Regionals (Duke vs. Kentucky). This 1992 Regionals game is arguably one of the most memorable games ever. With two seconds remaining, Christian Laettner makes a shot near the foul line to inch the Devils ahead of the Wildcats at the buzzer.

Aside from holding sporting events, the Spectrum is considered one of the busiest arenas, hosting over 600 events. Some of these events include Elvis Presley’s last live appearance (May, 28, 1977), Bruce Springsteen's eight sold-out shows (1981), Billy Joel (1993), and the fights of Mike Tyson vs. Buster Mathis Jr. (Dec. 16, 1995) and Joe Frazier vs. Tony Doyle (Oct. 17, 1967). Many artists like Johnny Cash and ACDC performed here as well. Even the Rolling Stones appeared with Stevie Wonder on July 21-22, 1972.

In December of 2010, demolition of the Spectrum Arena began. The Pearl Jam concert (Oct. 31, 2009) was the last event held in the arena. Before demolition, however, Comcast-Spectacor (owner o, the Spectrum) saved pieces from the facility and has been attempting to sell anything it could from seats, bricks, and freezable coasters.The Spectrum, known to the world as “America’s Showplace,” was an indoor arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania which opened its doors in the fall of 1967. The Spectrum was home to the Philadelphia Flyers and the Philadelphia 76ers, and also included many minor league clubs. After several expansions, the arena accommodated 18,168 spectators for basketball and 17,380 for ice hockey which was exceptional for this period. The Spectrum hosted many in-famous sports events throughout its lifetime. Hosting Multiple NBA All-Star games, NBA Finals games, NCAA Men’s Division 1 Basketball Tournaments, NHL Stanley Cups Finals, NHL All-Star Games along with many more iconic sports moments.Before the construction of the Spectrum, the city of Philadelphia had many architectural downfalls. The region was known to be very wet and swampy which meant there wasn't much real estate to build a solid foundation. The history goes back as far as the mid-1800s. In 1868, roughly 100 years before the construction of the Spectrum the Navy Yard was established. The Navy Yard brought many jobs and opportunities for local Philadelphians, yet the surrounding areas remained very swampy and difficult to build on therefore leaving the land around the Navy Yard unused. During this period, Philadelphia was not what we know it to be today. Philadelphians lived in a very rural landscape, but many architects thought it had tremendous potential. In 1912, after many attempts to build prominent structures in Philadelphia, the city hired a landscape architecture firm Olmsted Brothers. Their mission and goal were to produce designs for a National Park which included the land where the Spectrum stood. The land required a complex drainage system to allow water in the park to drain. They used the water drained to create lagoons and ponds that remain intact today. The area finally saw the end of the tidal marsh and channels when the Olmsted Brothers installed a floodgate. The park became a refuge for many animals because of the massive development of the surrounding area.The Sesqui-Centennial Celebration commemorated the 150th anniversary signing the Declaration of Independence was another monumental milestone in the development of the Philadelphia area. The New York Times released an article named “Bad Site Hampered Sesqui” due to how unappealing the Philadelphia area was during that time. The mayor at the time Joseph Hampton Moore didn't prepare much for the celebration. Later that year, Moore was succeeded by Freeland Kendrick who was a businessman and made a big deal out of the celebration. Many people doubted Mayor Kendrick would have Philadelphia ready for the celebration which was only three years away. Before major construction could continue thousands of tons of dirt was dug from what is now called Broad Street subway and dumped in nearby marshes. Constructors had to dam creeks, create lagoons, stop natural springs from flowing. After the land was solid enough to build on construction began immediately. Streets were paved, sewer, water, and electric lines were installed. This is another huge milestone in the development of the land the Spectrum was built on.World War Two brought a tremendous amount of development to the Naval Yard which directly affected the surrounding area. The war caused oil refineries, factories, and housing to be built for the sailors working at the Naval Yard. Two of the largest dry docks in the world were built in Philadelphia. Towards the end of the war 48 new warships were built, 41 converted, 574 repaired, and 650 ships completed. The Naval Yard added the Naval Aircraft Factory and propeller factory was built. President Franklin D. Roosevelt promised a 4 million dollar expansion funds which would include 1,000 low-cost housing units and 11,000 new jobs. At this point, Philadelphia showed a lot of promise and was turning into a highly industrial area hence making the area a desirable for people&nbsp;to live.Although this major development period occurred decades before the construction of the Spectrum, it was essential for these processes to happen because it created the community the Spectrum resided in. The broad street became the center point of the city. North of Broad Street was becoming very industrial and South of Broad St becoming very residential. During the early 1960s, the NHL allowed an expansion hockey franchise for 2 million dollars. Philadelphia had a contest called “Name the Team.” The winning name was the Flyers. Now with a new franchise formulating, the owners sought out a place to build a brand new stadium. The South Philadelphia area still have undeveloped land and seemed like the perfect place to build an arena. During the construction, they ran into many problems with the land being low lying, muddy and just over difficult to build on. Developers had to bring in tons and tons of dirt and cement ensuring that the ground was solid. Although they ran into these problems, the stadium was finished in 16 months at of a total cost of 7 million dollars. The Spectrum was Philadelphia’s first modern sports arena and was built to be multifunctional.The first event held at the Spectrum was a jazz festival on September 30, 1967, which sold out in two days. People loved that the seats were comfortable and had a lot of legroom. The first three sporting events all started out with wins for the locals. The first event was a boxing match between Philadelphia native Joe Frazier and Tony Doyle which ultimately ended with Frazier winning by a knockout. The following day the 76ers won their first game 103-87 beating the L.A. Lakers. The next day the Flyers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 1-0. Although the teams started their seasons off victorious the first year the Spectrum was open they experienced many highs and lows. The 76ers and the Flyers were moving into their new state of the art facility and concerts were being held. The arena looked very promising, but the Flyers were not very good and didn't sell out games. One thing that happened early on in the opening months was a giant piece of the roof blew off leaving a giant hole. No one was hurt in this incident, but local politicians forced the Spectrum to close their doors which were rough because they had only been open a few months and was already in financial trouble. For the rest of the season, the Flyers played their home games at Madison Square Garden, and the 76ers moved back to their old arena Conventional Hall. The estimated cost to fix the roof was 75,000 dollars which owners of the Spectrum could not afford so they sought out help from the bank. The Spectrum was bankrupt from opening to 1971.On January 1, 1972, the Flyers board of chairman, Ed Snider, and other donors came up with 11 million dollars to take the Spectrum out of debt. Unlike other stadiums in the area during that time The Spectrum depended on making a profit to survive. Adding a third level allowed the Spectrum to accommodate more fans for both hockey and basketball. In 1974, the city of Philadelphia would get a glimpse of what the future of what the Spectrum would become. The Flyers got the nickname “The Broad Street Bullies” because of their aggressive style of play. That year the Flyers made it to the Stanley Cup Finals and faced the Bruins. They ended winning in game six at the Spectrum. The following year they beat the Islanders to capture their 2nd Stanley Cup in two years. The Flyers beat the odds in formulating a championship team within a few years. This was a monumental event in the history of the Spectrum and has left its mark in history.For the 76ers it took more time for them to make their impact on basketball. In 1976 they acquired Julius Erving and made the NBA Finals but lost to the Trailblazers. The following year the 76ers lost again in the championship but making two finals appearances in back to back years is an accomplishment. They finally got their first championship after defeating the LA Lakers in the 1983 season. Philadelphia sports teams had reached the height of their success in the late 1970s and early 1980s in making and winning multiple championships.There is a long history involved with the overall growth of the Philadelphia area. Many people were indirectly responsible for the establishment of the Spectrum. For Decades the Spectrum was home to Philadelphia’s sports fans and brought with it spectacular memories. With the development of new innovative and state of the art arenas, the Spectrum lived a short life of 27 years. Over the course, next few decades the name of the stadium was changed ever so often until the building was officially demolished on November 8, 2010. They conducted a “Wrecking Ball Ceremony” in which some of the halls of fame athletes attended. Athletes that were in attendance were Bernie Parent, Bob Clarke from the Flyers and Julius Erving from the 76ers. The demo took a little less than a year because they did not use any explosives. The space is now a 300 spot parking lot.&nbsp;

The Spectrum, home of the Philadelphia 76ers and Philadelphia Flyers was open from 1967 to 2009. The 18,168 seat capacity arena held many events apart from the sports related fields such as an Elvis Presley, Bruce Springsteen, and Pearl Jam concert. The arena even held boxing fights including Mike Tyson. Although the building was demolished in 2010 under the name “Wachovia Spectrum” and replaced with a parking lot, the special memories held within its walls will be remembered forever.

The Spectrum (1967-2009)

Veterans Stadium was a staple of Philadelphia life and its skyline for many years as it was home to multiple sports and events over the past three decades. There are many different opinions dealing with Veterans Stadium, but most do not matter now that it has been torn down. Even after being torn down, it has retained its status as one of the most problematic stadiums in the country. This reputation first began when the arena was being built, it was supposed to have been completed by 1970 but due to a strike from workers, it was delayed even father than it would have been by just weather and construction. Construction started on October 2nd, 1967, and finally finished, opening the stadium on April 10th, 1971, one year after it was scheduled to be opened. With the start of the stadium already a mess, things did not improve drastically from there. The idea for this new stadium sparked in the late fifties, started by the Phillies owner, Bob Carpenter. The owner of this baseball team needed a new place to play since their current stadium at the time, Connie Mack, had been built in 1906 so it was starting to fall into disrepair, making the decision for a new one more palatable to voters. Voters agreed to build a stadium to house both the Phillies baseball team and the Eagles football team, who previously played at the University of Pennsylvania. Having a combined Stadium would mean that it was in use more of the year, which would be helpful for sales and for the community around it, in theory.The Phillies were the first team to play at the Old Vet, as it had been nicknamed, on Saturday, April 10th in 1971. The Phillies opened the stadium in style, beating the Montreal Expos in front of a large audience, kicking off the life of their new home with a strong note. On September 26th, 1971 the first football game occurred as the Eagles played the Dallas Cowboys. The stadium was actually one of the largest in which an NFL team played, with over 60,000 seats. It cost 45 million to build but was expected to bring in enough money, having been home to both a baseball team and a football team. Regular season games for both teams weren’t the only things to be hosted at Veterans Stadium. Sometimes soccer teams, the Atoms, and the Fury, played on the field. The field also hosted amateur and minor league baseball, as well as high school football. Sports were the focus at Vet Stadium, but it also held various concerts and the annual Jehovah’s Witnesses convention. The stadium saw many landmarks, including the longest home run in stadium history, hit by Pittsburgh Pirate Willie Stargell on June 25, 1971. They also hosted Game 6 of the 1980 World Series on October 21, the game in which the Phillies won the World Series for the first time. In that very same year the Eagles football team won the NFC Championship game. On both of those occasions, though, there needed to be a police presence to control the rioting crowds. The stadium also hosted the latest finishing game in baseball history, finishing at almost 5 in the morning, twelve hours after starting the past afternoon. The Phillies lost that game but have won the NLCS twice in their home stadium and had many a no-hit game pitched. The stadium also held the Army-Navy game which was apt with the title for the field. However, it was at one such Army-Navy game that a railing in the stand collapsed, and eight people were injured.The final football game was between the Eagles and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, suffering a hard loss the Eagles must not have been too upset to move to their new field, called Lincoln Financial, later that year. The final game was also a loss, but this time of the Phillies to the Atlanta Braves on September 28th, 2003. The last words ever broadcast at the park were “It’s on a long drive… it’s outta here!” by Harry Kalas, using his trademark home run call. In April of 2004, the Phillies moved into Citizens Bank Park.

