Citizens Bank Park, My Happy Place

By Amy McCormick

Most of us have memories of Veterans Stadium. I remember attending Phillies and Eagles games when I was younger, and the place was massive.  Once The Vet was demolished, it seemed that a big part of the city was missing, and couldn’t possibly be replaced.  A new ballpark for just the Phillies?  They had played at The Vet for 30 years … I have never dealt well with change.  I was skeptical. 

In April 2004, Citizens Bank Park opened its doors.  CBP sold its naming rights to Citizens Bank – a whopping $95 million over 25 years – which is why the home of the Phillies is named after, well, a bank. 

Citizens Bank Park quickly became my “happy place.” My first daughter, Ella, was born in January of 2004; whenever we can get a babysitter during baseball season, date night is at the ballpark.  (We now have three daughters, ages 7, 5 and 2, and they’re all Phillies fans.)  The park became our favorite place to escape, for lack of a better word.  In my mind, there’s nothing better on a summer night than good friends, cold beer, and the Phils.  I know that the majority of you reading this know what I mean; you walk into the gates and suddenly, all is right with the world.  I’ve been to three games thus far this season, and I’m getting antsy for my next one.  I’ve been on many dates there with the big guy, we’ve brought our kids, and I’ve gone with friends.  This past weekend, I went with two of my best girlfriends, and the three of us had a ridiculous amount of fun. 

One of my favorite things about Citizens Bank Park is Ashburn Alley.  For those of you who haven’t hung out there, you’re missing out.  It’s fun if you bring your family, but it’s just as fun for a child-free trip.  You can look into the bullpen, see the field clearly, and eat.  There are four ten-foot bronze statues in Ashburn Alley: Steve Carlton, Richie Ashburn, Mike Schmidt and Robin Roberts.

This past weekend, a friend of mine visited the park for the first time (sad, I know).  His anticipation was akin to a child waiting for Santa’s arrival.  The only differences: he’s 34, and it’s April.  Ok, so the analogy isn’t great, but you get my point.  He couldn’t wait for his first trip, and I told him that he would not be disappointed.  I was so eager to find out what he thought of his visit.  He summed up his impression well.  “I love the personality of the place … everything there lets you know you’re in the Phillies’ home.”

I think that’s what I love most about CBP.  It’s all Phillies, all the time.  Veterans Stadium was great, but I like that the Phils have their own home.  It doesn’t hurt that there’s not a bad seat in the whole place.  Some people wonder why games are consistently sold out (unlike the stadiums of other teams in our division).  When you go to Citizens Bank Park, you’re not just attending a baseball game.  It’s the entire atmosphere, the experience, and the memories that go along with the game that matter.  Forget Disneyland.  Citizens Bank Park, to me, is the happiest place on earth. 

I’d like to thank RDT for his input on this post.

I Implore You ...

By Amy McCormick

As Phillies fans, we love to spend time at Citizens Bank Park.  To me, it’s better than Disneyland.  It’s my happy place.  In order to keep it that way (and let’s face it – if I’m not happy, no one’s happy), I implore you to follow a few basic rules if you plan to sit anywhere near me at a game.

The Star Spangled Banner.  The Phillies organization usually does a pretty good job of inviting talented singers to sing the anthem before the start of the game.  If you were asked in school to be a “listener” during chorus, please do not sing along.  Just remove your hat, put your hand on your heart, and listen.

Going To and From Your Seat.  This is a huge pet peeve of mine.  Staff should not allow you to re-enter your section until a play is complete.  That is to say, wait until it’s between batters.  The same goes for getting up to go to the bathroom or to get food.  I’d actually prefer if you’d wait until the middle or end of an inning.

Umbrellas.  In the event of a slight drizzle or even a rain delay, I’ll give you two choices: grow a set and relax, because it’s just water, or go stand where you can stay dry.  Umbrellas obstruct others’ view.  It’s rude, and to be honest, you kind of look like a pansy.

