FirstEnergy Stadium is such a unique place to start at when you want to go into the sport of baseball. For the minor league team was the lowest level and produced a lot of interesting players. Many famous players who we know of today started here like Robert “Denny” Doyle, 1968, second baseman, No. 15; Jimmy Rollins, 1999, short stop, No. 11; Ryan Howard, 2004, first baseman, No. 6; Mike Schmidt, 1971, third baseman, No.24; Larry Bowa, 1967-8, short stop, No. 10; Gregory Luzinski, 1970, left field, No. 19; and Guillermo “Willie” Hernandez, 1975, relief pitcher, No. 48.
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| The FirstEnergy Stadium 1950s Photo by Mark Souders |
FirstEnergy Stadium is a 9,000-seat baseball-only stadium in Reading, Pennsylvania and the oldest home in the Eastern League. It assumed that distinction after Toronto's AA affiliate departed from Yale Field (1927) in New Haven, Connecticut, following the 2003 season. The home of the Reading Phillies is 36 years the senior of any other park in the EL. Harrisburg's Commerce Bank Park (formerly River Side Stadium), built in 1987, and is the league's second oldest park.
Apart from being the longest affiliation in all of Minor League Baseball since 1967, the Reading Phillies ‘AA’ team, there is another team also paralleled and that is the Lakeland Flying Tigers. This team is from Lakeland, Florida and is a single ‘A’ team.
While the facility has undergone a series of renovations over the years, the original seating bowl, dugouts and exterior brick wall have all remained and continue to provide tangible links to the past.
Reading's Municipal Memorial Stadium was used for much more than just Minor League Baseball: High school football games, circuses and concerts changed the scenery at the stadium several times per year. On March 28, 1945, Reading City Council voted unanimously to purchase 27 acres of ground known as Cathedral Heights for the purpose of building a municipal stadium. In July 26, 1947 the grading of the land began and by 1949 the initial stages of construction could be seen. With a final price tag of $656,674, the stadium was completed on April 15, 1951. Named in honor of the service men and women who gave their lives for our country, Reading Municipal Memorial Stadium was dedicated on July 15 that same year.
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| The Outside view of FirstEnergy Stadium today 2012
Photo courtesy by Reading Phillies.com
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Following another year without a team, in 1965, the Philadelphia Phillies agreed to affiliate with Reading. The relationship remains to this day and is the third longest between a Major League franchise and a farm team.
In the fall of 1999, Reading Municipal Memorial Stadium was renamed GPU Stadium. In March the following year, a statue in the form of giant dog tags was placed outside the main entrance in a special rededication ceremony to honor the county's veterans. Before the 2002 season, GPU Stadium was renamed FirstEnergy Stadium, giving the ballpark its third title in 53 years.
FirstEnergy Stadium retains the old-time ballpark feel that baseball fans cherish. The park has been known as “Americas Classic Ballpark” making it well known and attendance now is over 430,000 compared to 1950’s with 75-100,000 spectators. That equates to over 6,400 attendees per game and 69 games a year.
There have been many different celebrity appearances over the years with such people as Taylor Swift, the country singer and her family who used to attend when she was little and sit on the third base side field level seats. Many other city officials of Reading, senators, and Philadelphian officials also attended the games.
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| Behind home plate at FirstEnergy Stadium today 2012
Photo courtesy by Reading Phillies.com
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There are many things that go on at the stadium besides baseball to name a few kids happy half hour at Phunland, happy hour $1 off beer plus pre-game concert, $1 hot dog day, Run the Bases- all fans run around the bases after the game, and family night 4 for $49 deal.
There are many game days that schedule a unique giveaway, which are to name a few Ryan Howard fleece blanket, R-Phils team baseball card poster, Cole Hammels back pack, Father’s Day Richie Ashburn style hat, Reading Indians throwback hat, R-Phils team baseball card set, Ryan Howard pillow case, and a Harry Kalas talking bobble head figure are given out to selected fans during entrance to the stadium..
There is real grass at the stadium and not Astro-Turf to make it unique. “We have five to six guys on the crew and maintain it to the maximum,” said Stan Douglass, grounds crew manager and award recipient for being the best. “I make them work the field all the time to keep it healthy and make sure that it is right for the fans.”
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