For more than thirty years, Veterans Stadium was home to Major League Baseball's Philadelphia Phillies and the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles. The stadium was known for rowdy fans, iconic sporting events, and several other events between its opening day on April 10th, 1971, and the final game on September 28th, 2003. Before the Phillies had even officially moved over to their new field, the Vet was being demolished. On March 21, 2004, it was brought down in 62 seconds. There is now a plaque and monument where the stadium once stood, along with markers where goalposts, home plate, and the pitcher’s mound used to be.

Veterans Stadium Historical Marker (1971-2004)

Considering
that the sport of baseball is widely regarded as the most prominent American pastime,
it is only fitting that a stadium receives as much hype as the team that plays
within it. In some cases, an athletic stadium can be among the most visited locations
in any given city. This holds true for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The city of
Philadelphia is flooded with history, and even more specifically sports
history. The baseball team that holds the city’s name, the Philadelphia
Phillies, is considered to be one of the oldest baseball franchises, as well as
one of the originals. Citizens Bank Park is the current home to the Phillies
franchise. However, like many other things the teams home has not remained
constant. Also ever-changing is the success and popularity of the Philadelphia
Phillies, being that these factors have fluctuated greatly in the team’s
history.

Built in 2004, Citizens Bank Park is a
world-class, baseball only, stadium in southern Philadelphia, that acts as the
home field for the Philadelphia Phillies franchise. In retrospect to the
life-span of the Phillies, this ballpark is a new home and a breath of fresh
air compared to where they had played previously. But, that will come up later.
Citizens Bank Park opened on April 12, 2004. Designed
by two leading architectural firms, Ewing Cole Cherry Brott and HOK Sport, the
stadium combines Philadelphia's rich tradition of sports architecture with
unmistakably modern style. This 1.15 million square foot facility was built on
a 21-acre site, in what is now known as the Philadelphia Sports Complex. With
the ability to hold 43,651 fans in seats, Citizens Bank Park allows all
spectators a view of its 440,000 cubic yards of playing
field. Most importantly, this ballpark is inviting and brings what happens in a
bustling city within, by offering views of the
field from street level. It houses an
Open Main Concourse, of 360 degrees, and state-of-the-art HD video boards that allows
fans to constantly connect with the game. Also, an open outfield allows for a
scenic view of Center City Skyline.

After deciding on the site of an old food warehouse, the new
home of the Phillies cost $458
million&nbsp;to build, with taxpayers and private investors splitting the
costs half and half, or about $229 million on each side. However, as part of
the deal, the Phillies paid for the construction overruns and pay to maintain
the ballpark. The
Phillies sold the naming rights to Citizens Bank for $95 million over 25 years.
This included $57.5 million for naming rights and $37.5 million for the
Phillies broadcast media package. Prior to construction, three sites were discussed
for the Phillies' new ballpark. They were Chinatown, a downtown site known as
Liberty Yards and a site adjacent to Veterans Stadium. The Liberty Yards it
was. The site in the, now known, Philadelphia Sports Complex was chosen and
would also be the location of a new football stadium for the Eagles. With that,
Philadelphia City Council approved the construction of two new stadiums and on November
13, 2000, Former Mayor of Philadelphia, John Street announced that the new
Phillies' ballpark and Eagles' stadium would be located in the Sports Complex.

Many
of the fans who sit in Citizens Bank Park and enjoy a Phillies game are not
even aware of the struggle the team endured before arriving there. For over three decades the Phillies played at perhaps
the worst multipurpose stadium built,&nbsp;Veterans
Stadium. Not only was it large, with over 62,000
seats for baseball, but was well known for having the worst turf in sports.
They also shared it with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles. So depending on the
season, the facility acted as a football field or a baseball diamond. It was
said that spectators were able to see the faint outline of a football gridiron
on the baseball playing field. In a joint effort with other Pennsylvania
professional franchises, including the NFL’s Steelers and the MLB’s Pirates,
the Phillies and Eagles petitioned the state for the ability to construct new
stadiums. They requested one for each of the four teams. After 33 years at Veterans Stadium, the Phillies
moved into their new state-of-the-art facility, Citizens Bank Park in 2004. The
stadium opened with an exhibition game against the Cleveland Indians.

Having
had five different stadiums as their home over the history of the franchise,
the Phillies embraced Citizens Bank Park. Since
that time, the Phillies have captured a World Series championship title, two
National League pennants, and five consecutive NL East titles, while countless
records have been broken both on and off the field. However, even more
important than the stadium itself, is the team that calls it home. Citizens
Bank Park is an essential element to the overall history of the Philadelphia
Phillies because it summarizes the inconsistent success and popularity of the
team.

Now, in the 21st century, the Phillies are the oldest,
continuous, same-name, same-city franchise in all of professional sports. After
being founded in 1883 as the "Quakers", the team changed its name to
the "Philadelphias". The team officially became known as the
"Phillies" in 1890. Joining the Baseball scene early on, the Phillies
played in the first World Series in 1915. They won the first game but were
defeated afterward. Shortly after, the team set an attendance record in 1916 of
515,365 that stood until after World War II. By the time the 1920s arrived, the Phillies were slipping
into what would become the grimmest period in association history. It lasted
for 31 years during which time the Phils had just one first division finish.

In 1949, with the soon-to-be named Whiz Kids nearly in place,
the Phillies wound up third in the league, their highest finish since 1917. In
fact, if there was one thing that characterized the 1950s, it was the Whiz
Kids. Simply, the decade belonged to the Whiz Kids, who were just the baseball
team of the 1950 Philadelphia Phillies in Major League Baseball. This stellar
performance put the Phillies into the 1950 World Series, where they sadly lost
all four games to the New York Yankees. Nonetheless, for the Phillies, the
1970s marked the start of the team's Golden Era. It was easily the most
successful period the club ever had. This period lasted for about a decade
because finally, after 97 years, the Phillies finally reached the coveted spot in
1980 by winning their first World Championship. While in the World Series, the
Phillies defeated the Kansas City Royals in six games. They won the first two,
lost the next two, then won games five and six. &nbsp;Afterward, the team took a dip again, losing
the 1993 World Series to the Toronto Blue Jays.

On Sept. 28, 2003, the Phillies played in their final game at
Veterans Stadium, and gave the place an emotional sendoff. Regardless, Citizens
Bank Park brought a hint of luck. The Phillies made it to the World Series
again, in both 2008 and 2009. This second straight World Series appearance was a
first in franchise history. In fact, for the fifth time in 30 years, the
Phillies played in a World Series, matching the Cardinals and Braves for the
most. The Phillies finished the 2010 season with the best record in baseball
for the first time in franchise history. However, finished 2015 with the worst
record in baseball with plenty of change along the way.

Despite the team’s records, it can be seen that the fans are
always loyal. The team set records in&nbsp;2010&nbsp;for attendance (3,647,249 fans, averaging 45,028 per
game) and sellouts (81). This, though, should be taken with a grain of salt
because in more recent terms the numbers are not the same. Journalist, Rob Tornoe,
who writes for The Inquirer in
Philadelphia, wrote a piece detailing the most recent decline in Philly
fanatics. He discusses how the team leads the entire league in attendance decline,
during the 2017 season. Tornoe states, “Average home attendance this season is
down more than 8,000 people per game from last year, plummeting to an average
of 29,975 per game. Compared to 2012, attendance is down nearly 14,000 people
per game.” However, he makes it a point to say that the Phillies do have some
the highest attendance rates amongst the teams with losing records. Tornoe
suggests, “instead of slamming fans for steering clear of the ballpark, we
should credit the 30,000 or so who come out every night despite the lackluster
team their given to support.” All of this information goes to show that the
Phillies have had the highest of highs but also the lowest of lows. Obtaining
Citizens Bank Park was an incredible feat, but it may be possible that a flashy
new ballpark does not necessarily make the team better. It has even been
debated in other Inquirer articles
that the Phillies no longer use the park to their own advantage.

Regardless of the numbers put into the scorebook, Citizens
Bank Park has seen a lot of greats in its short life, and brings something
special to the Philadelphia community. “The Bank,” as it is referred to, has
seen its share of wins, loses, home runs, career records, and even World Series
games, all in thirteen years. With the neon Liberty Bell that swings and rings
after Phillies home runs, visitors and fans are embraced in the Philadelphia
culture. Sports, a key factor in Philadelphian life, are neighbors to one
another in one sports complex. The Eagles, the Phillies, the Flyers, and the
Sixers all unite residents and visitors. Not only does baseball bring people
together, but Citizens Bank Park and the Phillies bring people together, even
Phillies and Mets fans. This field gives people chances to succeed, especially
by commissioning four local artists to paint murals of the importance of
baseball and the team throughout the stadium. 

This stadium gives back. The Phillies' Red Goes Green program at Citizens Bank Park
is in partnership with Aramark and Spectra. To offset the
carbon footprint created by the team's utility power usage at Citizens Bank
Park, the Phillies have purchased over 20 million kilowatt-hours of Renewable
Energy Credits, which matches 100% of electricity usage with wind and solar
generation. So, Citizens Bank Park goes beyond baseball. In fact, baseball is
simply the stadium’s avenue to create a unified, yet diverse, community in
which people can gather, forget their worries, and enjoy something that has
been enjoyed for generations.

Built in 2004, Citizens Bank Park is a world-class, baseball only, stadium in southern Philadelphia, that acts as the home field for the Philadelphia Phillies franchise. In retrospect to the life-span of the Phillies, this ballpark is a new home and a breath of fresh air compared to where they had played previously. The stadium combines Philadelphia's rich tradition of sports architecture with unmistakably modern style. This 1.15 million square foot facility was built on a 21-acre site, in what is now known as the Philadelphia Sports Complex. 

