To Every Thing a Season: Shibe Park and Urban Philadelphia, 1909-1976

by Bruce Kuklick

Book Overview

Shibe Park was demolished in 1976, and today its site is surrounded by the devastation of North Philadelphia. Kuklick, however, vividly evokes the feelings people had about the home of the Philadelphia Athletics and later the Phillies.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 069104788X
• ISBN13: 9780691047881
• Release Date: January 1991
• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 1.37 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

A Fine Discussion of the Role of MLB in Philadelphia

University of Pennsylvania historian Bruce Kuklick has written with "To Every Thing a Season" a masterful analysis of the role of the relationship of Major League Baseball (MLB) to the city of Philadelphia and its culture in the twentieth century. He takes as his nexus one of the most significant of the concrete-and-steel stadiums built by various teams in the first part of the century, Shibe Park, home to both the National League Phillies and the American League Athletics--A's for short--for much of its history. Shibe Park, built by Connie Mack and others for $301,000, opened its doors in 1909. It was the home of the Athletics until they departed the city for Kansas City in 1954 and the Phillies between 1938 and 1970 when they moved to Veteran's Stadium. This is sophisticated history, not the once-over-lightly narratives of many baseball histories. Kuklick emphasizes the interrelations of the A's, the Phillies, and the residents of Philadelphia with Shibe Park as the point of convergence. Connie Mack, the owner of the A's, provides the human face of much of the description in the book and his successes and numerous failings on and off the field give "To Every Thing a Seasons" much of its dramatic power. Mack built two great baseball powerhouses with the A's, the first time in the years surrounding 1910 and again in the years around 1930. In both cases he dismantled those teams and sold the players to other Major League Baseball (MLB) franchises. The Phillies had far fewer good years than the A's, but did manage to win a National League pennant in 1950, and came close in 1964 when a late season collapse allowed the St. Louis Cardinals to take the pennant. Kuklick does not recite too much of the on-field activities of the Phillies and A's, but instead focuses on the role of Shibe Park, and by extension its occupants, in the life of the Philadelphia. As such "To Every Thing a Season" is quite excellent urban history, and at some level also business and economic and social history, rather than sports or baseball history. Kuklick is correct to conclude, and this very fine book emphasizes it: "Part of the story of Shibe Park is one of proprietorial rapacity, cynicism, and the limitations of even admirable people in an industrial society" (p. 190). Kuklick's epilogue is a superb contemplation of the social function of MLB teams and their home cities, using Philadelphia as a model. It helped generate a shared identity and taught camaraderie and patience and acceptance of the world and its fortunes. In the end, Shibe Park served as a collector of memories for the city, of both good and bad events. It became, over time, the city's equivalent of the family kitchen table. There is no question but that any reader will learn quite a lot from this book, and I recommend it as the starting point for serious investigation of MLB and its relation to the homes of its various franchises.

Slammin'

The best baseball books earn their sentiment. Bruce Kulkick's book does just that. It is a grown-up story written with passion and anger and affection. The author knows the game, knows that IT IS a game and does a balancing act that should satisfy fans of Big League ball, 20th century American history, and any city planning student around. Baseball is said to be a perfect game in its dimensions; if the distance between bases were any shorter, far too many hits would be produced, if the distance were longer, nobody would ever get aboard. Kuklick is a writer who carries off the same tricky balance. Elegaic and important.

You'll turn, turn, turn the pages...over and over

Bruce Kuklick's book is an excellent history about a longtime Philadelphia institution, Shibe Park (ie Connie Mack Stadium). Not just a nostalgia-laden trip down memory lane, the book details the sociological impact baseball, particularly the Philadelphia A's, had on the surrounding neighborhood in North Philadelphia. The book basically has two plotlines. One plotline deals with the baseball played at Shibe Park. It discusses the extreme peaks and valleys experienced by the A's during their time at the park. It also analyzes the shift in fan allegiance from the A's to the Phillies that occurred in the late 1940's and early 1950's, which eventually forced the A's to move after the 1954 season. Finally, the book discusses how the advancing age of the park forced the Phillies to move out of the park after the 1970 season. The other plotline deals with the interaction of the community and the ballpark (and teams at the ballpark). It traces the pride the local community had in the ballpark (and the A's) during the early years of the park through the changing demographics of the neighborhood and the changing modes of transportation in America which gradually made the park (and the area around the park) unattractive to most fans. This arc also emphasizes how the A's and later the Phillies were an integral part of the community. Overall, Mr. Kuklick has written a book that doesn't mythologize Shibe Park, but rather puts it in a more real, human context. The book also includes some interesting pictures, the most of which (to me) was the picture showing the proximity of Baker Bowl (the Phillies old ballpark) to Shibe Park. A highly recommended book for anyone interested in baseball, particularly Philadelphia baseball, or urban geography and history.

You'll turn, turn, turn the pages...over and over

Bruce Kuklick's book is an excellent history about a longtime Philadelphia institution, Shibe Park (ie Connie Mack Stadium). Not just a nostalgia-laden trip down memory lane, the book details the sociological impact baseball, particularly the Philadelphia A's, had on the surrounding neighborhood in North Philadelphia. The book basically has two plotlines. One plotline deals with the baseball played at Shibe Park. It discusses the extreme peaks and valleys experienced by the A's during their time at the park. It also analyzes the shift in fan allegiance from the A's to the Phillies that occurred in the late 1940's and early 1950's, which eventually forced the A's to move after the 1954 season. Finally, the book discusses how the advancing age of the park forced the Phillies to move out of the park after the 1970 season. The other plotline deals with the interaction of the community and the ballpark (and teams at the ballpark). It traces the pride the local community had in the ballpark (and the A's) during the early years of the park through the changing demographics of the neighborhood and the changing modes of transportation in America which gradually made the park (and the area around the park) unattractive to most fans. This arc also emphasizes how the A's and later the Phillies were an integral part of the community. Overall, Mr. Kuklick has written a book that doesn't mythologize Shibe Park, but rather puts it in a more real, human context. The book also includes some interesting pictures, the most of which (to me) was the picture showing the proximity of Baker Bowl (the Phillies old ballpark) to Shibe Park. A highly recommended book for anyone interested in baseball, particularly Philadelphia baseball, or urban geography and history.

A great history of Shibe Park

This book fully details the life of a great ballpark that created baseball history from 1909-1970. The book details the events and happenings through the years at Shibe Park. Also detailed is how Shibe and the neighborhood around it began to deteriorate to the point where Shibe became an abandoned, weed-filled eyesore. A great book with good maps and illustrations.