About Me

My photo
Nazareth, Pa., United States

Friday, June 05, 2009

IronPigPen: History of Allentown's Bicentennial Park

You might disagree with his political views, but no one can dispute IronPigPen's love for baseball. That's no surprise. He comes from Allentown. Their semi-pro Dukes defeated the vaunted New York Yankees in 1923 at Edgemont Field (2d & Susquehannah) by a score of 8 to 7. The Bambino himself went down swinging in the 9th with bases loaded.

IronPigPen has an interesting history of Bicentennial Park, which a cash-strapped Mayor would like to sell to LANTA. Here's an excerpt.

"EARL F. HUNSICKER BICENTENNIAL PARK, located where South Howard Street intersects with Lehigh Street on the city’s South Side, is a small, multi-purpose facility with an official seating capacity of 4,600. Perhaps the fact Bicentennial is literally squeezed into one of the city’s average, unassuming neighborhoods – not too rich, not too poor – adds to its charm and appeal. Knocking a ball out of that place involves the intentional litter of a citizen’s backyard or a public street.

"The place, Bicentennial, was actually first developed and opened as FAIRVIEW FIELD in 1939. It would be of interest to note that it was Alvin Butz’s construction company that built Fairview Field at that point in history. It was also at that juncture of time when Adolf Hitler’s Germany would storm Poland and officially set off the Second World War.

"IronPigs fans are well aware, of course, that the ALVIN H. BUTZ construction company that would, sixty-nine years later, in 2008, errect COCA-COLA PARK, the current home of the AAA Lehigh Valley IronPigs, on the East Side of Allentown.

"The inaugural tenants of Fairview Field were the Allentown Dukes, a minor league affiliate of the National League’s old Boston Braves. The Dukes (the third Allentown professional team in history, no less, to adopt the royalty-related moniker) were owned by Pete Weimer and played in the Class C Interstate League at the Braves’ behest. For these Dukes, the reign was short-lived, however, and they lasted but a single season.

"The Dukes did not exactly rule at the box office and Weimer, who was running with an empty wallet, got ole’ Alvin Butz himself to accept the Dukes team as completion of Weimer’s payment for the construction job. The team were rechristened the Fleetwings and a new affiliation with the National League’s St. Louis Cardinals was arranged for the 1940 season.

"'Dad always said it was the worst business decision of his life,' stated Lee Butz, son of Alvin Butz and current chairman of Alvin H. Butz, Inc., later. (The Morning Call, Jeff Schuler, 'Baseball Has Been Down, But Not Out' – March 30, 2008)

"Alvin Butz would, eventually, complete the sale of the Fleetwings with St. Louis Cardinals owner Sam Breadon at the 1943 Major League All-Star Game, which was held in Philadelphia that season. Lee Butz, then all of nine years old, was present for negotiations, but that’s another story. The Fleetwings would be rechristened the Cardinals to match their Major League sponsors for the 1944 campaign. Considering the anniversary of D-Day is in just two days, it is noteworthy that, during the course of World War II, the known-morale booster of professional baseball operated at the corner of South Howard and Lehigh Streets in Allentown.

"By 1948, however, the Allentown Cardinals had been moved to a new stadium, Breadon Field, which was a new ballpark with a capacity of 5,000 that had opened in Whitehall Township, which neighbors the city to the north.

"Baseball fans visiting Coca-Cola Park from the west of Allentown traveling US ROUTE 22 EAST heading west must pass the 7th Street / MacArthur Road exit and surely notice the Lehigh Valley Mall off on the left. The Lehigh Valley Mall would be the former site of Breadon Field, for those taking notes of such matters. Truth is, while the new ballpark for the old Allentown Cardinals was being built along the Seventh Street Pike, the US Route 22 highway, as current Lehigh Valley residents are accustomed to, did not exist.

"Meanwhile, Fairview Field got a face-lift in the middle of the 1970s and was re-opened as Earl F. Hunsicker Bicentennial Park to coincide with the United States of America’s two hundredth anniversary in 1976. Thus, if for that reason alone, the aging stadium is in every sense of the term a piece of both local and national history. And, therefore, no better nor worse than any other national icon, such as the Liberty Bell itself.

"(The Liberty Bell and Allentown is a another story for another day)

"More research would be required, but I seem to recall a semi-pro baseball team called the Allentown Wings who played at Bicentennial in the seventies for a little while. Harder to forget that, in the 1990s, an independent league baseball team posing as professionals called the Allentown Ambassadors came and went. More on that shortly.

"Nowadays, Bicentennial Park is home to the Philadelphia Force, a team in the National Pro Fastpitch league, which is women’s professional softball.

"As for Bicentennial itself, the ballpark can do nothing but project the image of a tiny little old stadium in desperate need of major cash infusion to cure many ills. The Philadelphia Force are fine people doing nice things. Unfortunately, however, the realities of situations see to it that women’s professional softball teams do not have piles of capital on hand all the time for renovation projects.