Citizens Bank Park

Born in 1936, Harry Kalas grew up to become one of the most iconic play-by-play sports announcers of all time. Kalas was able to break into the field in 1965 as the Houston Astros announcer but would move on to the same position with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1971. Kalas was replacing fan favorite Bill Campbell but seemed to take on the role flawlessly, even becoming adored by the fans and citizens of Philadelphia. Kalas filled the role each season until his death in 2009, when he collapsed before a game against the Washington Nationals.As an announcer, Harry Kalas became famous for his home run calls. The call "Swing ... and a long drive, this ball is ... outta here!” became synonymous with Kalas and the Phillies. Harry Kalas also had the opportunity to call some impressive moments in some big games. During his Phillies career, he called six no-hit games, six National League Championship Series, and three World Series (1983, 1993, and 2008). In 2008, the Phillies beat the Tampa Bay rays to become World Series Champions, and Kalas was honored to make the call.Baseball fans everywhere, especially in Philadelphia, were deeply saddened by the loss of Harry Kalas in 2009. The Philadelphia Phillies took notice, erecting a life-size bronze statue of Kalas within Citizen’s Bank Park in 2011. The statue depicts Kalas standing cross-legged on a home plate, holding a microphone in his right hand, and holding a baseball bat that he is leaning upon. The statue can be found in the Ashburn Alley outfield concourse at Citizens Bank Park between Harry the K's Restaurant and the statue of Richie Ashburn.

Located at Citizen's Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies, one can find several statues of former ballplayers and one dedicated to announcer Harry Kalas. Harry Kalas was the voice of the Philadelphia Phillies, broadcasting their games for over 38 years. Sadly, Harry Kalas passed away in 2009, only a few months after watching the Phillies win the World Series in October of 2008. The statue serves as a permanent reminder of a great man and a beloved part of the franchise. It is located within the stadium, behind Section 141 on the Main Concourse, near Harry the K's restaurant in Citizens Bank Park.

Harry Kalas Statue

Julius Erving was born on February 22, 1950 in Roosevelt, NY. He went to college at the University of Massachusetts but did not graduate. He left to go play basketball with the Virginia Squires and then the New York Nets in the American Basketball Association (ABA). When the ABA merged with the National Basketball Association (NBA), Erving joined the Philadelphis 76ers. During his ABA/NBA career, Erving earned three championships and four Most Valuable Player (MVP)&nbsp;awards. He is also the sixth highest scorer in NBA history. He revolutionized the game of basketball with his high-flying, above-the-rim style of play. One of his most popular slam dunks was from the free throw line during a slam dunk competition. He was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 1993. In 1987, a sculptor created a bronze statue of Dr. J, and it was dedicated in front of the Spectrum arena in Philadelphia in 1989. The statue is life-sized, and honors Dr. J's gravity-defying dunks. The granite base was donated by Converse (a company Dr. J helped make famous). When the Spectrum was demolished, the statue was relocated to in front of the Xfinity Live! Philadelphia attraction, where it now resides.&nbsp;

This statue honors the career of National Basketball Association (NBA) Hall of Fame member Julius "Dr. J" Erving. Erving's career began with the American Basketball Association's (ABA) Virginia Squires and New York Nets. Erving's talent helped to legitimize this second professional league which led to the merger of the ABA and the NBA. After the merger, Erving joined the Philadelphia 76ers and propelled that team to its greatest success. Erving was known for his high-flying, above-the-rim style of play and became the sixth-highest scoring player in NBA history. This statue was originally dedicated outside of the Spectrum Arena in Philadelphia in 1989. The statue was relocated to Xfinity Live! Philadelphia when the Spectrum was demolished in 2010. 

Julius "Dr. J"  Erving Statue

Born in 1839 in Charleston, SC, Octavius Valentine Catto was raised in Philadelphia, the son of a prominent local minister. &nbsp;He attended the Quaker-founded&nbsp;Institute For Colored Youth, where he met Jacob C. White. &nbsp;Following his graduation, Catto continued his studies in classical languages in Washington D.C. before ultimately returning to Philadelphia to teach&nbsp;literature, mathematics, Greek, and Latin at the Institute For Colored Youth.1&nbsp; Already a political leader, in&nbsp;1866 Catto was on a panel representing the Equal Rights League that successfully lobbied the state to desegregate Philadelphia's streetcars. &nbsp;The following year, Catto and his old friend White founded the Pythians Baseball Club of Philadelphia, an all-Black team modeled on&nbsp;their white counterparts. &nbsp;The Pythians were a social and sporting organization and their games were&nbsp;community events, generally followed by large banquets and attended by large crowds. &nbsp;These all-day affairs served as meeting places for prominent Black leaders to discuss the political issues of the time.2 Catto served as the Pythians shortstop and manager. &nbsp;In 1867, the team compiled a record of 8-3-1 playing against all-Black clubs in other cities like Baltimore, Harrisburg, Camden and Washington D.C., and filed an application to join the Pennsylvania Association of Amateur Base Ball Players. &nbsp;Despite being nominated by the all-white Philadelphia Athletics, the Pythians were rebuffed and withdrew their application.3 &nbsp;Later that year the National Association of Base Ball Players, the closest thing baseball had to a governing body at the time,&nbsp;would pass a rule prohibiting teams with minority members from gaining membership. &nbsp;Despite this setback, the Pythians would continue on for several years. &nbsp;In 1869, they became the first all-Black to take the field against an all-white squad, falling to the Olympics 44-23, before rebounding two weeks later with a victory over the all-white City Item team. In 1870 Catto shifted his attention to politics. &nbsp;Congress passed the 15th Amendment to the Constitution granting Black men the right to vote. &nbsp;This issue faced violent opposition from the Democratic leadership in Philadelphia, and Catto was assassinated in the street in the fall of 1871. &nbsp;He was 32. &nbsp;Catto's funereal was the largest the city had ever seen for an African American, as a&nbsp;procession of soldiers, elected officials, students, and Pythians escorted Catto's body to the Mount Lebanon&nbsp;Cemetery4, where his body&nbsp;was laid to rest.

Pennsylvania state historical marker placed at the former residence of the great African American activist, educator and sportsman Octavius V. Catto (1839-71).  In addition to co-founding the Pythians baseball club of Philadelphia, one of the most successful and historically significant all-Black teams of their time, Catto spearheaded the movement that led to the racial integration of streetcars in Philadelphia and worked to help African Americans gain the right to vote with the passage of the 15th Amendment to the Constitution in 1870.  During a time of violent unrest shortly before the fall 1871 elections in Philadelphia, Catto was murdered in the street, a victim of a politically motivated assassination.    

Octavius V. Catto Historical Marker

Born in 1837, Jacob C. White Jr. grew up in Philadelphia, the son of one of the city's most successful Black businessmen. He attended the Quaker-founded Institute For Colored Youth, where African Americans received an extensive liberal arts education. It was there he met Octavius Catto. Both sons of prominent men and outstanding students, White and Catto became best friends and after graduation, both would teach at the Institute.1In 1864, White became Philadelphia's first African American principal after being appointed to the position at the all-Black Vaux elementary school. He made an immediate impact on the school and established himself as a civic leader. That same year he and Catto helped start the Pennsylvania Equal Rights League to advance the Black suffrage movement.2Later, in 1867, the two friends would found the Pythians Baseball Club of Philadelphia. The Pythians were an all-Black team modeled on the successful white baseball clubs of the day. Beyond just being a sporting club, they were a social organization and their games were heavily attended community events, generally followed by large banquets. These all-day affairs served as meeting places for prominent Black leaders to discuss the political issues of the time.3 White served as the team's secretary, often arranging their games, and sometimes as manager. Catto played second base.Following Catto's politically motivated murder in 1871, the Pythians ceased to exist. White would continue to play an important role in Philadelphia's African American community, advocating for better educational opportunities for children and jobs for Black teachers. In the 1890s, he would help start the American Negro Historical Society and bequeathed to them his extensive records of Pythians, which he had preserved for over 20 years.4

This historical marker is placed where the residence of prominent African American educator, businessman, and baseball player Jacob C. White, Jr. (1837-1902) once stood. In 1868, White, along with his lifelong friend Octavius Catto, founded the one of the city's most important all-Black baseball clubs, the Pythians, which became the best black team in the country. It was also the first to beat an all-white team.

Jacob C. White, Jr. Historical Marker

The Hall and Museum reflect the obstacles that Jews had to overcome in order to excel in sporting endeavors locally, nationally and internationally; portray the instrumental role sports has played in success in life, and provide continuity to future generations of Jewish athletes.The inductees into the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame represent the best of the best, those individuals and teams who, through perseverance, dedication, superior talent and skills, have risen to the top of their respective sports. The indelible impression left by sports to many generations of Americans has also become a great source of Jewish pride and inspiration.The Gershman Y's roots date back to 1875 when the Youn Men's Hebrew Association was established to provide a place for the Jewish community to gather, socialize and participate in various physical activities. It remains an important social,&nbsp;educational, and fine arts center for the entire community Philadelphia&nbsp;community.&nbsp;

Located in the old Gershman Y Building, the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame provides the Community with tangible and lasting evidence of the past, present and future of Jewish sportsmen and sportswomen in the  Philadelphia area and to instill Community pride in Jewish accomplishments in the field of sports and the role sports has played in preserving Jewish culture. It was founded in 1997.

Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame

John Cromwell Bell, Sr. was born in Elders Ridge, Indiana County, Pennsylvania in 1861. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law in 1884 with honors and gave the class speech on graduation day. Before John Sr. served as the state's Attorney General, he held the office of District Attorney of Philadelphia County. John Sr. argued two cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, both of which he won for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Besides returning to his law practice, the former attorney general was a university trustee for U. Penn. by 1919. The wife of the John Sr., Mrs. Fleurette de Benneville Bell, was very ill in October 1915 at the family's home on 22nd and Locust, according to a newspaper article, about a year after an operation. Mrs. Bell recovered but suffered a relapse the following summer at the Bell's country home in Radnor, and returned to Philadelphia in early September; she died at home on September 24th, 1916. Her estate of $70,000 was left to her husband and two sons. One son of John Sr. and Fleurette, John Bell, Jr., was born in 1892 and went to school at the Episcopal Academy. John Jr. married Sarah A. Baker in St. Asaph's Church in June 1918. In August 1917, John Jr. had been appointed an assistant in the office of the City Solicitor, John P. Connelly; the recent U. of Pennsylvania law graduate lived in the 22nd Street home. He is one of few men to serve in all three branches of Pennsylvania government - Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. John Jr.'s younger brother, Bert Bell, served overseas in World War I; the Sergeant returned to the U.S. in March 1919 on the ship George Washington. Bert announced that he was well, and anxious to return to his studies at the University of Pennsylvania. In his last term at school before enlisting, he had been elected captain of the football team, and was hoping to return to the sport as well. John Sr. was the only Bell family member residing in the home on South 22nd Street in 1930; the house was valued at $61,000. The 68-year-old widower and lawyer shared the house with six servants: John Scharf (chauffeur, age 42), Paul Seal (butler, 40), Kate Madden (cook, 53), Mary Rafferty (maid, 33), Nellie McGettigen (waitress, 27). and Hugh Prior (gardener, 21). John Sr. passed away on December 29th 1935. The John C. Bell House was designed by Horace Trumbauer. The three sections of the building facing 22nd street feature slightly projecting outer sections and a central entrance section. First floor tripartite windows on the outer sections are topped by an arch with a projecting keystone; the second-story windows were double-hung, topped by marble medallion arches, with cast iron balconies below, to resemble French doors. A mid-twentieth century recessed bay was added onto the north end of the building to provide a fire stairway; this bay is accessed by a gate along the sidewalk. The slate hipped roof building above a terra cotta cornice also faces Locust Street, with three window bays on each of the three stories, topped by one dormer window. The house was converted into apartments by the new owners, Anna and Elizabeth Kaneff, in 1944. A tragic accident occurred at the John C. Bell House in 2014 when a third-floor fire escape landing collapsed, resulting in one death and two serious injuries.

