Columbia Park

Philadelphia, PA

Team: Philadelphia Athletics	Capacity: 9,500 (1901) 13,600 (1905)
Opening Day: April 26, 1901	Closing Day: October 3, 1908

Memorable Moments:

1905 American League Pennant.

When Ban Johnson decided to form his league and start a team in Philadelphia, he enlisted recently fired Pittsburgh manager, Connie Mack, to find someone interested in owning a team. Mack found Ben Shibe, a baseball manufacturer. They decided to minimize risk and open a small park in the Brewerytown section of Philly, causing this park to smell of malt and hops. There were wooden grandstands from first to third and bleachers extending down the foul lines. There were no dugouts.

Neither Shibe nor Mack could have predicted the A's popularity, so they were forced to move after the 1909 season into larger Shibe park. The Phillies also called Columbia Park home from August 20 to September 10, 1903, when part of the Baker Bowl fell apart.