SO, WHAT IS TRUE?
Did the A’s really play in Philadelphia? Who plays in Shibe Park today? Were there actually rooftop bleacher seats, and did the Spite Fence really exist?
THE PHILADELPHIA ATHLETICS
The Philadelphia Athletics played in the American League from 1901 through 1954. Early on, they established themselves as a strong team, and in their first thirty years, they won nine American League Pennants and five World Series titles. Most sports historians include the 1929 A’s among the most dominant teams in baseball history.
In 1955, the A’s moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where they remained for thirteen years, and then they moved to Oakland, California, where they continue to play.
SHIBE PARK
Shibe Park, home of the Philadelphia Athletics, opened in 1909 and was the first baseball ballpark made from steel and reinforced concrete. The Philadelphia Public Ledger called it “a palace for fans,” and many baseball historians point to Shibe Park as the start of a golden era for baseball stadiums. It was featured on the History Channel’s Modern Marvels.
Shibe Park, Philadelphia—home of the Philadelphia Athletics, 1909–1954
The Philadelphia Phillies made Shibe Park their home from 1938 through 1970, and the Philadelphia Eagles played home games there starting in 1940, until they moved to Franklin Field in 1958. Shibe Park was renamed Connie Mack Stadium in 1953 and hosted a variety of sporting events including all-star games, Negro League games, boxing, soccer, and rugby matches, among others.
Connie Mack Stadium was demolished in 1976.
Shibe Park grandstand entrance, before the 1914 World Series
THE BLEACHER SEATS & 20TH STREET COMMUNITY
The rooftop bleacher seats on 20th Street did exist and were a big part of the early Shibe Park experience. Homeowners sold seats, as well as space to radio broadcasters and television stations and for billboard advertisements. They also opened their third-floor windows to spectators. The bleachers were well organized and constructed, and a block committee was formed to help manage their efforts as a group.
Bruce Kuklick’s 1993 book To Every Thing a Season: Shibe Park and Urban Philadelphia 1909–1976 dives deep into a neighborhood culture that thrived on baseball. For a personal account, John Rooney, a 20th Street resident, was interviewed in fall of 2009 for Goodbye, Mr. Spalding and provided a candid real-life glimpse of what it was like to be a young boy living across from Shibe Park. Mr. Rooney later published his own memoir in 2012, titled Bleachers In the Bedroom: the Swampoodle Irish and Connie Mack.
Street view of the 20th Street rooftop bleachers during the 1929 Philadelphia Athletics season
The neighborhood and ballpark attracted families and businesses from all areas. Some last names like Harvey, Carson, Polinski, and Kilroy were taken from historical references as surnames in the community, though all of the characters are fictional and do not resemble any living people. In addition, Doc Hoffman’s, the Hop Inn, Reyburn Park, St. Columba, and some other locations frequented by Jimmy and Lola really did exist.
THE DEPRESSION ERA & THE SPITE FENCE
The Great Depression was a severe economic downturn during the 1930s. It was a time when jobs and food were scarce. It affected baseball, and by 1932, ballparks started to see a decrease in attendance.
At Shibe Park, the owners had never been happy with the “outlaw stands” across the street, and the declining attendance prompted them to take action. In March 1935, after much legal back-and-forth with the homeowners’ association, the A’s added 38 feet to the original 12-foot right-field wall. The rooftop seating that had once provided the neighborhood with substantial income now faced a green metal barrier, nicknamed the Spite Fence, which greatly affected the relationship between the team and the community.
Aerial view of the 20th Street rooftop bleachers during the 1929 World Series
CONNIE MACK
Connie Mack is the longest-serving team manager in baseball, serving as the A’s manager from 1901 through 1950, and was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937. He was well known for creating several “dynasties,” teams that brought great success to the A’s and honor to the city of Philadelphia. These dynasties included players such as Eddie Collins, Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Cochrane, Al Simmons, Lefty Grove, and Bobby Shantz. He was equally well known for breaking up teams and selling off key players after championship seasons, giving the fans and sportswriters a lot of material to discuss and debate.