Talking.  There are several points I need to make here.  Please do not have loud conversations about non-baseball related topics.  I don’t care what’s on sale at Acme, who’s taking whom to Homecoming, or how much your new kitchen floor will cost.  On the flipside, don’t be a know-it-all.  You know the type: he thinks he could do a better job at shortstop than Jimmy and has something to say about every single play.  Last, but not least, never mention to me that I know “a lot about baseball for being a girl.”

Catching a Ball.   If I were lucky enough to catch a ball, I’d do one of a few things, and I invite you to do the same.  If it were a foul ball, or a Phillies homerun, I’d hand the ball over to a nearby child.  If it were a visitor’s homerun, I’d throw it back on the field, because I’m just that obnoxious. Chances are, if you don’t do the same, you will be booed by many fans (myself included).

Joking About Rushing the Field.  If I hear one more person say, “Do you think I’d get tasered if I ran out onto the field right now?” I might scream.  You know you’re not running onto the field.  And chances are, there’s an off-duty police officer sitting in your section who would be happy to accommodate you anyway.

Drinking.   I would be a huge liar if I said that I didn’t drink at Phils games.  I want you to have a great time at CBP and drink and enjoy your experience.  Please know your limits, people.  No one wants to hang out with someone who is falling-down, sloppy drunk.  No one.

I don’t ask much.  We all pay good money to watch a game and enjoy all that Citizens Bank Park has to offer.  I simply request that you not act like a jerk while you’re there. It will be an enjoyable evening for everyone if you follow a few simple guidelines.  Enjoy your time at the stadium and cheer as loudly as you can for the Phillies!

A Memorable Night at CBP

By Amy McCormick

I went to my first Phillies game as a child.  It was at The Vet, and I won’t tell you what year it was.  Since then, I’ve been to countless games.  I wish I could say that I’ve attended a post-season game, but that would be a lie.  The most fun I’ve had at a Phillies game is still pretty vivid in my usually forgetful mind.

It was a Wednesday afternoon, and a friend of my husband’s asked if we wanted his tickets to that night’s game.  I was hesitant, because our two older daughters had school in the morning, and it meant we would need my mom to baby-sit our three girls.  Somehow, things fell into place, and Mike and I ended up on our way to South Philly.

It was September 30, and I remember thinking how it was way too cold outside.  We were bundled up, though, and ready to watch Pedro Martinez pitch.  At one point, Mike went to get us some hot chocolate, and I’ll never forget how disgusting it was.  Of course, I didn’t care.  I was there to watch the Phils battle the Astros, and there was the possibility that the Phillies could clinch the NL East that night.  I figured it would happen the following night, just because that’s the kind of luck I have.

Pedro pitched four innings and let up three runs.  We were losing 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth, when the Phils took full advantage of an error by Houston and scored four runs.  Kyle Kendrick came in to pitch innings 5-7, during which the Phils tacked on five more runs, making the score 10-3.  Citizens Bank Park started to get nice and loud.  Chad Durbin pitched the eighth inning, and Scott Eyre pitched two outs of the ninth.  For the last out, Brad Lidge came running from the bullpen.  If you’ll remember, 2009 was the season that everyone hated Brad Lidge and would have run him over with his or her car if given the chance.  Mike and I still loved him, and we were glad to see Charlie put him in for the final out.  The man threw one pitch.  A ground out ended the game, and the stadium went crazy.  Fireworks exploded in the sky. 

Some fans decided to leave in an attempt to beat traffic.  Not us.  We moved to section 117 with a bunch of other fans, and watched as the players came out of the clubhouse in their “NL East Champs” gear.  Music was blaring.  Of course, we all sang along to the audio of Harry singing “High Hopes.” The most touching and emotional part of the evening was when the team jogged together over to left field where the sign for Harry Kalas was.  Since Harry had passed just five months before, his absence was especially obvious and sad.  The whole scene was very bittersweet for all of us.  There was an extremely tall man in front of me, so I stood on the seat.  I didn’t care; I wanted to see. 

Finally, it was time to go home.  It was late, and we needed to get up early.  I never thought I would have so much fun in freezing cold weather, but I will never forget that game.  Thanks, Mike, for an impromptu date night.  You kept me warm and I had a blast.