Veterans stadium - wikipedia Veterans stadium For the stadium in New Britain, Connecticut, see Veterans Stadium ( New Britain, Connecticut ). For stadiums with `` Veterans Memorial '' in the name, see Veterans Memorial Stadium ( disambiguation ). `` The Vet '' redirects here. For veterinarians, see Veterinary physician. Veterans Stadium `` The Vet '' An aerial view of Veterans Stadium in 2002. Construction work on Citizens Bank Park is visible in the lower right. Location 3501 South Broad Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19148 United States Coordinates 39 ° 54 ′ 24 '' N 75 ° 10 ′ 16 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 39.90667 ° N 75.17111 ° W ﻿ / 39.90667 ; - 75.17111 Coordinates : 39 ° 54 ′ 24 '' N 75 ° 10 ′ 16 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 39.90667 ° N 75.17111 ° W ﻿ / 39.90667 ; - 75.17111 Owner City of Philadelphia Operator Philadelphia Department of Recreation Capacity Baseball : 61,831 Football : 65,352 Field size Baseball : Left field -- 330 feet ( 100 meters ) Left center field -- 371 feet ( 113 meters ) Center field -- 408 feet ( 124 meters ) Right center field -- 371 feet ( 113 meters ) Right field -- 330 feet ( 100 meters ) Backstop -- 54 feet ( 16 meters ) ( 2003 ) Surface AstroTurf ( 1969 -- 2000 ) NexTurf ( 2001 -- 2003 ) Construction Broke ground October 2, 1967 Opened April 10, 1971 Closed September 28, 2003 Demolished March 21, 2004 Construction cost US $63 million ( $373 million in 2016 dollars ) Architect Hugh Stubbins & Associates George M. Ewing Co. Stonorov & Haws Structural engineer McCormick Taylor & Associates, Inc. General contractor McCloskey & Co. Tenants Philadelphia Phillies ( MLB ) ( 1971 -- 2003 ) Philadelphia Eagles ( NFL ) ( 1971 -- 2003 ) Philadelphia Atoms ( NASL ) ( 1973 -- 1975 ) Philadelphia Fury ( NASL ) ( 1978 -- 1980 ) Philadelphia Stars ( USFL ) ( 1983 -- 1984 ) Temple Owls ( NCAA ) ( 1978 -- 2002 ) Pennsylvania Historical Marker Designated September 28, 2005 Veterans Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Philadelphia, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It was located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. The listed seating capacities in 1971 were 65,358 seats for football, and 56,371 for baseball. It hosted the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League ( NFL ) from 1971 to January 2003 and the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball from 1971 to 2003. The 1976 and 1996 Major League Baseball All - Star Games were held at the venue. The Vet also hosted the annual Army - Navy football game seventeen times, between 1980 and 2001. In addition to professional baseball and football, the stadium hosted other amateur and professional sports, large entertainment events, and other civic affairs. It was demolished by implosion in March 2004 after being replaced by the adjacent Citizens Bank Park and Lincoln Financial Field. A parking lot now sits on its former site. Contents 1 History 1.1 Inception, design and construction 1.2 First game 1.3 Final games 1.4 Demolition and commemoration 2 Seating capacity 3 Stadium features 3.1 700 Level 4 Playing surface 5 Fans 6 Notable games and incidents 7 Other events at Veterans Stadium 7.1 Amateur baseball 7.2 Minor League baseball 7.3 Soccer 7.4 High School football 7.5 Professional wrestling 7.6 Concerts 7.7 Other events 8 Photo gallery 9 References 10 External links 11 Further reading History Inception, design and construction Exterior of Veterans Stadium. As early as 1959, Phillies owner Bob Carpenter proposed building a new ballpark for the Phillies on 72 acres ( 290,000 m ) adjacent to the Garden State Park Racetrack in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The Phillies ' then - home, Connie Mack Stadium, was starting to show its age ( it had been built in 1909 ), had inadequate parking, and was located in a declining neighborhood. Furthermore, in 1959 alcohol sales at sporting events were banned in Pennsylvania but were legal in New Jersey. The proposed ballpark would have seated 45,000 fans, been expandable to 60,000 and would have had 15,000 parking spaces. The American League 's Philadelphia Athletics had moved to Kansas City, Missouri after the 1954 season and Philadelphians were n't about to lose another professional sports franchise. In 1964, Philadelphia voters approved a US $25 - million - bond issue for a new stadium to serve as the home of both the Eagles ( who played at the University of Pennsylvania 's Franklin Field ) and the Phillies. Because of cost overruns, the voters had to go to the polls again in 1967 to approve another $13 million. At a total cost of $60 million, it was one of the most - expensive ballparks to date. The stadium was named by the Philadelphia City Council, in 1968, for the veterans of all wars. As early as December 1969, the Phillies expected that they would play the first month of the 1970 season at Connie Mack Stadium before moving to the new venue. However, the opening was delayed a year because of a combination of bad weather and cost overruns. The stadium 's design was nearly circular, and was known as an `` octorad '' design, which attempted to facilitate both football and baseball. Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego had been similarly designed. As was the case with other cities where this dual approach was tried ( other examples include RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. ; Shea Stadium in New York City, the Astrodome in Houston ; Atlanta -- Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta ; Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis ; Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati ; and Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh ), the fundamentally different sizes and shapes of the playing fields made the stadium inadequate to the needs of either sport. First game Sculptor Joe Brown 's statue `` Batter '' as it stood outside Veterans Stadium. The Phillies played their first game at the stadium on Saturday, April 10, 1971, beating the Montreal Expos, 4 -- 1, before an audience of 55,352. Jim Bunning ( named to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996 ) was the winning pitcher while Bill Stoneman took the loss. Entertainer Mike Douglas, whose daily talk show was taped in Philadelphia, sang The Star - Spangled Banner before the game. The emcee for the opening ceremonies was newly arrived Harry Kalas. Boots Day opened the game by grounding out to Bunning. Larry Bowa had the stadium 's first hit and Don Money slugged the first home run. Final games The Phillies ' final game at the Vet ; September 28, 2003. As the stadium aged, its condition deteriorated. A hole in the wall allowed visiting teams ' players to peep into the Eagles Cheerleaders dressing room. So many mice infested the stadium that the security force employed cats as mousers. The final football game played at the Vet was the Eagles ' 27 -- 10 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game on January 19, 2003. The Eagles moved into Lincoln Financial Field in August 2003. The final game ever played at the stadium was the afternoon of September 28, 2003, a 5 - 2 Phillies loss to the Atlanta Braves. The final win was recorded by Greg Maddux of the Braves, the final loss by the Phils ' Kevin Millwood. The final Phillies run was scored by Marlon Byrd at the top of the 3rd inning, and the final run altogether by the Braves ' Andruw Jones on a double by Robert Fick ( who also had the last hit at Tiger Stadium as a Detroit Tiger 4 years earlier ) at the top of the 5th. The final hit at the Vet was a single by the Phills ' Pat Burrell at the bottom of the 9th. The next batter, Chase Utley, grounded into a double play to end the game and the Vet. However, the ceremony that followed pulled at the heartstrings of the sellout crowd. Both Paul Owens, a former general manager, and Tug McGraw, a former pitcher, made their final public appearances at the park that day ; later that winter both men died. The last publicly broadcast words uttered in the park were by Harry Kalas -- a veteran announcer who helped open the facility on April 10, 1971 -- who paraphrased his trademark home run call : `` And now, Veterans Stadium is like a 3 - 1 pitch to Jim Thome or Mike Schmidt. It 's on a looooooong drive... IT 'S OUTTA HERE ! ! ! '' The team moved into Citizens Bank Park in 2004, with the first game being played there on April 12, 2004. Demolition and commemoration On March 21, 2004, the 32 - year - old stadium was imploded in 62 seconds. Frank Bardonaro, President of Philadelphia - based AmQuip Crane Rental Company pressed the `` charge '' button and then Bardonaro and Nicholas T Peetros Sr., Project Manager for Driscoll / Hunt Construction Company combined to press the `` fire '' button to trigger the implosion while Greg Luzinski and the Phillie Phanatic, the Phillies ' mascot, pressed a ceremonial plunger for the fans. A parking lot for the current sporting facilities was constructed in 2004 and 2005 at the site. On June 6, 2005, the anniversary of World War II 's D - Day, a plaque and monument to commemorate the spot where the stadium stood and a memorial for all veterans was dedicated by the Phillies before their game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. On September 28, 2005, the second anniversary of the stadium 's final game, a historical marker commemorating where the ballpark once stood was dedicated. In April 2006, granite spaces marking the former locations of home plate, the pitcher 's