The John C. Bell House stands at 229 S. 22nd Street and was constructed in 1906 as a single-family home. The 3-1/2-story neo-Georgian residence features Flemish bond brick with white marble trim. John C. Bell served as the Pennsylvania Attorney General (1911-1914). One of his sons, John C. Bell, Jr., later became the Lieutenant Governor (1943-1947) and then Governor of Pennsylvania (for a few weeks in 1947, when the acting Governor resigned near the end of his term to become a U.S. Senator), as well as member and Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court (1950-1972). Another son of the original owner, Bert Bell, was a National Football League commissioner and co-founded the Philadelphia Eagles football team. The John C. Bell House was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. The building has been converted into and used as apartments since the 1940s.

John C. Bell House

Franklin Field was opened for the University of Pennsylvania in 1895. At that time, it was a simple wooden bleacher designed for the first running of the Penn Relays. The stadium's cost was $100,000 ($2.8 million today) and it became the first stadium in the United States to have a functional scoreboard. In 1922, Franklin Field was completely redesigned by Frank Miles Day and constructed as a more permanent structure for the university. The redesign included more of an ornamental exterior, consisting of high open arches and Italian-style brick and mortar work. Internally, a two-tier seating arrangement was introduced, making it the first stadium with an upper deck of seats. The stadium was not a large financial burden to the university. The University of Pennsylvania’s Athletic Association balance sheet surviving from June 30th, 1896 provides insight on how the financing for Franklin Field took place. Football receipts showed the largest income to the university, supporting over half of the cost for the entire varsity sports programs. All the other sports teams did not add up to a third of football's financial resources at that time. Association dues, contributions, and building donations from wealthy alumni bridged the gap and lessened the overall cost. Franklin Field was a reflection of the growing popularity of team sports and football. In 1916, George Neitzche introduced a plan to build a 100,000 seat half-sunken stadium for $750,000 on the southeastern side of Woodland Cemetery. Neitzche’s plan fell through because of its cost and complexity, as the new design would also require a new public transport station called Union Station which featured a Pennsylvania Railroad stop and an elevated subway line connected to the Market- Frankfort line. The University of Pennsylvania chose instead to renovate Franklin Field with Frank Miles Day’s design. Franklin Field is central to the origins and growth of college football from a popular diversion that provided bragging rights for Ivy League universities to a sport that transcends academic institutions. The University of Pennsylvania Quakers are one of the original teams to compete in intercollegiate football. The oldest stadium in the United States still in use today, Franklin Field has hosted 1,364 football games as of the time of this article. The Quakers early teams included players like Chuck Bedinark and John Heisman, namesakes of college football’s highest awards. From 1958 to 1970, the National Football League’s Philadelphia franchise, the Eagles, had many memorable moments in the stadium. The team witnessed Vince Lombardi’s only playoff loss, Bert Bell’s heart attack, and the infamous (and highly-disputed) case of Philly fans booing and throwing snowballs at Santa Claus. The famed Army-Navy game was held at the stadium eighteen times from 1899 through 1935. Even though the annual game between service academies is longer played at Franklin Field, the city of Philadelphia still serves as a neutral site for the historic rivalry. When the FIFA World Cup was held in the United States in 1994, Franklin Field was in consideration to be used in the tournament but did not make the final selection. The stadium also hosted an international rugby match on the 30th of November 2004. Even though the United States lost the match to Australia, the close result raised the profile of the men's national team. Some important events that have taken place at Franklin Field include the yearly Penn Relays, the 1936 Democratic Party nomination, concerts by famous musicians and bands such as U2, and movie cameos. The Penn Relays is one of the oldest, largest, and continuing track and field events in the country. They first were held on April 21, 1895, one of the main reasons why Franklin Field was built. An average of 15,000 participants attend yearly from high schools, colleges, and track clubs throughout North America and abroad compete in more than 300 events over five days. Attendance typically tops 100,000 over the final three days and has been known to surpass 50,000 on Saturday. Historically, the event has been credited with popularizing the running of relay races. The first team to win a Penn Relays championship was Harvard University after they defeated the University of Pennsylvania with a time of 3:34 in the 4x400 meter. Other colleges that competed in the first meet were Cornell University, Columbia University, Lafayette, Lehigh, Rutgers, Swarthmore, College of the City of New York, and New York University. In 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for a second term as president. It is estimated that a crowd of about 100,000 sat through a light rain to hear his speech. In 1997, Franklin Field hosted Irish band U2 during the first leg of their Pop Mart tour. This was the stadium’s first concert since 1970. The 2000 M. Night Shyamalan-directed movie Unbreakable prominently features Franklin Field as one of the main locations in the film. The film's main character, played by Bruce Willis, plays a security guard at the stadium. In the 2006 movie Invincible, Franklin Field served as a stand-in for the demolished Veterans Stadium, images of which were digitally created on some of the football action sequences, and pays homage to one of the Eagle's original stadiums.There were changes in stadium design over time, but the overall structure has remained the same. Some major points in the evolution of stadium design include the original wooden grandstands in 1895, permanent grandstands and a scoreboard in the years 1903-1905, and the final two-tier brick design in 1922. Franklin Field maintained a grass field until 1969 when it switched over to AstroTurf. It was the first National Football League stadium to use artificial turf. The stadium's fifth AstroTurf surface was installed in 1993. The current Sprinturf field replaced the AstroTurf in 2004.

Franklin Field lies in Philadelphia at the eastern edge of the University of Pennsylvania’s campus, across the Schuylkill River from Center City. The historic stadium dates back to 1895 when wooden bleachers for the Penn Relays, football matches, and other events were constructed. Demonstrating the rise of college football in the early 20th century, the stadium was dramatically expanded in 1922 to become the two-tiered stadium with the same brick arches one sees today. The NCAA has designated Franklin Field as the oldest college football stadium still in operation, and the stadium also holds the honor of being the first stadium to broadcast a football game over the radio. Aside from the Penn Relays and the University of Pennsylvania’s football team, the Philadelphia Eagles were tenants from 1958 to 1970. The Democratic Party, the band U2, and numerous features in movies and television shows add to Franklin Field's historic story. 

Franklin Field

Architectural History
The Palestra received its name from the suggestion of&nbsp; Greek studies Professor, Dr. William N. Bates. He said the name fit because just like in the ancient Greek times, young men would compete in a variety of event in a rectangular enclosure (a palestra) in which spectator would view. Over time it has received quite a few different nicknames, one being the “Mecca of Basketball." This nickname is a reference to the Muslim tradition that requires each individual the pilgrimage to their holy city once in their lifetime. Just like the members of that tradition must pilgrimage to their holy city, basketball fans made a point to visit the Palestra long after the University of Pennsylvania stopped being a dominant team.&nbsp;&nbsp;
HistoryThe first game held at The Palestra between the Quakers of Penn and the Elis of Yale. The game was quite the barn burner. The final score was 26-15 in favor or the Quakers. This was the start of something very special. Throughout the years the Palestra has hosted some of basketballs biggest names. The likes of Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant have all come to witness games at this legendary venue.&nbsp;A 2005 poll conducted by ESPN asked college basketball experts to identify their favorite arenas and the Palestra was at or near the top of every respondent's list. Jay Bilas, a former Duke Blue Devil,&nbsp;said: “It is one of the true gems or the sports world, right up there with Wrigley Field.” Today the stadium holds a capacity of 8,700 fans which hardly compares to most of the other stadium mentioned in that list, but the historic value of the stadium makes up for its modest size compared to more expansive modern stadiums.&nbsp;&nbsp;Author Bob Lyons explained the appeal of the arena. “You don't know what it’s like until you walk into the Palestra. You talk about the Field of Dreams in baseball, this was my Field of Dreams. The mystique of the place is unparalleled. When you first come through the doors there's a certain feeling that you get that just transcends the moment. Then you walk out on the floor and look up at nine thousand people, the scoreboard, the streamers, the fervor and fever in the stands, the intensity of the players and the coaches. There’s nothing like it in the world of sports.”History of the Clubs 
The Palestra was home to the Big 5 which included the local Philadelphia college basketball teams of Temple, Villanova, St. Joseph’s, UPenn, LaSalle with Drexel as an honorary 6th member. This profit sharing league was formed during the 1950s in order to create the finest city competition that would overshadow other famous rivalries like Army versus Navy and Harvard versus Yale. Most of the games between the teams were held at the Palestra until recently.
The Penn Quakers men’s basketball team is the fifteenth most winning men’s basketball program of all time. The program saw its greatest success in the early 1900s and from 1966 to 2007 when it dominated the NCAA's Ivy League.&nbsp;Penn’s first year of competitive basketball began with 1897-1898 season and the team won back-to-back titles in the 1919-1920 and 1920-1921 seasons. As of 2018, the Quakers have appeared 23 times in the NAACP tournament and hold a tournament record of 13 wins and 25 losses.&nbsp;
Important Events 
During the NBA Lockout in 2011, many of the NBA’s stars graced the floor of the Palestra with their talents. A team that included LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Paul took on another team full of NBA Players from the Philadelphia area.	Team Philly included Kyle Lowry, former sixth man of the year Lou Williams, and former rookie of the year Tyreke Evans. Despite LeBron and Anthony's team being loaded with the NBA’s perennial all stars, team Philly pulled out the win with the score of 131-119.
On February 20,1965, as St Joseph’s University and Villanova were preparing for a game, bomb threat forced the entire building to evacuate. Legendary broadcasted, Les Keiter, remained in the building to cover the event. This was a moment that ended up defining his career and his dedication to not only the Palestra, but to University of Pennsylvania basketball. Keiter goes on to say after being inducted into the Big 5 Hall of fame, “The 7 years I worked there, 3 nights a week; I wouldn't trade for anything in the world. And now to be joining the greats [as a Hall of Famer], my life is really, really complete.”&nbsp;Last year Penn State gave up a scheduled home game to play in this historic venue. They did this in order to get a better grasp on the luxurious Philadelphia high school basketball recruiting scene. Penn State came out on top, beating Michigan State with the score of 72-63. After the game, Michigan State’s head coach, Tom Izzo, apologized to the fans. He said that his team did not deserve to be on the floor of such a historic building. The way they played did not play up the standards of the building, “… this was totally humiliating for me to be be in such a great city and a great basketball venue and I did not have my players ready to play.”

