The vendor slaps open the metal top of his hot-dog case. A swirl of steam and a lighting quick poke of a fork. The dog hits the roll and with a gunslinger fast swipe of a tongue depressor sized stick, mustard is applied. The Old man pays for it and the first bite is all soft roll and hot grease and the tang of mustard. A watery Coke from a big waxed paper cup washes it down. My brothers are eating peanuts and the Old man is intent on the game. He sips a beer.
Dick Allen, Tony Taylor, Don Money and Johnny Callison. These were the players I remember from that era. A game in late June. I remember we lost the first game. I fell asleep for much of the second game...waking periodically if action on the field evoked a cheer from the crowd. I would open my eyes and see the old rust colored steel rafters under the stadium roof over-hang. My thighs were sweaty against the seat and my brothers were reading the program. I guess 18 innings of baseball were to much for a 6 year old. But my memories of the long gone Connie Mack Stadium are a treasure.
2 comments:
MLS, I have a few years on you and remember Connie Mack. That was a once thriving neighborhhod, although it became sketchy when we started seeing games there. "Watch your car, mister?" was the extortion greeting of the neighborhood youngsters. Yep, no parking ots to speak of then. If memory serves, Botany 500 had a manufacturing place on Lehigh. last I was at 21st & Lehigh was 30+ years ago. It was an empty lot.
"I can play anywhere; First, Third, Left field, anywhere but Philadelphia."
...Dick Allen
20th and Lehigh?
You must mean Kilroy's Bar.
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