mound, and the three bases for baseball, as well as the goalpost placements for football, were added in Western Parking Lot U. Seating capacity Baseball Years Capacity 1971 -- 1972 56,371 1973 -- 1974 55,730 1975 -- 1976 56,581 1977 -- 1980 58,651 1981 -- 1982 65,454 1983 -- 1984 66,507 1985 66,744 1986 66,271 64,538 1988 62,382 1989 64,538 1990 -- 1992 62,382 1993 62,586 1994 -- 1995 62,530 1996 -- 1997 62,136 1998 -- 2000 62,363 2001 -- 2003 61,831 Football Years Capacity 1971 65,358 1972 -- 1976 65,720 1977 -- 1978 66,052 1979 -- 1987 71,384 1988 -- 1991 65,356 1992 -- 1993 65,178 1994 64,241 1995 -- 1996 64,899 1997 -- 2003 65,352 Stadium features Veterans Stadium on Phillies Opening Night, 1986. The stadium was a complicated structure with its seating layered in seven separate levels. The lowest, or `` 100 Level '', extended only part way around the structure, between roughly the 25 - yard lines for football games and near the two dugouts for baseball. The `` 200 Level '' comprised field - level boxes, and the `` 300 Level '' housed what were labeled `` Terrace Boxes ''. These three levels collectively made up the `` Lower Stands ''. The `` 400 Level '' was reserved for the press and dignitaries ; the upper level began with `` 500 Level '' ( or `` loge boxes '' ), the `` 600 Level '' ( upper reserved, or individual seats ), and finally, the `` 700 Level '' ( general admission for baseball ). Originally, the seats were in shades of brown, terra cotta, orange and yellow, to look like an autumn day, but in 1995 and 1996, blue seats replaced the fall - hued ones. At one time, the stadium could seat over 71,000 people for football, but restructuring in the late 1980s -- including removal of several rows of the 700 Level around most of the stadium to accommodate construction of the Penthouse Suites -- brought capacity down to around 66,000. The stadium was harshly criticized by baseball purists. Even by multi-purpose - stadium standards, the upper deck was exceptionally high, and many of the seats in that area were so far from the field that it was difficult to see the game without binoculars. Like most of its contemporaries, foul territory was quite roomy. Approximately 70 % of the seats were in foul territory, adding to the stadium 's cavernous feel. There was no dirt in the infield except for sliding pits around the bases. In the autumn, the football markings were clearly visible in the spacious outfield area. Although the stadium 's size enabled the Phillies to shatter previous attendance records, during the years the Phillies were not doing as well, even crowds of 35,000 looked sparse. The stadium had been known for providing both the Eagles and the Phillies with great home - field advantage. In particular, the acoustics greatly enhanced the crowd noise on the field, making it nearly impossible for opposing teams to hear one another. 700 Level The `` 700 Level '' was well known for being home to the rowdiest fans at Philadelphia Eagles games, and to a lesser extent, Philadelphia Phillies games. In his book If Football 's a Religion, Why Do n't We Have a Prayer ?, Jereé Longman described the 700 Level as having a reputation for `` hostile taunting, fighting, public urination and general strangeness. '' Due to an improvement in facilities, there is no equivalent in either Lincoln Financial Field or Citizens Bank Park. The name has also been the inspiration for websites relating to Philadelphia sports, as well as a weekly `` Letters to the Editor '' section in the Sunday Sports pages of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Playing surface Veterans Stadium during the 1980 NFC Championship Game against the Dallas Cowboys, January 11, 1981. The field 's surface, originally composed of AstroTurf, contained many gaps and uneven patches. In several places, seams were clearly visible, giving it the nickname `` Field of Seams ''. It perennially drew the ranking of the `` NFL 's worst field '' in player surveys conducted by the NFL Players Association, and visiting players often fell prey to the treacherous conditions resulting in numerous injuries. The NFLPA reportedly threatened to sue the city for the poor conditions, and many sports agents told the Eagles not to even consider signing or drafting their clients. The Eagles, for their part, complained to the city on numerous occasions about the conditions at the stadium. Baseball players also complained about the surface. It was much harder than other AstroTurf surfaces, and the shock of running on it often caused back pain. Two of the most - publicized injuries blamed on the playing surface occurred exactly six years apart. On October 10, 1993, Chicago Bears receiver Wendell Davis had both of his cleats get caught in a seam while he planted to jump for an