Constructed in 1926 with its opening on New Years Day in 1927, this historic sporting venue is often referred to as "the Cathedral of College Basketball." The Palestra was one of the largest arenas in the world at the time of its opening and offered an innovative design that supported the roof without obstructive internal pillars. The area is the home to the University of Pennsylvania Quakers and owing to its longevity, has hosted more college basketball games than any other building. During the early years of college basketball, the Palestra was home to some of the best teams and hosted games of the Big 5 league which included Villanova, St. Joseph's, LaSalle, Temple, and the University of Pennsylvania. In 2000, the Palestra went under a $1.9 million dollar renovation. 

The Palestra

Built in 1903&nbsp;by the Pennsylvania Railroad company&nbsp;as a football field for its YMCA-sponsored employee&nbsp;football team1,&nbsp;the "Railroaders". &nbsp;They competed against local colleges and athletic clubs. &nbsp;Beginning in 1936, the West Philadelphia&nbsp;park was the home field of the Negro League Philadelphia Stars (except on Monday nights, when the Stars would rent out Shibe Field, home of the Philadelphia Athletics and Phillies), one of the most successful Negro League teams.2 &nbsp;Additionally, Penmar Park hosted Negro League World Series games (which were often held at neutral sites)&nbsp;in 1945 and 1947. The park was hardly an ideal location for baseball. &nbsp;For one, the grass was rarely cut there. Another was its location. &nbsp;The park was situated behind the roundhouse where Pennsylvania Railroad trains would come for service. &nbsp;In his book&nbsp;Don't Let Anyone Take Your Joy Away: An inside look at Negro League baseball and its legacy, former Stars catcher&nbsp;Stanley Glenn recalled, "I used to hate to come to the ballpark at 44th and Parkside. &nbsp;It was filthy. &nbsp;Coal-powered&nbsp;used to pull in nearby at Belmont and Girard avenues for cleaning, then roll back downtown the the main station at 30th Street. &nbsp;Smoke and soot used to waft right into the ballpark. &nbsp;Why, if you went outside with a white shirt on, 20 minutes later that shirt would turn Black! &nbsp;Sometimes we even had to stop the games until the smoke blew away."3 Despite this, Penmar saw its share of feats. &nbsp;In August of 1936, legendary Negro League slugger hit a towering home run that landed outside the park4.&nbsp; In 1947&nbsp;Satchel Paige, the all-time great pitcher, once had a perfect game going through 8 innings before intentionally walking the bases loaded to start the 9th. &nbsp;Paige then told all seven fielders to lie down, and astonished them by striking out the next three batters on nine pitches.5 Interestingly, the crowds for these games were often racially diverse. &nbsp;According to Glenn, "There was an enormous white audience for Black baseball, almost 50-50 in Philadelphia. &nbsp;In fact, sometimes we'd play at the park at 44th and Parkside, and get more white patrons than Black. &nbsp;They were locals who simply loved baseball, and we were just that good."6

Former site of historic stadium that was home to the Philadelphia Stars of the Negro League from 1936-1952.  Originally built in 1903 by the Pennsylvania Railroad company for their company football team.  The stadium would go on to witness such feats as a 1936 Josh Gibson home run hit out of the stadium and a very eccentric Satchel Page no-hitter.

P.R.R. YMCA Athletic Field/Penmar Park/44th & Parkside

<h2>Location and
Construction</h2>

Penmar Park was erected by the
Pennsylvania Railroad as a site for the railroad’s YMCA football team to
practice and play. As mentioned above, sources indicate varying dates of
construction. The best estimates place the construction date between 1902 and
1903, as there are few records of games played here prior to the 1920s. The
stadium itself was constructed on land in the Parkside (beside West Fairmount
Park) neighborhood of Northwest Philadelphia which already belonged to the PRR,
and as such the railroad did not need to purchase real estate to accommodate
its team. Because the field was laid out on railroad land, it was naturally
located very close to railroad tracks. This would prove convenient for the
railroad but a bit of a nuisance to players and spectators.



The field was located on what is today a
vacant lot near the intersection of Parkside Avenue and North 48th
Street. Penmar Park was bounded on its north side by Parkside Avenue and on its
south side by the Pennsylvania Railroad Main Line to Chicago as well as a
sizeable railyard. While the main tracks still exist today as Amtrak’s Keystone
Corridor, the former 37th Street Yard has since been removed. The
size of the vacant land beside the Amtrak tracks may seem to suggest that the
field was quite sizeable; however most of this empty space was occupied by 37th
Street Yard and the nearby ZOO Interlocking (also called ZOO Junction; named
for the nearby Philadelphia Zoo). As a major division point between PRR’s Main
Line from Philadelphia to Chicago and its Main Line from Washington, D.C. to New
York City, ZOO Interlocking and its accompanying switch tower were a flurry of
activity during the former half of the twentieth century, and this still
remains the case today.1 If
the park were still open today, spectators and players could play in a much cleaner
environment, as the coal-fired steam locomotives that the PRR operated have
long since been scrapped and replaced by Amtrak diesel and electric
locomotives. During the heyday of Penmar Park, however, the sheer number of
passing trains and the close proximity of the park to the Pennsylvania
roundhouse at 37th Street made the park a dirty, sooty environment. &nbsp;&nbsp; 

<h2>Pennsylvania
Railroad YMCA</h2>

The primary tenant of the park was the
Railroad YMCA, which rostered a football team from the local neighborhood. American
railroads and the YMCA had a very close working relationship during the first
half of the twentieth century, and the Pennsylvania Railroad was no exception.
YMCA locations were often situated near railroad facilities such as stations,
major junctions, and freight yards and many featured bunkhouses which offered
cheap lodging. These bunkhouses were used by railroad passengers and employees
alike, and were especially useful for over-the-road train crews arriving from
their home terminals. Eventually, these locations became more than just hotels
for traveling train crews as the YMCA moved to create a sense of greater
camaraderie and Christian fellowship among these men who traveled frequently
and were away from home for long periods. YMCA chapters began to introduce
sports teams for local residents and railroad workers alike to compete among
one another in healthy, friendly environments.2&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 





The PRR Philadelphia YMCA football team
was created out of this movement toward “wholesome athletics” which united
members of the local community with railroad workers. The Pennsylvania Railroad
football club of Philadelphia actually predates the creation of Penmar Park and
the creation of the YMCA team by several years. Contemporary records set the
team’s inaugural year as 1886, a full seventeen years before Penmar Park was
even constructed. The PRR Philadelphia team played for several seasons as a
strictly railroad-sponsored organization and faced opponents who were also
sponsored by railroad companies. This changed on April 13, 1894, however, as the
newly constructed YMCA merged its football team with the PRR’s to create the
PRR YMCA Philadelphia Football Club. Then new, the YMCA was located at the
corner of Westminster Avenue and 41st Street in the Parkside neighborhood
of West Philadelphia near the site of the future Penmar Park. This YMCA served
PRR employees at the nearby 37th Street Yard and ZOO Interlocking
for years to come.3&nbsp; The PRR Philadelphia YMCA had a veritable
complex of buildings and properties both within the city and in its vicinity.
Aside from Penmar Park, the Philadelphia facilities included the main YMCA
building on 41st Street, the Broad St. Station Annex (located in the
Broad St. passenger station in Center City Philadelphia), the country club in
Downingtown, and the seashore camp in Ocean City, NJ. These facilities were
furnished with recreational areas, gymnasiums, showers, bunkhouses, and even
railroad training facilities. Together, they provided a relaxed, friendly atmosphere
in which railroad workers and their sons could spend time, socialize, and
compete in sporting events. Penmar Park played a central role in the YMCA’s
operations, as it provided a venue for outdoor sports not easily accommodated elsewhere.
As a 1904 periodical describes the park, it was far more than a football field.
William Patton was the chairman of the PRR YMCA at the time, and he furnished
this description of Penmar Park International
Railway Journal:“The athletic field is one of the largest
and finest in [Philadelphia]. It contains a club house [sic] provided with shower
baths, steel lockers, dressing rooms, etc; baseball diamond, football gridiron,
running track, straightaway, five tennis courts and a grand stand [sic], with
seating capacity of 4,000.” 4 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 

This baseball facility was under-utilized
at best from the time of the park’s construction, yet this would change in 1936
when the PRR leased the park to its most famous tenant ever. 

<h2>Philadelphia Stars</h2>

By 1936, Penmar Park had aged considerably
since its 1902 construction. Despite this, the YMCA maintained the facility to
a usable level. One major improvement made to the facility was the installation
of powerful spotlights which enabled nighttime play. This task was undertaken
in 1933 at the behest of local coach and sports legend Eddie Gottlieb. This seemingly
minor improvement transformed Penmar Park into a serious athletic facility with
the capability to host large games. The local Negro League team took notice of
this, and in 1936 they leased the field from the Pennsylvania Railroad YMCA.
Thus, Penmar Park became the new home of the Philadelphia Stars baseball team. The
PRR would continue to lease the entire complex to the Stars annually until 1950.5 

Though the park was maintained to an
adequate level, it was never manicured. The grass was allowed to grow very high
as the PRR felt compelled to mow it only infrequently. Its proximity to 37th
Street Yard and ZOO Interlocking made for a smoky environment, as the railroad
used a combination of both electric and steam locomotives in the area. The ambience
must have been loud as well due to the park’s location adjacent to the busiest
interlocking junction in North America- trains likely shook the grandstand with
their passing. Furthermore, the entire grandstand and field must have been
sooty and caked with cinders from passing trains. Undoubtedly an untold number
of outfielders lost fly balls of made errors due to the painful experience of removing
coal cinders from their eyes.6&nbsp; 









 





The atmosphere at Penmar Park was far from
inviting, yet its appearance was not at all indicative of the role this
venerable field would play in the development of American baseball. This humble
field, with its long grass and smoky environment, was to be a veritable colosseum
where the Philadelphia Stars Negro League team grew and developed. Several
notable games were played here and numerous Negro League greats graced its
diamond during its relatively short lifetime. Among the most famous of events that
occurred here was Satchel Paige’s near-perfect game. In the summer of 1947,
Paige took the mound at Penmar Park and pitched a perfect game through eight
innings. Feeling assured of himself, Paige intentionally walked three batters
in the ninth. In perhaps the greatest instance of showboating there was,
Satchel Paige signaled for his fielders to sit down on the field. They obliged,
and Paige proceeded to strike out three batters in a row- by throwing nine
pitches.7 All this excitement unfolded in the smoky environs of a
forty year-old ballpark beside the railroad tracks in West Philadelphia.&nbsp; 