"There are people in the city of Allentown, from what I have read on the Internet, with some truly outstanding ideas of vision and growth involving a restaurant or two and a Bicentennial Park – Patriots Park softball complex.
"

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

My late father was an avid baseball fan and told many stories of going to Breadon Field to see the Allentown Cardinals. It was out in the sticks for a kid from Ninth and Turner, but well worth the trip to see good ball. He also mentioned professional games at the Fairgrounds, I believe.

Funny, he used to talk of trolley rides to play baseball games in Easton at Heil Field. He said the Allentown kids feared Easton kids as tough SOBs. It makes me chuckle about today's LC vs. NC comparisons. Maybe some things just don't change!

Thanks IPP and Bernie for sharing a terrific post.

Anonymous said...

I believe the first person to write about this issue was Mike Molovinsky.

Bernie O'Hare said...

The above OT comment, posted by Trollvilla, has been deleted twice. Bully that he is, he insists on posting it. Deleting his OT comments are distracting and take me away from other things. His behavior is designed to harass, annoy and alarm. It serves no legitimate purpose.

Anonymous said...

Bernie...

Anonymous said...

Bernie...

The Allentown Dukes in that game were actually down 7-6 in the top of the 9th inning to the Yankees when "Scrap Iron" Papsin struck out Ruth with the baseloaded.

In the bottom of the 9th Buster Dell hit a 2 run homer to give the Dukes the 8-7 win.

The Allentown Dukes were named after Ernest "Duke" Landgraf who was given the nickname during his playing days and involved with the team.

One of Duke's most amazing discoveries was White Sox Ace Ed Walsh who from 1904-1917 was 195-126 with a 1.82 ERA and 1736K. In 1908 he was 40-15 becoming part of the elite 40 win club in baseball. He also threw a no hitter against the Red Sox on August 27, 1911.

Great post and loved reading about the Babe in Allentown.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Wow! This is a fascinating story about what must have been one of the most exciting baseball games ever played in A-town.

Scrap iron Papson? What a great name from the LV! I think I like Scrap Irons better than Iron Pigs. They could even be called the Scrappers instead of the Pigs.

Anonymous said...

Bernie,

Scrappers is taken by the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, a mid-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians in the New York Penn League out of Youngstown OH. Two Lehigh guys played for them recently (McBride was one, I think, and Kyle Collina a pitcher from Notre Dame High also).

The story of Scrap Iron Papsin is awesome. And Walsh's 40 wins! I thought Denny McClain was legendary for his 30 in '68. You really pitched for your life before the reserve clause! Can't get enough of the baseball stuff. It's a welcome respite from time to time. Thanks.

Lighthouse said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Here is the link about the Dukes that was in an Allentown Ambassadors program in 1999. I was shocked to find it on the web.

What is more amazing is that Yankees team was 98-54 in major league play that year and a month after loosing that exhibition game that 1923 Yankees team went on to beat the NY Giants of the National League in the World Series.

That 1923 team also had Waite Hoyt who was one of the deadly pitchers in baseball, Lou Gehrig, Benny Bengough the best catcher in baseball at the time, and of course Ruth.

These guys were the core of what many experts call the greatest baseball team of all time (the 1927NY Yankees).

Also as a note in the 1923 World Series Ruth lead all hitters with 3 home runs. Coming in 2nd was a guy on the NY York Giants some of you may have heard of... Casey Stengel. He had two in that series.

Anonymous said...

Here is the link from the 1999 program of the Ambassadors talking about the Allentown Dukes History.

http://www.sabr.org/cmsFiles/Files/Duke_Blazed_the_Trail_for_Allentown_Baseball.pdf

Unknown said...

Anon 9:16,

You are correct on the players.

Lighthouse said...

While I am not an Allentown resident, I found the history very interesting. The Dukes vs. Yankees, wow. My daughters have played softball at Pate's park, and I recall taking the kids to Ambassadors games at Bicentennial. I've since been going to the Pigs with an 18 game package. I can only hope that as an old man I'll be able to take my grandkids there, as I now take my kids.

Local baseball is great, and I hope here to finally stay. Every game I run into folks I know. The tickets are cheap, and if they would ever finish Airport Rd, the ride is quick. I know some have previously posted about the public monies that went into the stadium, and I understand their criticism, but I am glad it is there. Something the average Joe Schmoe can still afford to take the family to.

As to Bicentennial Park, I guess the city "leaders" will have to do their cost-benefit analysis, and hopefully make a wise decision for their community.

tom hahn said...

Where can I get a copy of this story . There are a few workers I'am one who spent one year building the park with Earl and would like to tell this story to my grand children about how a little idea made a great dream came true tom

Bernie O'Hare said...

Tom, I'll post a link tonight. Thanks for your work.

tom said...

We wonder how many ballplayers are still out there who played for or against the Fleetwings Sign up and save the park for the future ballplayers tom

tom said...

This park was the future that the Pigs are here today, The Fathers that played and sons,dauthers hardball or solfball Were raised to be fans of baseball to the point it is today. Don't forget the past ,Keep the park open to kids of all ages who love baseball and love playing a night game at Bicentennial Park.

The replacement value is 12 million at todays cost. I now ask the question ? who of the people that want the park destroyed can rebuild this gift to the city. As the community did in 1976 . Give the park back to the people who build it. In the same condition the city recieved the park.