underthrown bomb from QB Jim Harbaugh. He tore both of his patella tendons, ending his career. On October 10, 1999, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin suffered a neck injury that led to his premature retirement. ( The previously winless Eagles rallied from a 10 -- 0 deficit and won 13 -- 10. ) In 2001, the original AstroTurf was eventually replaced by a new surface, NexTurf. It was far softer, and reportedly much easier on the knees. However, the city crew that installed the new turf reportedly did not install it properly, resulting in seams being visible in several places. The first football game on the new turf was scheduled to take place on August 13, 2001, when the Eagles were to play the Baltimore Ravens in a preseason game. However, Ravens coach Brian Billick refused to let the Ravens take the field for warm - ups when he discovered a trench around an area where third base was covered up by a NexTurf cutout. City crews unsuccessfully tried to fix the problem, forcing the game to be canceled. Later, players from both teams reported that they sank into the turf in locations near the infield cutouts. Team president Joe Banner was irate after the game, calling the stadium 's conditions `` absolutely unacceptable '' and `` an embarrassment to the city of Philadelphia. '' City officials, however, promised that the stadium would be suitable for play when the regular season started. The problem was caused by heavy rain over the weekend prior to the game, which made the dirt in the sliding pits and pitcher 's mound so soft that the cutouts covering them in the football configuration became mushy and uneven. Even when new dirt was shoveled on top, it quickly became just as saturated as the old dirt. The problem was solved by using asphalt hot mix, which allowed for a solid, level playing surface, but required a jackhammer for removal whenever the stadium was converted from football back to baseball ( between August and October of each year ). Fans Virginia Tech and Temple meet at The Vet in 2001. Fans who attended games in the stadium for a football game gained a reputation of being among the most vociferous in sports, especially those in the notorious 700 Level, the highest seating level in the stadium prior to the construction of luxury skyboxes behind that seating area. The stadium became famous for the rowdiness of Eagles fans. One of the more well - known examples of the fans ' behavior was during the 1989 season at a follow - up game to what many called the `` Bounty Bowl ''. On Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 1989, the Eagles had defeated the Dallas Cowboys at Texas Stadium, 27 - 0. In that game, Cowboys placekicker Luis Zendejas suffered a concussion during a rough block by linebacker Jessie Small after a kickoff. After the game, Cowboys rookie head coach Jimmy Johnson commented that Eagles coach Buddy Ryan instituted a bounty on Zendejas and Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman. Two weeks later, on December 10, they played the rematch dubbed `` Bounty Bowl II '' at the stadium which the Eagles won 20 - 10. The stadium seats were covered with snow in the stands. The volatile mix of beer, the `` bounty '' and the intense hatred for `` America 's Team '' ( who were 1 -- 15 that season ) led to fans throwing snowballs at Dallas players and coaches. Beer sales were banned after that incident for two games. A similar incident in 1995 at Giants Stadium during a nationally telecast San Diego Chargers -- New York Giants game led the NFL to rule that seating areas must be cleared of snow within a certain time period before kickoff. The Eagles fans ' behavior during a Monday Night Football loss to the San Francisco 49ers in 1997 and a 34 - 0 loss to Dallas a year later was such that the City of Philadelphia assigned a Municipal Court Judge, Seamus McCaffrey, to the stadium on game days to deal with fans removed from the stands in what was referred to as `` Eagles Court ''. Two years later, fans threw D - Cell batteries at St. Louis Cardinals outfielder J.D. Drew after he spurned the Phillies ' offer to play with them, and wound up going back into the draft and picked by the Cardinals. Notable games and incidents Veterans Stadium before and during one of U2 's Zoo TV Tour shows in 1992 On June 25, 1971, Willie Stargell hit the longest home run in stadium history in a 14 -- 4 Pirates win. The spot where the ball landed was marked with a yellow star with a black `` S '' inside a white circle until Stargell 's 2001 death, when the white circle was painted black. The star remained until the stadium 's 2004 demolition. One of the most notable events in the stadium 's history was Game 6 of the 1980 World Series on October 21. In that game, the Phillies clinched their first