<h2>Demolition</h2>

Almost no records of Penmar Park exist
later than 1950, indicating that the stadium was likely torn down or abandoned
by then. At some point in the latter half of the twentieth century, Penmar Park
and the entire YMCA complex was demolished. On Parkside Avenue today there is
no trace of the facility save for a statue, a mural, and a Pennsylvania
Historical and Museum Commission marker. Aside from these memorials, Penmar
Park lives on only in memories and stories like those of Miss Hattie Williams,
the legendary hot dog vendor who supposedly cooked her hot dogs using a fire
stoked by wood from the grandstand.8 For all its storied history,
the PRR YMCA athletic facility at North 48th Street and Parkside
Avenue stood as a stalwart monument to athleticism in West Philadelphia. It was
a sturdy, dependable park yet also a gritty one. Penmar Park was both a
Philadelphia institution where local railroad workers and their sons could bond
over friendly sport and a Negro League icon where famous players accomplished
great feats. This humble park served its purpose well and provided the employees
of the Pennsylvania Railroad as well as the people of the City of Philadelphia
with great memories and good times. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Known by several names, Penmar Park was a Philadelphia institution for nearly thirty years. Sources vary on the stadium’s actual date of construction, but it was most likely constructed between 1902 and 1903. Built by the Pennsylvania Railroad, the stadium was intended for use by the railroad’s Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA). Apart from its planned use, the field hosted countless Negro Leagues games throughout the 1930s and 1940s. The park’s primary tenant was the Philadelphia Stars franchise, which was a member of first the Negro National League and later the Negro American League. The former park is noteworthy on several fronts. First among them are its connections with the now-legendary Negro Leagues. Vestiges of a bygone era, the Negro Leagues were the Black answer to white hegemony in the National Pastime. They rostered star athletes in their own right, and their ability to enthrall the public was renowned; they appealed to both white and Black fans alike. The other reason for this park’s notoriety is its connection with an industry which has seemingly little to do with baseball: the railroad industry. Indeed, the field was constructed and maintained by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), and the company thus had a significant hand in the field’s upkeep.

Penmar Park

The Philadelphia Stars were established&nbsp;in 1933 by Ed Bolden, the previous owner of the&nbsp;Hilldale Daisies. The Stars became a member of the
Negro National League after one season as an independent team in 1933. As
a member of the NNL in 1934, the Stars won the NNL pennant in a classic series
with the Chicago American Giants.&nbsp;From 1934 until 1948, the Stars remained one of the biggest draws&nbsp;within the&nbsp;NNL. After the NNL dissolved in 1948, the Stars joined the Negro American
League and continued baseball operations&nbsp;until 1952. During the Philadelphia Stars’ time, they featured greats
like Biz Mackey and even Satchel Paige in 1950.Recently, the Philadelphia Phillies have worked to honor
the men of the Philadelphia Stars and their contributions to the game of
baseball and the city of Philadelphia. Every April 15 on Jackie Robinson Day,
the Phillies and members of various Philadelphia Business Association members
gather at Philadelphia Stars Negro League Memorial Park to honor and remember
the legacy of African American baseball in the Philadelphia community.

Located in Philadelphia’s West Parkside neighborhood, the Philadelphia Stars Negro League Memorial Park stands in the very spot where the Philadelphia Stars played their home games an Penmar Park. In addition to being the home of the Stars, the ballpark also served as the host to multiple Negro League World Series games in the 1930s and 1940s. The Memorial Park, which was made possible through the coming together of several parties including the MLB and City of Philadelphia in 2004, features a historical site marker, a mural, and a memorial statue.

Philadelphia Stars Negro League Memorial Park

The park was opened on April 30, 1887, costing Phillies owner Al 
Reach around 100,000 dollars. The initial stadium was able to comfortably 
accommodate over 12,000 fans (double the number of the previous home of 
the Phillies). However, the first of a number of disasters to occur 
happened when a fire broke out in 1894, burning much of the wooden structure of the park to the ground, leaving only the brick exterior intact. The newly built National Park built in 1895 is
 considered one of the first “modern” ballparks. This new version held 
even more fans than the initial design, close to 20,000. The new park 
consisted mostly of steel and brick, ideally protecting it from the fire
 that destroyed the first variant. However, while fire may not have been
 an issue again (or at least not until much later in the parks life), 
other disasters struck nonetheless. In spite of the supposed 
“state of the art” construction techniques and materials used in the 
Baker Bowl, the material proved too weak and collapsed not once, but 
twice. In both 1903 and 1927, seating areas collapsed under the weight 
of patrons. Twelve people died in the first instance, with one death in 
the second, and numerous injuries. Such notable instances have marred 
the park's history as an architectural death trap. Poor 
construction quality is not the only architectural standout. Of more 
immediate note is the shape of the park. The right field wall is the 
main culprit. Left field was around 340 ft from home plate, with the 
center 480 ft. Meanwhile, the right field is only 280 ft from home 
plate, resulting in the odd design that spawned the name “Cigar Box”. 
This design made the park perfect for left handed batters. One such 
batter was the Phillies own Chuck Klein. In 1930 he had an incredible 
.386 batting average. He also hit the farthest home run in the Baker Bowl.&nbsp;Another name commonly used was “The Hump”. This was in reference to the 
center field of the park. “The center field gap was affected as well (by
 railroad tracks beneath the ground), slanting upward several feet above
 the rest of the field’s plain as a result of the underground egress, 
which ran diagonally beneath the northeast edge of the ballpark 
grounds.” (thisgreatgame)&nbsp;While it may have periodically been 
referred to by other names, the name that stuck was “Baker Bowl”. This 
is in reference to William F. Baker, the owner of the Phillies from 1913
 until his death in 1930. Ironically, Baker was generally derided by 
many for his poor management of the team. The team dropped greatly in 
stature under his reign. He was generally focused on the finances of the
 team, and happily traded away good players for cash. His insatiable 
penny pinching made him go so far as to use sheep to keep the grass low,
 rather than pay for lawn mowers.Almost as important as the 
stadium itself is the team it is connected to. The Baker Bowl was the 
home of the Philadelphia Phillies from 1887–1938. They moved to the 
Baker Bowl from the old Recreation Park. The team’s time in Baker Bowl 
is not the most celebrated of times. Of course, they may be lauded for 
the period due to their appearance in the 1915 World Series. However, 
their luck would run out after this period. The team notably had only 
one winning season from 1918-1948. A sign of their poor performance 
during their time at the Baker Bowl is an ad that was painted along the 
parks right field wall. The ad was for Life Buoy soap, reading “The 
Phillies use Lifebuoy.” This ad lead to a humorous joke, with some 
saying “and yet they still stink!” Not only was it stated, a vandal even
 once painted the statement onto the ad itself.The most 
notable event for the park and the Phillies during this time was the 
1915 World Series. Several of the matches of the world series took place
 in the Baker Bowl. This World Series was especially important, as then 
President Woodrow Wilson was the first President to attend a World 
Series. Not only did he attend, he even threw a pitch. Additionally, the
 event was an early appearance of famous ball player Babe Ruth. Ruth was
 with the Red Sox at the time, and it marked his very first (but 
certainly not the last) appearance at a World Series. In spite of the 
larger historical significance, the series was of little note for the 
Phillies, who were only able to win a single match. Ultimately, they 
lost the only World Series they participated in during the Baker Bowl 
era. Due to the poor financial situation of the team (heavily reflective
 of their generally poor performance), the Phillies were forced to 
abandon the Baker Bowl in 1938. They would go on to share Shibe park 
with the Philadelphia Athletics. While the park may be best 
known for its home baseball team, many other events took place at the 
Baker Bowl. Many Negro League baseball games took place at the park 
between 1920 and 1930, with the Hilldaises team renting out the park 
when the Phillies were away. Furthermore, the Negro Leagues World Series
 would take place in the Baker Bowl from 1924-1926. The park
 was even used for sports outside of baseball, with the local 
Philadelphia Eagles using the field to play football. The owner of the 
Eagles, Bert Bell, had hoped to use the larger Shibe Park, but could not
 work out a deal. In the end, the Eagles ended up playing in the Baker 
Bowl from 1933-1935. In respect to the Eagles, the Baker Bowl is notable
 as where they began, with their very first game taking place on October
 3, 1933. However, their stay at the then deteriorating Baker Bowl was 
short lived. In 1936, they moved to the substantially larger 
Philadelphia Municipal Stadium.The Baker Bowl does have a 
rather regrettable history. Between various disasters and poor 
management, the park has a number of reasons to be poorly remembered. 
However, one should not forget that much joy was brought by this park. 
Win or lose, sports fans are there to enjoy the game, whether it be 
baseball, football, or any other game.

The National League Park, better known as the “Baker Bowl”, holds great significance in the history of sport’s in the US. Of great note is the parks strange design compared to most ball parks. Much infamy also comes from the general poor quality of construction of the park, leading to multiple disastrous incidents and the eventual closing of the park. The park is further marred by the poor performance of its home team, the Philadelphia Phillies. Despite much negativity surrounding the park, it can still be fondly remembered for the 1915 World Series and its use by a number of other people for various sporting events.

National League Park- The Baker Bowl

Joe Frazier (1944-2011) was born in Beaufort, South Carolina, but,&nbsp;seeking greater opportunity,&nbsp;moved to Philadelphia in his teens and adopted the city as his home for the rest of his life. &nbsp;A successful amateur fighter, Frazier won Gold Glove heavyweight titles in 1962, '63, and '64, en route to winning the Gold Medal for boxing&nbsp;in the heavyweight division at the Tokyo Olympics in 1964. &nbsp; Frazier is most well-known for his three epic battles in the ring with Muhammad Ali. &nbsp;Their first meeting was dubbed "The Fight Of The Century" by the press leading up to the event1. &nbsp;The fight lived up to its billing as the pugilists engaged in a brutal, 15-round contest. &nbsp;Frazier was awarded a unanimous decision and crowned the World Heavyweight Champion. &nbsp;Frazier would lose his title to George Forman two years later, before facing Ali again in '74 and '75, both of which he would also lose. &nbsp;He retired from fighting in 1976, save for a one-fight comeback in 1981, and finished his career&nbsp;with a record of 32-4-12. Following his retirement, Frazier dedicated himself to training fighters at his North Philadelphia gym and giving neighborhood youths an alternative to the streets. &nbsp;Frazier faced health and financial problems later in life and was forced to sell the gym in 2008. &nbsp;He died from complications related to liver cancer in 2011. &nbsp; The National Register of Historic Places says of Joe Frazier's Gym: Joe Frazier's Gym is an important building associated with Frazier's life and productive career, and serves as a powerful representation of both African-American and boxing history in twentieth-century Philadelphia. Joe Frazier's Gym meets Criterion Consideration G, as though his accomplishments and active career may have taken place within the last fifty years, it is clear that Frazier is an important figure in late 20th century boxing history, this building best reflects his success and lasting impact within the sport, and this building is very important within the city of Philadelphia's African American sports resources. The period of significance represents the duration of Joe Frazier's involvement with the building, from 1968 to 2008.

