April 7, 1970: Opening Day swan song for Phillies at Connie Mack Stadium

The Philadelphia Phillies planned to open the 1970 season at the new Veterans Stadium in South Philadelphia but site delays forced the club to open its home schedule at the oldest ballpark in the major leagues, 61-year-old Connie Mack Stadium, on April 6, 1970. A crowd of 15,918 attended the home opener between the Phillies and Cubs and watched as the new-look Phillies, sporting new uniforms designed to usher in a new era in Phillies baseball at Veterans Stadium, shut out the Cubs 2-0. Chris Short pitched a five-hitter against former Phillies prospect Ferguson Jenkins.

In addition to stylish new white and maroon uniforms, the Phillies debuted a new, young lineup that included two flashy rookies, Larry Bowa at shortstop and Denny Doyle at second base. Only two Phillies played the same position on Opening Day 1970 as they did on Opening Day 1969, pitcher Chris Short and Larry Hisle in center field. The new-look Phillies hoped a fresh look and youthful lineup would be the start of a special rebuild in Philadelphia after finishing fifth in the National League East in 1969 with a 63-99 record. The Philadelphia Evening Bulletin expressed as much in an April 6, 1970, column: “While Bowa and Doyle may not be aware of it, they are assuming a double burden starting tomorrow – of putting an untimely end to Philadelphia’s reputation as the city of losers and reviving lagging fan interest in the National League Phillies.”1

The Cubs on the other hand entered 1970 with a strong veteran lineup that finished the 1969 season in second place with a 92-70 record, eight games behind New York’s “Miracle Mets.” The Cubs’ second-place finish was their highest since they won the National League pennant in 1945. The club was expected to compete for the pennant in 1970.

Opening Day 1970 was also Phillies skipper Frank Lucchesi’s first game as a major-league manager. He was a veteran manager, having spent 19 years guiding squads in the minor leagues, but was awestruck on this day. “I came to the park early,” he told Evening Bulletin reporter Ray Kelly, “and went out and looked around the empty stands. Then I stood in the dugout and thought what an honor it was to be in the same place where Mr. Connie Mack managed those great Athletics teams. It made me feel humble.”2 Lucchesi’s first Opening Day in the big leagues was the last in history for the aged ballpark but the Philadelphia fans made it a memorable one.

The 15,918 fans made it sound as though the ballpark was filled to capacity when the opening lineups were announced. The famous Philadelphia fans erupted and left an indelible impact on the Phillies players. Veteran pitcher Chris Short simply said, “It was unbelievable.” Phillies third-base coach George Myatt said he had never experienced anything like the ovation in his 35 years in baseball. Phillies pitcher Joe Hoerner, acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals in the offseason, said, “I actually got goose pimples. Third baseman Don Money said, “After that kind of reception there was no way we could lose.” Lucchesi said he choked up. “I shed a tear or two,” he said. “Let’s face it, these people gave me, a complete stranger, an ovation and I hadn’t even managed a ballgame yet.”3

Phillies starting pitcher Chris Short was off his mark in the first inning but made it through unscathed. He walked Don Kessinger to open the frame and surrendered a single to center by Glenn Beckert. When Billy Williams grounded out to first, Kessinger and Beckert moved up. Ron Santo popped to second base. Short then walked Ernie Banks to load the bases but got out of the inning when Johnny Callison grounded to first base.

The Phillies’ rookie double-play combination led off the home half of the first inning. Larry Bowa popped out to shortstop. Denny Doyle singled to right but was tagged out at second trying to stretch his hit into a double. Next up, Larry Hisle doubled to right field but the scoring threat ended when Deron Johnson popped out to third.

Both Short and Cubs starter Fergie Jenkins set their opponents down in order in the second inning.

Short held the Cubs scoreless in the third inning, then the Phillies broke the ice in the home half of the frame. Don Money led off with a double to left and took third on Short’s grounder to second. Money held third as Bowa grounded to second. Then Doyle tripled to center, scoring Money. Larry Hisle grounded out to shortstop to end the inning.

The score remained 1-0 from the fourth through the top of the seventh inning, though the Phillies threatened in the sixth. With one out, Denny Doyle got his third hit, a single to left, and went to second on Hisle’s single. But Doyle was caught attempting to steal third as Deron Johnson struck out, completing an inning-ending double play.

In the bottom of the seventh, Tony Taylor singled through shortstop with one out. After Tim McCarver flied out to left, Money doubled to center, scoring Taylor. Short’s groundball ended the frame. Money’s RBI gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead going into the eighth inning.

Down two runs, Cubs manager Leo Durocher had Cleo James pinch-hit for Jenkins, who had thrown 94 pitches over seven innings and given up the two runs, eight hits, and one walk. Short retired James on a groundball to shortstop. Kessinger popped out to first and Beckert grounded out to second to end the inning. The Phillies failed to plate a run in the bottom of the inning.

Christ Short made short work of the Cubs’ hitters in the top of the ninth inning and sent Williams, Santo, and Banks down in order to cap his shutout, achieved in a brisk 2 hours and 7 minutes. He threw 128 pitches and gave up five hits and two walks. He struck out three.4

Little fanfare was made of the final home opener at Connie Mack Stadium. The Inquirer and the Evening Bulletin, Philadelphia’s two largest newspapers, only recapped the game and included short stories about players and coaches. Leading up to the game, more coverage was given to when the new Veterans Stadium in South Philadelphia would open for business. Although the ballpark was behind schedule, it was expected that Phillies games would be played at the Vet as early as May. This didn’t happen and the opening was pushed back a year, to April 10, 1971. As the season progressed, a sense of nostalgia built for the old ballpark, culminating in festivities at the final Phillies home game on October 1, 1970.

SOURCES

In addition to the sources cited in the Notes, the author accessed Retrosheet.org, Baseball-Reference.com, Newspapers.com, and SABR.org.

NOTES

1 Ray Kelly, “Bowa, Doyle Key to Phils New Image,” Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, April 6, 1970: 27.

2 Ray Kelly, “Lucchesi: ‘I Shed a Tear,’” Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, April 8, 1970: 72.

3 Kelly, “Lucchesi: ‘I Shed a Tear,’”: 65.

4 Philadelphia Phillies 2, Chicago 0, retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1970/B04070PHI1970.htm.