world championship with a 4 -- 1 victory over the Kansas City Royals in front of 65,838 fans. Tug McGraw 's series - ending strikeout of the Royals ' Willie Wilson was instrumental in their win. A very notable football game played at the stadium took place less than three months after the Phillies ' title : the Eagles ' 20 -- 7 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in the 1980 NFC Championship Game, played on January 11, 1981, in front of 70,696 fans. As a psychological ploy, the Eagles chose to wear their white jerseys for their home game in order to force the Cowboys into their `` unlucky '' blue jerseys. At the end of the game, Philadelphia police circled the field with horses and dogs as they had done for the Phillies World Series victory ; despite the police presence, Eagles fans successfully rushed the field. Veterans Stadium was host to the latest - finishing game in baseball history, a twi - night double - header between the Phillies and the Padres that started on July 2, 1993, at 5 : 05 PM and ended at 4 : 40 AM the following morning. The two games were interrupted multiple times by rain showers. The Padres won the first game, and led in the second, but lost in a come - from - behind victory for the Phillies in the tenth inning on an RBI single by Phillies closing pitcher Mitch Williams. The second game ended with an estimated 6,000 fans at the ballpark. The Phillies clinched the NLCS at the stadium twice : the first in 1983 over area - born Tommy Lasorda and the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the second in the 1993 NLCS over future divisional rivals the Atlanta Braves. The 1993 season was the last LCS with a two - division League format. The 1994 Army -- Navy Game at Veterans Stadium The Phillies pitched two no - hit games at the stadium, the only nine - inning no - hitters in stadium history. Both were against the San Francisco Giants. Terry Mulholland pitched the first on August 15, 1990, in a 6 -- 0 Phillies win. Kevin Millwood pitched the second on April 27, 2003, and beat the Giants 1 -- 0, upstaging the Phillie Phanatic 's birthday promotion that afternoon. The Montréal Expos ' Pascual Pérez pitched a five - inning no - hitter shortened by rain on September 24, 1988. MLB changed its rules in 1991 to require that fully recognized no - hitters -- past, present and future -- be complete games of at least nine innings. Another game that is well - remembered by Eagles fans was known as `` The Body Bag Game '', which took place on November 12, 1990, when the Washington Redskins visited the stadium for a Monday Night Football game. The Eagles ' head coach at that time, Buddy Ryan, was quoted as saying that the Redskins ' offense would `` have to be carted off in body bags. '' The Eagles ' number - one defense scored two touchdowns in a 28 -- 14 win and knocked nine Redskin players out of the game, including both of their quarterbacks. The Redskins were forced to finish the game using running back / returner Brian Mitchell ( who would become an Eagles player over a decade later ) at quarterback. During the 1998 Army -- Navy Game, a serious accident occurred when a support rail collapsed and eight West Point cadets were injured. That led to the call for new stadiums for football and baseball for the main stadium tenants. Other events at Veterans stadium Amateur baseball The Liberty Bell Classic, Philadelphia Division I college baseball tournament, was played at the stadium from its inception in 1992 through 2003. The original eight schools were : University of Pennsylvania ( the Quakers ) University of Delaware ( the Fightin ' Blue Hens ) Saint Joseph 's University ( the Hawks ) Drexel University ( the Dragons ) Villanova University ( the Wildcats ) Temple University ( the Owls ) West Chester University of Pennsylvania ( the Golden Rams ) La Salle University ( the Explorers ) In the first championship game in 1992, Delaware defeated Villanova 6 - 2. The stadium hosted the 1998 Atlantic 10 Conference Baseball Tournament, won by Fordham. Minor League baseball In November 1987, the new owners of the Phillies AAA franchise, the Maine Guides, considered playing the 1988 season at the Vet because Lackawanna County Stadium would not be ready until the 1989 season. The team would have had to play 12 : 35pm day games when the Phillies had night games scheduled at the Vet. Ownership elected to remain in Old Orchard Beach for 1988, renamed the club the ' Maine Phillies ', and moved to Moosic, Pennsylvania in 1989 as the Scranton / Wilkes - Barre Red Barons. The Eastern League Trenton Thunder played two home games at the stadium in April 1994. The Thunder beat the Canton -- Akron Indians, 10 - 9, in front of 483 fans on April 20, 1994, and won 9 - 3 on April 21. Future Phillies broadcaster