The home gym of former Olympic Gold Medalist and World Heavyweight Champion Joe Frazier.  After he retired from boxing, Frazier used the gym to train fighters and provide an alternative to the dangers of the streets for local inner-city youths.  It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in April of 2013.

Joe Frazier's Gym

Shibe Park was one of the first baseball stadiums to be&nbsp;made of concrete and steel and it is believed that it was the first major stadium to offer a public address system, and the first to display lineups on the scoreboard. The stadium&nbsp;hosted several World Series, Negro League World Series, and All-Star games. Shibe began purchasing sections of land through straw buyers to keep his name off of the purchases and keep area owners from recognizing his intent to acquire five or six acres so that he could demolish the existing buildings and begin construction of his park.&nbsp;By 1908, Shibe had hired William Steele and Sons to design and build the state of the art ballpark. Less than a year later, the steel and concrete park that would become home to Philadelphia’s iconic sports teams was completed. Shibe Park opened April 12, 1909 as the home of the Philadelphia Athletics.The park was fitted with 23,000 seats, priced from 25 cent to $1. The additional standing room opened capacity up to 40,000. On opening day, the park was packed to the brim. Fans stood in the outer reaches of the outfield and sat on rooftops surrounding the stadium. Philadelphia Mayor Reyburn threw out the first pitch. The Athletics went on to win the World Series in 1910, 1911 and 1913. A loss of players in the following seasons took the A’s to the bottom of the standings. After Shibe’s death in 1922, his sons and co-owner Connie Mack expanded the park, raising the grandstand roof, adding a press box, a roofed terrace along left field, a mezzanine and 4,250 seats. The A’s were back at it by 1929, winning two straight World Series and three straight AL pennants.The Great Depression brought the park a third upgrade. Thousands of fans had watched from the rooftops of houses neighboring the park, paying the owners substantially lower fees than the ones charged at the park gates. With the weakened economy and attendance at a low, Jack Shibe commissioned a 22-foot-high corrugated metal wall atop the existing right field wall. Dubbed Connie Mack’s Spite Wall by fans, the now 34-foot-high right field wall blocked the view from the neighboring rooftops, souring the relationship between the A’s and their fans.Shibe Park was home to a number of Negro League games throughout its life, as well as a few other sports teams and events, including boxing matches. And the Philadelphia Eagles occupied the park for 17 years starting in 1940.In 1938, the Phillies moved into Shibe Park in the middle of the season. Shibe Park was home to the first AL night game in May of 1939, after eight light towers were installed the previous winter. The Phillies won the last pennant the stadium would see in 1950, but ultimately lost the series to the New York Yankees that year.Shibe Park became Connie Mack Stadium in 1953, an effort by Mack’s children to revamp the park. The A’s left Philadelphia in 1955, when new owner Arnold Johnson moved them to Kansas City. Bob Carpenter, owner of the Phillies, purchased the stadium in 1955 and added billboards and a huge scoreboard. In April of 1957, a statue of the deceased Connie Mack, was unveiled across the street from the stadium, the epitaph headlined with “Mr. Baseball.”During the final game on October 1, 1970, fans tore apart the stadium before the game was even over. Seats, turf, signs and more were removed by the crowd, who were hungry for their own souvenir from great Philadelphia history.The park was demolished between October, 1975 and July, 1976. Arsonists set fire to the ruins not long after the final game. A church now inhabits the property, and in 1997 the Philadelphia Historical Commission placed a marker to commemorate the once iconic ballpark.

Philadelphia’s American League franchise opened in 1901 and in less than a decade grew more popular than the National League Phillies, leading Athletics owner Benjamin Franklin Shibe to open a new park at this location. Completed in 1909, Shibe Park became the home of the Philadelphia Athletics, the Phillies and the Eagles. This was also the site of numerous boxing matches, high school and college football games, and regular contests featuring Negro League baseball teams the Philadelphia Stars, the Hilldale Club, and the Bacharach Giants.  After falling into disrepair, the stadium was demolished in 1976.

Shibe Park/Connie Mack Stadium

<div>The Merion had its humble beginnings on an estate owned by Colonel Owen James, who helped create it. Contrary to its present state, the club did not have a real clubhouse nor did it own a cricket pitch that was in regulation in its early days. However, a turning point presented itself for the club when the Merion XI team won in their&nbsp;first cricket match. The club's cricket&nbsp;team would then venture&nbsp;across&nbsp;oceans in the following years to compete against some of the most renowned English cricket clubs, an&nbsp;opportunity&nbsp;that opened many doors for the future success and expansion of the club.&nbsp;</div><div>Soon, membership amounts exceeded the available space on the James' estate, and the club was relocated to Ardmore in 1873. This new area had five acres of land for the Merion to be built upon. Seven years later, two more acres of land were purchased so that room could be made renovated into tennis courts. Tennis was beginning to grow in popularity, and would eventually overtake the world of cricket. The Merion recognized this, and made the effort to adapt. Thus In 1892, the club was once again moved to&nbsp;Haverford and a larger 12 and a half acres of land were purchased.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>Historically, a major event for the club was the hosting of the Pennsylvania State Lawn Tennis&nbsp;Championship, which continued annually for 80 years afterwards. Unfortunately, a fire demolished the club on January 4th, 1896. But, this tragedy presented itself as a potential advantage when Frank Furness, a highly-renowned architect&nbsp;from Philadelphia, offered to design an entirely new clubhouse. The new facility was marvel of beauty and engineering, attracting more club-goers than ever before. Additionally, it was around this time that tennis began to become a main focus for the organization, influenced by national trends and their establishment of a golf club (which is closely related to the sport of tennis). The Merion Cricket Club has since hosted the U.S. Open (a&nbsp;national&nbsp;championship of golf) five times, and held the Davis Cup once in 1939 where 8,000 spectators attended. After the Davis Cup, the Merion&nbsp;gained publicity for its&nbsp;hospitality and the great job it had&nbsp;done with&nbsp;hosting such a large event.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>Along with these&nbsp;accomplishments, the club has an impressive list of athletic achievements. In 1961, five of the Merion Golf Club's players won five separate national championships; the players were even recognized by Sport's Illustrated Magazine. As aforementioned, the Merion is known for not only its support of the sport of squash, but&nbsp;also for development of the sport. The Merion Cricket Club held the first squash tournament in 1962. To keep true to the club's traditions, it reintroduced cricket to visitors in 1972 and still continues to host cricket events today.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>The Merion Cricket Club has an extensive list of historical attributes, but it is also a wonderful place to visit, if not simply for its beauty and atmosphere. The club features fine dining, gorgeous architecture, and&nbsp;a ballroom. The lawn furnished for the grass courts upholds a reputation as one of the best in the world for lawn tennis. Its greenery was even given its own name:&nbsp;the&nbsp;Great Lawn, and one of their formal&nbsp;restaurants has an enclosed porch where dining members can overlook the lawn while eating. Promoting&nbsp;a family-friendly atmosphere, adults and children alike can find activities that will keep them engaged and having fun.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>The club&nbsp;is a major marker of history and is still commemorated for this. 2015 marked the 105th&nbsp;anniversary of the Merion Cricket Club. Many events were held for this major point in the&nbsp;club's&nbsp;timeline, such as a complimentary New Year's Open House (which also took place during&nbsp;the Merion's beginning), and a Founder's Day celebration on December 16th. Aside from this birthday, annual events are also hosted to continue the traditions and history. Christmas Balls have held each December, and squash tournaments play out annually. The Merion Cricket Club will always be a famous landmark in American athletic history and may go on setting new standards for all private clubs alike.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

Erected in 1865, the Merion Cricket Club is one of the most well-known private sporting clubs in the United States, famous for both tradition and heritage, as well as its sophisticated taste (members abide by a dress policy). The club is now located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, having been moved locations in 5 other separate instances. Currently boasting a membership of 2,500 people, the club dates back to the end of the Civil War when it was established by William Montgomery and Marshall Ewing. Today, the institution is best-known for its luscious greenery and history as the original home of the U.S. Open and the home of the first cricket tournament in the United States. Encouraging participation in sports and other activities, the Merion Cricket Club has been an avid supporter of cricket, golf, squash, and tennis since its founding.  