Philadelphia Athletics dugout, prior to start of game one, 1914 World Series at Shibe Park
Mack was well liked among the baseball community, and he continued to be a respected fixture in the city of Philadelphia even after the team moved. He died in 1956, and during his funeral, all sixteen major league baseball team owners served as pallbearers. Today, his statue stands outside of Citizen’s Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies.
THE SHIBES
Ben Shibe had a long history in baseball, starting in sporting goods and moving to team owner. He was president of the Philadelphia Athletics until his death in 1922, when his sons Tom and John Shibe took over as president and vice president, respectively.
John Shibe was in charge of all ballpark business and remodeling. According to Rich Westcott’s book Philadelphia’s Old Ballparks, John Shibe was the key voice spearheading efforts to build the Spite Fence. An avid sportsman, he was also known for having interests far beyond baseball, including working on his speedboats under the left-field stands.
JIMMIE FOXX
Jimmie Foxx was a three-time most valuable player and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1951. He was a power hitter, ending his career with 534 home runs and a batting average of .325. He hit 30 or more home runs in 12 consecutive seasons, and in 1932, he hit a career-high 58 home runs, just two shy of tying the record. In 1935, the year the Spite Fence was built, he still managed to hit 36 home runs. Foxx was traded to the Boston Red Sox for the 1936 season.
During the fall of 1934, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Bing Miller, and Jimmie Foxx, among others, were led by Connie Mack on an all-star tour of Japan. On the way, they played exhibition games in Canada, where Jimmie Foxx was knocked unconscious from a pitch by Barney “Lefty” Brown. He was released from the hospital after four days and continued the trip, hitting the longest home run of his career in Tokyo’s Meiji Stadium only a short time later. Many historians point to this injury as the beginning of several future health problems.
Foxx had a good personality, and among the Clubhouse Boys, he was known for being the biggest tipper on the team. One of his favorite doubleheader meals was from Nick’s on 22nd and Lehigh, where the Clubhouse Boys would run and buy him two Texas hot weiners for 15 cents.
Jimmie Foxx with Philadelphia Athletics’ manager Connie Mack
RICHARDSON DILWORTH
The A’s lawyer, Richardson Dilworth, successfully defended the Philadelphia Athletics both before and after the Spite Fence was built. Eventually, he began a career in politics, serving as Philadelphia’s city treasurer and district attorney. He went on to be elected mayor of Philadelphia from 1956 to 1962. Dilworth Park, just outside of Philadelphia City Hall, is named in his memory.
THE SPALDING COMPANY AND BASEBALLS
The Spalding Company was the primary supplier of baseballs for the National League starting in 1876, and for both the National and American Leagues starting in 1889, when it acquired The Reach Company. To differentiate between the two leagues, Spalding continued to use the Reach name, and its trademark red and blue stitching, for American League balls. In 1934, both leagues started using all-red stitching.
In 1977, Rawlings won the baseball contract, and they continue to supply Major League Baseball today.
The phrase Goodbye, Mr. Spalding pays tribute to radio announcers of the past, who made calls like it with enthusiasm. It can be heard as delivered by a radio announcer in the 1984 movie The Natural.
THE A’S MASCOT: THE WHITE ELEPHANT
; When the A’s joined the American League in 1901, owner Ben Shibe was quick to offer large contracts to lure in star players. Giants’ manager John McGraw, displeased with Shibe’s actions, stated to reporters in 1902 that Shibe had a “big white elephant” on his hands.
The term, meant to describe something that looks great, but for which upkeep and care are impossible, was quickly picked up by an amused Connie Mack, who ordered all of the A’s uniforms and gear to carry the white elephant. The symbol caught on and continues to be the Oakland A’s mascot today.
MRS. CARSON’S GIFTS
Nina Allender was the official cartoonist of the National Woman’s Party from 1914 until 1927. She drew hundreds of cartoons depicting the Suffragist Movement, seeking equal rights for women. The “Allender Girl” was a new image of Suffragists, showing them to be strong and independent women while being feminine at the same time.