Tom McCarthy was in the booth for the Thunder during these two games. Soccer The stadium was the home field for the Philadelphia Atoms and the Philadelphia Fury, both North American Soccer League teams. The Fury drew 18,191 fans for their April 1, 1978, opener at the stadium which they lost 3 - 0 to the Washington Diplomats. The Fury averaged 8,279 per - match in 1978 NASL, 5,624 per - match in 1979 NASL, and 4,778 in the 1980 NASL seasons. The club was moved to Montreal in 1981 NASL season. The stadium hosted an exhibition match on August 2, 1991, between the U.S. National Team and English professional soccer club Sheffield Wednesday. John Harkes played for Wednesday, the first American to play in the English Premier League. 44,261 fans saw the U.S. score two second - half goals to defeat Sheffield Wednesday 2 - 0. Philadelphia established a bid committee to host matches for the 1994 World Cup which was to be played in the United States. Phillies president Bill Giles was on the Philadelphia bid committee and hoped to use Veterans Stadium for games. In addition to the challenge of installing a natural grass field for the games, FIFA would have required the Phillies to vacate the stadium for a month to allow for sufficient preparation time prior to the matches. Giles could only offer 17 - days. Of the nine venues eventually chosen to host matches, not one was home to a professional baseball club. High school football Veterans Stadium hosted Philadelphia 's City Title high - school football championship game from 1973 to 1977 and in 1979. The series was suspended in 1980. With the entry of the Philadelphia Catholic League into what is now PIAA District XII ( which was formed when the Public League joined the PIAA in 2002 ), the `` City Title Game '' was restored in 2008. Professional wrestling The only professional wrestling event held in Veterans Stadium was National Wrestling Alliance / Jim Crockett Promotions `` Great American Bash '' on July 1, 1986, with an attendance of 10,900. The event was the start of a 14 - city summer tour. Concerts The stadium has hosted many stadium concerts, by famous artists of many different genres. Other events The venue also played host to religious events including annual Jehovah 's Witnesses conventions, which was open to the public each year it took place. It also played host to a Billy Graham crusade in 1992. Photo gallery Home plate at Veterans Stadium, home to the Philadelphia Phillies for thirty - three seasons, is remembered with this granite and bronze marker in the parking lot near Citizens Bank Park. ( 2006 ) Veterans Stadium 's goalpost, used by the Philadelphia Eagles for thirty - two seasons, is marked in the same parking lot. ( 2011 ) Veterans Stadium 's pitching mound is marked. ( 2011 ) A brief history of how the stadium was named and a tribute to veterans of all wars is on display outside where the stadium stood. ( 2006 ) The historic marker shows the stadium 's major moments. ( 2007 ) Dedication plaque that once was attached to The Vet. ( 2007 ) References Jump up ^ Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Community Development Project. `` Consumer Price Index ( estimate ) 1800 -- ''. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved January 2, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Index ''. Ballparks.com. Retrieved May 9, 2014. Jump up ^ `` PHMC Historical Markers Search '' ( Searchable database ). 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Jump up ^ `` Park Delay May Force Guides back ''. Lewiston ( Maine ) Daily Sun. November 19, 1987. p. 21. Retrieved January 6, 2010. Jump up ^ Edwards, Christopher T. ( 1997 ). Filling in the Seams : The Story of Trenton Thunder Baseball. B B& A Publishers. pp. 62 -- 65. ISBN 0 - 912608 - 97 - 8. Jump up ^ Holroyd, Steve. `` Remembering the `` Pseudo-Atoms '' -- The Philadelphia Fury, 1978 -- 1980 ``. Major League Baseball Advanced Media. Retrieved April 27, 2009. Jump up ^ `` This May Be the Kick American Soccer Needs ''. Business Week. September 16, 1991. Archived from the original on December 1, 2004. Retrieved April 13, 2009. Jump up ^ Jensen, Mike ( June 5, 1991 ). `` World Cup Bid Might Fall Short ; Sites Needed for One Month ''. The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. C01. Retrieved May 9, 2014. Jump up ^ `` FB City Title Recaps ''. Ted Sillary. Retrieved April 23, 2009. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Veterans Stadium. Philadelphia Phillies : `` Veterans Stadium : Field of Memories '' Further reading Birker, Paul Arthur ( 2005 ). Veterans Stadium ; Field of Memories. Philadelphia : Temple University Press. ISBN 1 - 59213 - 428 - 9. Westcott, Rich ( 2005 ). Veterans Stadium : Dismantled. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 1 - 4134 - 5915 - 3. Events and tenants Preceded by Franklin Field Home of the Philadelphia Eagles 1971 -- 2003 Succeeded by Lincoln Financial Field Preceded by Connie Mack Stadium Home of the Philadelphia Phillies 1971 -- 2003 Succeeded by Citizens Bank Park Preceded by Temple Stadium Home of the Temple Owls 1978 -- 2002 Succeeded by Lincoln Financial Field Preceded by Milwaukee County Stadium The Ballpark in Arlington Host of the All - Star Game 1976 Succeeded by Yankee Stadium Jacobs Field Preceded by Tampa Stadium Edward Jones Dome Host of NFC Championship Game 1981 2003 Succeeded by Candlestick Park Lincoln Financial Field Philadelphia Eagles Founded in 1933 Based and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Franchise Franchise History Seasons Coaches Quarterbacks Players Stadiums Baker Bowl Philadelphia Municipal Stadium Connie Mack Stadium Franklin Field Veterans Stadium Lincoln Financial Field Culture Fly, Eagles Fly Swoop Curse of Billy Penn The Lombardi Curse Invincible Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame Matt Guokas Sr. Dan Baker Cheerleaders `` The Gang Gets Invincible '' ( It 's Always Sunny in Philadelphia episode ) Silver Linings Playbook The Garbage Picking Field Goal Kicking Philadelphia Phenomenon Lore Frankford Yellow Jackets Pennsylvania Keystoners `` Pennsylvania Polka '' Steagles `` Happy Hundred '' Miracle at the Meadowlands Buddy Ball Fog Bowl Bounty Bowl series Body Bag Game 4th and 26 Miracle at the New Meadowlands Rivalries Dallas Cowboys New York Giants Washington Redskins Pittsburgh Steelers Division championships ( 13 ) 1947 1948 1949 1960 1980 1988 2001 2002 2003 2006 2013 Conference championships ( 3 ) 1960 1980 League championships ( 3 ) 1948 1949 1960 Retired numbers 5 15 20 40 44 60 70 92 99 Media Broadcasters WTEL WIP - FM Merrill Reese Mike Quick Current league affiliations League : National Football League Conference : National Football Conference Division : East Division Seasons ( 85 ) 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Championship seasons in bold Philadelphia Phillies Formerly the Philadelphia Quakers Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Franchise History Seasons Records Players Owners and executives Managers Broadcasters Opening Day starting pitchers First - round picks No - hitters Award winners and league leaders Ballparks Recreation Park Baker Bowl Shibe Park Veterans Stadium Citizens Bank Park Spring training Fogel Field Coffee Pot Park Rickwood Field Cooke Field City Park / Ninth Street Park Wilmington Park Flamingo Field Clearwater Athletic Field Jack Russell Memorial Stadium Carpenter Complex / Spectrum Field Culture and lore Phillie Phanatic The Man of a Zillion Words `` Outta Here ! '' Whitey Curse of Billy Penn Hot Pants Patrol Ashburn Alley Whiz Kids The Cardiac Kids Wheeze Kids Macho Row Phillies Turn Back the Clock Baseball Wall of Fame Sports Hall of Fame Philadelphia Phillies ( NFL ) `` High Hopes '' `` The Sound of Philadelphia '' `` Whoomp ! ( There It Is ) '' Jim Bunning 's perfect game The Phold Black Friday `` I did n't get the job done '' Franchise awards `` Team to Beat '' Lidge 's Perfect Season `` '' In Case of Emergency, Use Stairs '' `` The World Series Defense '' ( It 's Always Sunny in Philadelphia episode ) Roy Halladay 's perfect game The Four Aces Maje McDonnell Tony Lucadello Paul Richardson Dan Baker Rivalries New York Mets Pittsburgh Pirates Philadelphia Athletics ( City Series ) Important figures Wall of Fame members Grover Cleveland Alexander Dick Allen Richie Ashburn Bob Boone Larry Bowa Jim Bunning Pat Burrell Johnny Callison Steve Carlton Gavvy Cravath Darren Daulton Ed Delahanty Del Ennis Dallas Green Billy Hamilton Granny Hamner Willie Jones Harry Kalas Chuck Klein John Kruk Mike Lieberthal Greg Luzinski Garry Maddox Sherry Magee Charlie Manuel Tug McGraw Paul Owens Robin Roberts Juan Samuel Curt Schilling Mike Schmidt Chris Short Curt Simmons Tony Taylor Jim Thome Sam Thompson John Vukovich Cy Williams Franchise record holders John Coleman Bill Duggleby Lenny Dykstra Kid Gleason Ryan Howard George McQuillan José Mesa Lefty O'Doul Jimmy Rollins Curt Schilling Kent Tekulve Chase Utley Retired numbers 14 20 32 36 42 Key personnel Owner : Limited partnership ( John S. Middleton, Jim & Pete Buck, David Montgomery, & Pat Gillick ) President : Andy MacPhail General Manager : Matt Klentak Manager : Pete Mackanin World Series championships ( 2 ) 1980 2008 NL pennants ( 7 ) 1915 1950 1980 1993 2008 2009 Division championships ( 11 ) 1976 1977 1978 1980 1993 2007 2008 2009 2011 Minor league affiliates AAA Lehigh Valley IronPigs AA Reading Fightin Phils A Adv. Clearwater Threshers Lakewood BlueClaws Short A Williamsport Crosscutters Rookie GCL Phillies DSL Phillies 1 DSL Phillies 2 Rosters