Baker Bowl
Philadelphia, PA

  Home of the Philadelphia Phillies for several decades the original ballpark burnt in 1894. A new ballpark was reconstructed on the same site. Built of steel and brick, the ballpark was called the Baker Bowl, and became the first modern park. The Phillies first game at the Baker Bowl was on May 2, 1895. A double decked grandstand extended from first to third base. One level of seating continued to both foul poles.

Their was a 40 ft. wall in right field because of the short dimension at 279ft. Part of this wall was made up of a scoreboard, and in the Baker Bowl’s last decade a huge Lifeboy advertisement was on the wall. In its early days, standing room only was in left and center field. Later, bleachers were built in left field. The main entrance of Baker Bowl was an octagonal turret. The Phillies moved out of Baker Bowl in 1938, because the ballpark never had lights. They moved into Shibe Park along with the Philadelphia A's, on the other side of Philadelphia.