Monday, March 22, 2004

Veterans Stadium, also known as "The Vet", imploded in its Philadelphia parking lot yesterday at the age of 33. The stadium was best known for its horrid astroturf and for the court located beneath the stands handle the unruly fans. Veterans Stadium served as a home for both the Philadelphia Phillies and the Philadelphia Eagles. Throughout the NFL, the Vet's horrible astroturf was considered to be a "career-killer" for football players, causing injuries to knees and ankles. The Vet's Section 700, the nosebleed section, was famous for having worst behaving fans (hence the in-stadium court). On one occasion, Matthew Scott, the recipient of a hand transplant, threw out the opening pitch of the 1999 season. He threw the pitch with his transplanted hand and the pitch rolled over home plate. The Phillies fans booed.

Standard Deviance, however, has fond memories of The Vet. I was on hand for the 2001 Eagles season opener versus the St. Louis Rams. There were two Rams fans sitting nearby during that game, and every time they got up to get a beer or a hot dog they were booed and heckled. Good times, good times. SD also attended the 2000 July 4th weekend Phillies game, complete with fireworks over the field. We were allowed to go onto the field and thus I laid on the famous (and truly very hard) astroturf and watched fireworks while listening to "Proud to Be an American". It was a great day.

So, Veterans Stadium, we send you off with the following words:

Fly eagle fly
On your way back to the sky
Let me be the chosen one
And set me free

Veterans Stadium is survived by Lincoln Financial Field and Citizens Bank Park.

Philly's Vets Stadium Reduced to Rubble [AP]
Veterans Stadium [Ballparks of Baseball]
Good Riddance [Washington Times]