Shibe Park, From Behind Home Plate, 1963 photo
Click Each Picture for a larger image
This is a set of three spectacular color photos from the Luber Collection of Shibe Park Photos. The set is available either in 4 x6 sizes or 5 x 7 sizes. These photos are cut to these exact dimensions. (These photos are also available individually for sale in 12 x 18 sizes.) Naturally, more detail is visible to the naked eye on the larger sizes, but these smaller sets of photos still show incredible detail and make a lovely, inexpensive gift for your mom, dad, grandfather, grandmother, or spouse. You can have them framed together as a set! When you hold these color photos in your hand, you will almost be able to smell the cigars, beer, and popcorn underneath the mildewed stands of this old, fading ballpark.... a ballpark where programs were 15 cents and the hot dog man bore the heavy burden of that container of hot water containing those delicious Formost kosher hot dogs. These photos will envelop you, and you will be back in the ballpark where you spent your childhood, next to your dad or brother, in all probability watching the hapless Phillies blow another game. But somehow it just doesn't matter because there's no place on earth you'd rather be. And you can be there again when you buy this lovely set of three photos. The Story Behind The Luber Collection The date is September 1, 1963, less than three months before our innocence will be shattered forever by the assassination of President Kennedy. But for now, and for a while longer, all is well with the world. Future Hall of Famer Stan "The Man" Musial has announced that he will retire at the end of the year, and the Cardinals are in town to play the Phillies. My brother is 15 and I am 12. We hop on the 59 bus in Northeast Philadelphia and take it to the Frankford elevated. We get the train to the Somerset station, and take the number 54 bus to 21st and Lehigh. It's a beautiful summer day, and we are not going to miss Stan the Man's last appearance at Connie Mack Stadium. Because this is to be Stan Musial's last game ever at Shibe Park / Connie Mack Stadium, my brother brings his camera along to take pictures of the game, and he takes a series of spectacular color shots from our seats in the upper deck behind home plate. There are 17,575 people on hand to see Musial's last appearance at Shibe Park -- six thousand more than the Phillies' average attendance that year. About These Three Photos Photo ADL14S: Musial On Second Base, Full Scoreboard Shot This picture was taken in the top of the third inning, at 2:26 P.M. according to the Longines clock on the scoreboard. Stan Musial, #6, can be seen walking near second base. Phillies catcher Bob Oldis, #10, is headed to the mound to talk to pitcher Chris Short.. Musial has just hit a double, his first of two hits during the game. Curt Flood, #21, is waiting to come to bat, standing just behind home plate. There is one out. Even in the smaller 4 x 6 size, the scoreboard is incredibly clear -- everything on the scoreboard can be read with the naked eye. You can see the entire Phillies and Cardinals line ups -- uniform numbers, positions, and batting orders. You can see the detailed box score of the game in progress, as well as the scores of all the other games in progress. The Cardinals line up is as follows:
The Phillies line up is as follows:
The billboards on the outfield wall and roof can be easily read with the naked eye. The Philco billboard on the roof says, "New for 63, Noiseless Air Conditioners." (Philco eventually went on to be a noiseless company, if you know what I mean.) The outfield distance signs -- 420 to left center, 447 to center, and 405 to right center -- are clearly visible. The yellow stripes on the outfield wall delineating whether a ball is a home run are clearly visible. Oh, yeah...in case you were wondering.....the Cardinals won the game, 7-3, and Cardinals pitcher Curt Simmons (formerly with the Phillies) hit a triple. Photo ADL15S: Musial at bat with bases loaded This picture was taken in the top of the first inning at about 1:50 P.M. There is one out, and Stan "The Man" Musial is up with the bases loaded. That's Julian Javier on third base, Dick Groat on second, and Ken Boyer on first. In the field for the Phillies, that's Ruben Amaro at third, Bobby Wine at short, Tony Taylor at second, and Roy Sievers at first. Chris Short is on the mound, and Bob Oldis is behind the plate. That's Curt Flood in the on deck circle. The count is 1 and 0. Short unleashes a fastball and <CRACK!> Musial sends a screaming line drive down the first base line. You can clearly see the ball in the picture, and you can see catcher Bob Oldis's head following the flight of the ball. Roy Sievers has yet to react, but let's face it folks -- we're talking about a player who had a career total of 14 stolen bases over a career spanning 18 years and 6,387 at bats. Heck, Roy Sievers was so slow to react that had they not torn down Shibe Park in 1976 he would still be in his crouch at first base. The Phillies were not exactly fleet of foot in 1963. Rumor has it that if left fielder Wes Covington and first baseman Roy Sievers had a foot race, nobody would win. But I digress. Where were we....oh, that's right....Stan Musial has just hit a line drive down the first base line. I wish I could tell you Cardinal fans that Musial's line drive went for an extra base hit. In truth, it was a foul ball, Musial eventually struck out, and the Cards did not score that inning. ADL17S: Wes Covington's Home Run Trot, Left Field Wall It's the bottom of the sixth inning and there are two men out for the Phillies, who trail the Cardinals 7-1. The game is getting on and the shadows are growing long -- on the field, on the game, on aged Connie Mack Stadium, and worst of all, on our childhood. Then, for a brief moment, our spirits are lifted, as Wes Covington blasts a solo home run over the right field wall. That's Wes rounding third base, and Roy Sievers waiting at home plate, bat in hand, to congratulate him. St. Louis pitcher Curt Simmons evokes the classic "hand-on-hips" pose typical of pitchers who have just been taken long. Perhaps he is thinking, "At least I don't play for the Phillies any more," in order to console himself. Third baseman Ken Boyer holds his glove in his right hand as he watches Covington circle the bases. Catcher Tim McCarver waits behind home plate. To his right is the Phillies batboy. (This is obvious because he has no number on his back.) Also visible in the picture are St. Louis left fielder Gary Kolb, who came on to replace Stan Musial in the fifth inning, and shortstop Dick Groat. This is the only picture in the Luber Collection that shows the entire left field wall -- every billboard is clear and readable, as are the outfield distance signs of 334 in left, 420 in left center, and 447 in center field. The batting cage behind the 447 sign is also visible in center field. The scoreboard in foul territory in left field shows that it is the sixth inning. Roy Sievers would to on to fly out to end the inning. Specifications:
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