Baker Bowl
Broad Street & Lehigh Avenue
At the intersection of Broad and Lehigh, the Philadelphia Phillies used to play in a stadium named the Baker Bowl. Currently, this site is a gas station, but it has a rich history that has not lost its significance over the years. The Baker Bowl was named after the Phillies owner at the time, William F. Baker, who owned the team from 1913 to 1930. The stadium received recognition for its unusual rectangular shape which could hold 12,500 fans. The Phillies played in the Baker Bowl from 1887 to 1938, and it was also briefly home to the Philadelphia Eagles from 1933-1935. The Baker Bowl also hosted the 1915 World Series, a negro league’s “Colored World Series”, as well as a series of boxing and racing events. Babe Ruth, who is respected as one of the greatest baseball players ever, even played his last professional game in this ballpark. Unfortunately, the Phillies left the stadium due to a series of fires that led to the destruction of the grandstands and in 1950 the stadium was demolished.
Works Cited
- December 31, 1999 (page 76 of 178). (1999, Dec 31). Philadelphia Inquirer (1969-2001).
- June 1, 1996 (page 6 of 46). (1996, Jun 01). Philadelphia Inquirer (1969-2001).
- August 9, 1981 (Page 268 of 506). Philadelphia Inquirer (1969-2001), Aug 09 1981, p. 268. ProQuest. Web. 18 Feb. 2021.