The 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth rookie card is one of the rarest baseball cards in existence today. There are only ten known cards, which feature Ruth as an unknown minor league player. The card has come up for auction several times, with a sale in 2008 at the highest-ever purchase price of $517,000.
Resources
History and baseball have a strong and meaningful connection. Countless articles, websites, books, and museums are dedicated to chronicling our national pastime. Below are some of the resources used to help bring Goodbye, Mr. Spalding to life.
“Modern Marvels: Baseball Parks.” Scheftel, Jeff, director. Modern Marvels, season 5, episode 15, The History Channel, 19 July 1999.
Philadelphia Bulletin, 1934–1935.
Philadelphia Inquirer, 1934–1935.
Daniel, Harrison W. Jimmie Foxx: The Life and Times of a Baseball Hall of Famer, 1907–1967. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 1996.
Kashatus, William C. The Philadelphia Athletics. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2002.
Kuklick, Bruce. To Every Thing a Season: Shibe Park and Urban Philadelphia, 1909–1976. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1991.
Lieb, Frederick G. Connie Mack: Grand Old Man of Baseball. New York: G.P. Putnam, 1945.
Mack, Connie. My 66 Years in the Big Leagues; the Great Story of America’s National Game. Philadelphia: Winston, 1950.
Millikin, Mark R. Jimmie Foxx: The Pride of Sudlersville. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow, 1998.
Philadelphia Athletics Museum and Library, Hatboro, PA. [Now closed]
Rooney, John J. Bleachers in the Bedroom: the Swampoodle Irish and Connie Mack. Columbus OH: Zip Publishing/The Educational Publisher, 2012.
Shiffert, John. Base Ball in Philadelphia: A History of the Early Game, 1831–1900. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2006.
Sporting News (St. Louis, Missouri), 1934–1935. Archives: paperofrecord.com.
Warrington Bob. “John Shibe—A Biographic Sketch.” Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society, October 26, 2005.
Westcott, Rich. Philadelphia’s Old Ballparks. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1996.
Temple University Urban Archives. George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Collection. Archival photographs. Digital image. N.d.
Websites*
“An Ode to the Allender Girl.” Sewell-Belmont House & Museum. October 19, 2011. nationalwomansparty.org/an-ode-to-the-allender-girl/.
National Baseball Hall of Fame. baseballhall.org.
*Websites active at time of publication.
Acknowledgments
I have an amazing family who encouraged and supported me every step of the way. Thank you to my husband Tom, and daughters Katelyn and Olivia. You are the three most lovable and fun people I know. Thanks for rooting for me, and Jimmy and Lola, all of these years!
Thanks to my mother, Lucille, who really is the best storyteller, and whose family stories found their way into several parts of this book. Thanks to my father, Stan, my sister Michele and family—John, Austin, Matt, Amanda—and all of my extended family and friends for their continued support.
For over eight years, I have worked on Goodbye, Mr. Spalding. Writing partners Eileen Ruvane, Hallee Adelman, and Tammy Higgins were with me from the beginning, encouraging and challenging my progress every step along the way. Thanks to Uncle Jethro and our Imaginary-But-Real writing conferences, which kicked me in gear every year. I don’t think there is a way to show you just how grateful I am for your friendship! I could not ask for a more supportive or smarter team.
Thank you to my editor Carolyn Yoder, who saw something in this idea from the start. It was June 2010 when I attended her historical fiction intensive workshop with only the idea for this book in mind, and it’s hard to believe that Goodbye, Mr. Spalding found its home with Calkins Creek seven years later. Thanks to Brittany Ryan, Lori Lyons, Juanita Galuska, Barbara Grzeslo, Barbara Skalak, and everyone in the Boyds Mills Press and Highlights family for believing in me!
Thank you to my agent, Tracy Marchini, whose passion for history makes writing for children so much fun. You are enthusiastic and approachable, and I appreciate you as an agent, editor, and friend. Thanks also to the behind-the-scenes and diligent team at BookEnds Literary Agency, especially Jessica Faust, James McGowan, Jean Marie Pierson, and Beth Campbell.
