Phillies History: Right Field Stands At Baker Bowl Collapse
By David Hill
Once considered a marvel of engineering, the Baker Bowl was the last of the 19th century stadiums still in use. On this day in 1927, the right field stands collapsed during a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the St. Louis Cardinals.
May 14, 1927, seemed to be a great day to be a Phillies fan. Philadelphia had exploded for eight runs in the bottom of the sixth inning against the Cardinals, torching Flint Rhem and a pair of St. Louis relievers. Russ Wrightstone hit a home run, and drove in four runs. With a 12-3 lead heading into the top of the seventh, it was a fun day to be at the Baker Bowl.
That is, until one out into the top of the inning. The stadium, which had once been considered a marvel of engineering, but had fallen to mockery, as uncaring ownership and cheapness had ruined the field. That lack of attention reared its head again, as the bleachers in right field collapsed due to rotting structural beams.
The collapse was caused by fans seeking protection from the rain, as the grandstands had a roof overhead. Amazingly, no one was killed when the structure collapsed, but there were quite a few injuries. A stampede broke out amongst the patrons when the grandstand collapsed, as no one could be certain that their own seat was safe. When the dust settled, one fan had died of a heart attack during the ensuing chaos, and 50 people were injured.
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That was not the first time that the right field grandstands had collapsed either. Back in 1903, a fight between two drunk men and two teenage girls caught the attention of the fans, who climbed to the top of the stands to watch the altercation. The stands collapsed into the street below, killing twelve people and injuring 232.
Amazingly, the Baker Bowl would come back and remain in use for another decade. mercifully, the park hosted its last game on June 30, 1938, and moved into Shibe Park. That final game attracted just 1500 fans, as the Phillies fell to the New York Giants by a 14-1 score.
Along the way, Baker Bowl did host a few significant events. It was the home of the Negro League World Series from 1924 through 1926, and was the site of Babe Ruth‘s final game in 1935. It was also the Phillies home when they appeared in the 1915 World Series, and the site of their only World Series victory until 1980.
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The Baker Bowl had been a source of pride for the Philadelphia Phillies, but by the time 1927 came around, it had fallen into disrepair. That was evident on this day, when the right field stands collapsed once again.