Minor league rosters Broadcasting Television Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia NBC 10 The Comcast Network Radio 94 WIP ( Flagship Station ) El Pasaporte ( Spanish Flagship Station ) Phillies radio network affiliates Broadcasters TV Tom McCarthy John Kruk Ben Davis Mike Schmidt Radio Scott Franzke Larry Andersen Seasons ( 134 ) 1880s 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890s 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900s 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910s 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920s 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930s 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940s 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950s 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960s 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970s 1970 1971 1972 1973 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980s 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 1988 1989 1990s 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000s 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010s 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Philadelphia Atoms Founded 1973 Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Club history Philadelphia Atoms ( 1973 -- 1976 ) Sports facilities Veterans Stadium Franklin Field Important figures Thomas McCloskey Al Miller Chris Bahr Chris Dunleavy Jim Fryatt Andy Provan Bob Rigby Manfred Schellscheidt Bobby Smith Other topics Related articles Honors NASL Championship ( 1 ) 1973 ( Champions ) NASL Division titles ( 1 ) 1973 ( Eastern Division ) Seasons North American Soccer League ( 1966 -- 85 ) 1973 1976 North American Soccer League Indoor ( 1975 -- 84 ) Temple Owls football Venues Vernon Park ( ? -- 1927 ) Temple Stadium ( 1928 -- 1977 ) Veterans Stadium ( 1978 -- 2002 ) Franklin Field ( alternate, 1978 -- 2002 ) Lincoln Financial Field ( 2003 -- present ) Bowls & rivalries Bowl games Villanova ( Mayor 's Cup ) Culture & lore Hooter T. Owl `` T For Temple U '' People Head coaches NFL draftees Statistical leaders Seasons 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Multi-purpose baseball parks ( open air ) -- Major League Baseball American League Angel Stadium ( Angels ; Anaheim, California ) Arlington Stadium ( Rangers ; Arlington, Texas ) Cleveland Stadium ( Indians ; Cleveland, Ohio ) Canadian National Exhibition Stadium ( Blue Jays ; Toronto ) Memorial Stadium ( Orioles ; Baltimore ) Municipal Stadium ( Kansas City, Missouri ) ( Athletics and Royals ) Oakland -- Alameda County Coliseum ( Athletics ; Oakland, California ) Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium ( Senators and Nationals ; Washington, D.C. ) Rogers Centre ( Blue Jays ; Toronto ) National League Atlanta -- Fulton County Stadium ( Braves ; Atlanta ) Busch Memorial Stadium ( Cardinals ; St. Louis ) Candlestick Park ( Giants ; San Francisco ) Mile High Stadium ( Rockies ; Denver ) Pro Player Stadium ( Marlins ; Miami Gardens, Florida ) Qualcomm Stadium ( Padres ; San Diego ) Riverfront Stadium ( Reds ; Cincinnati ) Shea Stadium ( Mets and Yankees ; Queens, New York City ) Three Rivers Stadium ( Pirates ; Pittsburgh ) Philadelphia Veterans Stadium ( Phillies ; Philadelphia ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Veterans_Stadium&oldid=801105269 '' Categories : Defunct multi-purpose stadiums in the United States Army -- Navy Game Defunct Major League Baseball venues Defunct National Football League venues Defunct college football venues Defunct soccer venues in the United States Defunct sports venues in Philadelphia Demolished sports venues in Pennsylvania United States Football League venues Philadelphia Eagles stadiums Philadelphia Phillies stadiums Philadelphia Atoms sports facilities Temple Owls football venues Baseball venues in Pennsylvania Sports venues completed in 1971 Sports venues demolished in 2004 1971 establishments in Pennsylvania 2004 disestablishments in Pennsylvania Philadelphia Fury North American Soccer League ( 1968 -- 84 ) stadiums South Philadelphia Culture of Philadelphia Philadelphia / Baltimore Stars stadiums Hidden categories : All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from December 2010 Pages using deprecated image syntax Coordinates on Wikidata Articles which use infobox templates with no data rows Pages using infobox venue with unknown parameters Wikipedia articles needing clarification from November 2009 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Français 한국어 日本 語 Português Edit links This page was last edited on 17 September 2017, at 18 : 02. 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Question: where did the phillies play before veterans stadium
Answer: Connie Mack Stadium