The Merion Cricket Club

In 1842, ten miles outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Villanova University was founded by the Order of Saint Augustine. &nbsp;The institution provides a liberal arts education and is committed to the community and serving others. &nbsp;In addition, the university values excellence and outstanding performance both in the classroom and during athletic competition (Lane, 2016). &nbsp;Villanova is ranked among the nation’s top universities and supports and encourages academic and athletic growth (Lane, 2016). &nbsp;There are 24 varsity sports in which over 500 student-athletes participate in. Villanova University is a member of the Big East Conference, Colonial Athletic Association (football), and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (Women’s Water Polo) (Lane, 2016). The Pavilion, home to the Men’s and Women’s basketball programs, was built in 1985. Its architecture, internal features, as well as the events held there, have all contributed to the well-known impact it has had on those who have attended, played in, and funded the Pavilion. &nbsp;The Pavilion was originally known as the John Eleuthere du Pont Pavilion. &nbsp;He was the main funder of the building. &nbsp;In 1997, his name was removed from the facility after he was convicted of the murder of Dave Schultz, an Olympic, gold medal wrestler (The Pavilion, 2017).The Pavilion was built as a multipurpose arena that sits 6,500 people (The Pavilion, 2017). &nbsp;From the outside, it stands out with its hyperbolic paraboloid roofline (The Pavilion, 2017). The inside is spacious and features multiple different athletic uses to the center. Although most people are familiar with the way the Pavilion looks during a basketball game, it may also be used for tennis, volleyball, indoor track and field training, baseball and softball batting practice, and for rowing practice. The courts are lined for basketball, tennis, and volleyball (Facilities, n.d.). &nbsp;There is also a five lane, 200 meter track, a jump pit with sand, pole vault pit, and batting cages (Facilities, n.d.). &nbsp;The game court for varsity men’s and women’s basketball was replaced in 2002 and is now a portable maplewood surface (Facilities, n.d.). &nbsp;In addition to the courts and practice facilities inside the Pavilion, there is also a press room, an athletic department lounge, a VIP box, and convocation center with a stage, curtains, drapings, and folding chairs. &nbsp;Despite all the Pavilion has to offer for the student-athletes, it is most known for its large student section that takes up a third of the seating. &nbsp;However, it is considered only the 5th best arena in the Big East due to the awkward layout, high ceilings that prevent good acoustics, and a large empty space behind the student section for baseball (McQuade, 2017). Villanova University’s Pavilion is known to be an exciting venue in which more than 1.9 million people have passed through, just for men’s basketball. &nbsp;Not only is the Pavilion used for Villanova athletic events, but for many other reasons as well. The entire city of Villanova, Pennsylvania has benefitted from the Pavilion and its large arena floor that measures 23,016 square feet (The Pavilion, 2017). &nbsp;It has been the hosting venue for Commencement events, recruiting events, concerts, conventions, trade shows, Special Olympics, Relay for Life, the Advanta International Tennis Championship, NCAA Championship events, and Law School graduation. &nbsp;It is also the home court of the Philadelphia Freedoms of World Team Tennis (The Pavilion, 2017). &nbsp;Not only is the Pavilion important to the student athletes and faculty at Villanova, but also to the surrounding community.Throughout the years, the Villanova Wildcats have been extremely successful. &nbsp;They have an all-time record of 293-62 (.825) for the men’s basketball team and 262-140 (.651) for the women’s team (The Finneran, 2017). &nbsp;All-time attendance at the Pavilion is 2, 270,190 people and 92% of games played were with sold out crowds (The Finneran, 2017). &nbsp;Men’s Head Basketball Coach, Jay Wright, has a “career record of 161-20 (.890) at the Pavilion, including a 93-5 (.949) record against non-conference opponents and a 68-15 (.819) record versus BIG EAST” programs (The Finneran, 2017). The men’s basketball team has won the regular season 8 times, the Big East Conference Championship 3 times, appeared in the NCAA tournament 36 times, and has 2 NCAA national championship titles (Villanova Wildcats, 2017). &nbsp;It is obvious that the Pavilion plays a large role in the positive atmosphere that the teams get to compete in and has a true impact on the attitudes and mindset of the athletes. In addition to building a well-rounded, liberal arts, education for all of its students, Villanova has produced several men’s and women’s professional basketball athletes. &nbsp;There is a total of 46, both retired and current players, who have played in the NBA and 1 in the WNBA (Villanova Players, 2017)(Villanova University, n.d.). &nbsp;Villanova basketball continues to be a top team both in the Big East and in the nation year after year. Over the last 31 years, there have been several donations to Villanova’s athletic department and programs such that a complete remodel of the Pavilion was approved. The updates will help to benefit Villanova’s elite basketball programs and will further honor the history of basketball at the Pavilion (The Finneran, 2017). &nbsp;It was scheduled to begin in June of 2017 and finish before the 2018-2019 basketball season (The Pavilion, 2017). &nbsp;This renovation is solely funded by donors. &nbsp;A major donor was William B. Finneran, and to honor him, the building will be renamed, the “Finneran Pavilion” (Board of Trustees, 2017). He was a member of the class of 1963 and made a $22.6 million donation in the Spring of 2016 (The Pavilion, 2017). &nbsp;The university has hired several industry leaders to plan and build this renovation. &nbsp;They will use the “architecture firm, EwingCole,as well as Legends which is a holistic planning, sales, and hospitality provider in sports and entertainment” (Board of Trustees, 2017). &nbsp;This design team is attempting to transform the Pavilion into a vision of continued and enhanced success and entertainment.There are several goals of the Finneran Pavilion renovation that aim to contribute to the creation of an even more exhilarating home-court advantage. &nbsp;The designers have incorporating designs that will implement a “high-quality, game-day experience for fans, strengthen Villanova’s ability to recruit and train the nation’s best and brightest students, and will elevate fan experience through improved seating and other amenities, enhance operations, and provide VIP seating” (Lane, 2016). &nbsp;The renovations will include a brand new main entrance, a 360 degree concourse with concessions and merchandise stands, more comfortable seating, enhanced audio-visual capabilities, a new Hall of Fame exhibit, a Court One hospitality room in which the actual court from the 2016 Championship is the flooring, courtside seating options, and upgraded Wi-Fi technology (The Finneran, 2017). &nbsp;In addition, there will be improvements to the locker room, recruiting room, a VIP club, and a renovated walkway outside the arena to welcome students and fans (Craig, 2017). &nbsp;&nbsp;Despite a total renovation budget of $60 million, the seating capacity of the Pavilion will remain the same. &nbsp;Limitations of this opportunity not only include zoning ordinances and longer delays of progress, but also funding. &nbsp;A full tear down of the building and additional seating would cost over $125 million and additional parking space is not available (The Finneran, 2017). &nbsp;Despite this, the Finneran Pavilion will be a more enjoyable experience for students, faculty, athletes, and fans while the teams will hopefully benefit from an increased electrifying, home-court advantage.The Pavilion renovation aims to properly honor and show appreciation for not only William Finneran and his donation, but those who have contributed to Villanova basketball success. &nbsp;Creating a new and enhanced home court atmosphere will continue to foster a positive and exciting environment to help show support for their elite basketball programs. &nbsp;In return, it may also have a greater impact on recruitment and will be another aspect that draws talented student athletes to Villanova University.

The Pavilion at Villanova University is home to the men's and women's basketball teams. It is used for other sports and recreational use for students. Great teams and players have played in the Pavilion where basketball has become the main attraction. Donors and Villanova alumni have gathered money to support for a renovation and rename the stadium to the Finneran Pavilion.

The Pavilion at Villanova University 

The Merion
Cricket Club, founded in 1865, decided to add a nine-hole golf course in 1896
as the popularity of golf in the United States began to increase.&nbsp; The course was expanded to 18 holes in
1900.&nbsp; Shortly after, golf ball technology
changed as the gutta percha ball was replaced with the rubber core Haskell
ball.&nbsp; This new golf ball, which consistently
travelled farther, made the cricket club’s course obsolete.&nbsp; As a result, the club formed a committee to
look into the feasibility of building a new, longer course in 1910.&nbsp; They hired 32-year old Hugh Wilson who, while
an accomplished golfer, had no experience designing courses.&nbsp; Wilson then proceeded to design one of the
best courses in the United States.

After the
course was designed, sculpted and seeded, Wilson travelled to England and Scotland
to learn about designing, building, and maintaining courses sometime in late
1911 or early 1912.&nbsp; He was scheduled to
travel back to America aboard the HMS
Titanic in 1912, but decided to extend his stay several more days.&nbsp; Upon his return, he incorporated much he
learned into his East Course.&nbsp; Wilson’s course
was built on only 126 acres and was relatively short at only 6,500 yards.&nbsp; However, he increased its difficulty by
incorporating numerous (131) Scottish-style bunkers that featured peninsulas
and islands of grass as well as eyebrows which are comprised of thick, tall
grass around the edges of the bunkers.&nbsp; 

Merion
hosted its first USGA championship in 1916 in the form of the U.S. Amateur
which featured a 14-year old Bobby Jones.&nbsp;
Jones would return to win the U.S. Amateur in 1924 and again in
1930.&nbsp; His 1930 win completed golf’s first
Grand Slam as he had previously won the British Amateur, British Open, and U.S.
Open Championships.&nbsp; A plaque along the
11th hole commemorates this event.&nbsp;
The East Course also hosted the 1950 U.S. Open in which Ben Hogan made
his triumphant return from a near-fatal auto accident.&nbsp; His famous 1-iron on the championship’s final
hole helped secure his spot in a playoff round which he won the next day.&nbsp; Merion also witnessed Lee Travino’s playoff
win over Jack Nicklaus in the 1971 U.S. Open and Justin Rose’s first major
championship in the 2013 U.S. Open.

The East
course is also known for its wicker baskets atop its pins rather than flags.&nbsp; It is believed Wilson developed this idea
while in Scotland, but its true origin remains clouded in mystery.&nbsp; Merion is almost exclusively a walking course
as carts are prohibited except for the physically disabled and the use of
caddies is highly recommended as there are no yard markers on the course. &nbsp;Merion has since lengthened the East Course to
almost 7,000 yards and acquired more land to ensure it will continue to host
USGA championships.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Comprised of two 18-hole courses, the East and West courses, the Merion Golf Club has hosted 18 United States Golf Association (USGA) championships, more than any other.  The first course built on the site was created by the Merion Cricket Club in 1896.  That course was replaced by the Hugh Wilson designed East Course in 1912 and the West course was added to the club in 1914.  The East course is the more challenging of the two, has hosted all USGA championships, to include five U.S. Opens, and is thus, better known.  The club is private and only open to members and their guests.  The Merion Golf Club was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1992.  

Merion Golf Club

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Located in Derby, PA, Hilldale Park was the longtime
home of the Hilldale Daisies. During the 1920s, the Hilldale Daisies were one
of the most successful Negro League Clubs. Dominating the early Eastern Colored
League, they won the pennant each of the league’s first three years. In
addition to the Hilldale Daisies, other lesser known African American baseball
teams also used Hilldale Park. One of the most notable sites in the ballpark
was a large tree behind the centerfield fense that had branches extending over
the fence.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; To explain more about the Hilldale Daisies and the kind
of success and baseball history that Hilldale Park witnessed, here is a list of
some of the baseball hall of famers who played there. They include: Pop Lloyd,
Louis Santop, Oscar Charleston, Ben Taylor, Joe Williams, Biz Mackey, Martin
Dihigo, and Judy Johnson. As for the Daisoes, they played in the first ever Negro
League World Series where they lost to the Kansas City Monarchs in a close
contest, but they returned in 1925 to the Negro League World Series and won by
defeating the Kansas City Monarchs five games to one. 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; After 18 years of play at Hilldale Park, which began on
May 16, 1914 with a crowd of 3,000 spectators, the Hilldale Daisies folded in
1932. Despite their initial success that even warranted an enlargement of the
park to account for a growing crowd of both whites and Blacks, the economic
stress of the early 1930s led to the team’s collapse. Today, there is a marker
where the field was that depicts Hilldale Park’s historical significance.

               Located in Derby, PA, Hilldale Park was the longtime home of the Hilldale Daisies. During the 1920s, the Hilldale Daisies were one of the most successful Negro League Clubs. Dominating the early Eastern Colored League, they won the pennant each of the league’s first three years. In addition to the Hilldale Daisies, other lesser known African American baseball teams also used Hilldale Park. One of the most notable sites in the ballpark was a large tree behind the centerfield fense that had branches extending over the fence.

Philadelphia Sports History Trail

The Rocky Statue and Steps

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information