Thank you to all the people—editors, agents, peers—who have helped shape Goodbye, Mr. Spalding over the years. Thanks especially to authors Wendy Mass, Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Kat Yeh, Donna Gephart, and Kim Savage for sound advice along the way.
The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Pocono Retreats in eastern Pennsylvania were a difference maker, and critical to the development of Goodbye, Mr. Spalding. Conferences with the Rutgers University Council on Children’s Literature (RUCCL) had a similar impact. Writers: join these groups! They are wonderful for support and guidance in creating children’s literature.
Thanks to baseball historian and University of Pennsylvania Professor of American History Emeritus Dr. Bruce Kuklick for reading and evaluating my work with such enthusiasm. Thanks also to Dr. John Rooney, a former resident of 20th Street who was interviewed in his offices at La Salle University. I am grateful to have experts willing to share knowledge and advice.
I would like to especially thank the Philadelphia sports community. Over the years, I have connected with speakers at the Free Library of Philadelphia, workers at the former Philadelphia Athletics Museum, and baseball historians. Most of all, I have met countless A’s and Phillies fans who have fond memories of Shibe Park and Connie Mack Stadium, all of whom have been eager to share their stories. The A’s are still going strong in Oakland, and I am happy to help keep their rich Philadelphia history alive.
Text and Picture Credits
Thanks especially to the Temple University Urban Archives, the family of photographer Leslie Jones, and the Library of Congress. Thanks also to Jim Penegar for access to headlines and quotes from The Sporting News. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division: LC-USZ62-79895: 256; LC-DIG-ggbain-17517: 257; LC-DIG-ggbain-17523: 261
Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, PA: 255, 258, 260
Courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection: 263.
An Interview with Jennifer Robin Barr
Q. Why do you write about the past? And more specifically, where did you get the idea to center a story around Shibe Park and the Spite Fence?
A. I really love learning about a small nugget of history, and then imagining and centering a story around it. There is so much to learn from our past, helping us to really understand cultures and traditions, customs and philosophies. It also goes to show how some historical tidbit may seem small or inconsequential to us today, but at the time it changed people’s lives.
I first learned about the Spite Fence through Bruce Kuklick’s book To Every Thing A Season. The wall, built in the Spring of 1935, and the reasons behind it, is really a fascinating part of baseball history. I started to do my own research and reali
zed that, for the most part, everything I read was from an adult perspective. I began to think about what it would have been like for a 12-year-old living on that street, where baseball is something they lived and breathed every day, from both a social and economic standpoint. More importantly, what would it have been like for that to be taken away, along with a daily reminder every time they walked outside or opened their bedroom window?
That is basically where this story began—asking, What would it have been like for the kids?
Q. Was baseball part of your history growing up?
A. Yes! My family loves baseball, and the Phillies were a big part of my childhood. I distinctly remember the last out of the 1980 World Series while watching it on our cabinet TV console. I was eight years old and it was my first baseball memory.
More recently, one of my favorite baseball memories includes Kevin Millwood’s no-hitter at Veterans Stadium in 2003. We were in the stands with my seven-month-old daughter. It was her first game and she slept through most of it! And, of course, the 2008 World Series.
Q. What steps did you take to write about the past (especially since the Athletics moved away years ago)?
A. Living outside of the City of Philadelphia afforded me a wealth of information to research in my own backyard. When I first started, there was a very small museum dedicated to the Philadelphia Athletics. While the museum is now closed, I spent hours reading some of their books, going through old programs, and getting a first-hand look at the artifacts. I was also able to interview a local resident who lived in one of the houses on 20th street and was virtually the same age in 1934 as my characters. He provided for me an incredible first-hand account.
As far as resources, the Free Library of Philadelphia and Temple University Urban Archives are rich with historical documents, newspapers, and photos. Recently, The Sporting News archives were put online, and that opened up a strong baseball perspective of the times. I did not have to go far to find the information I was seeking.
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