Beginning of the end

(Philadelphia Bulletin photo)

The Philadelphia Phillies’ Chris Short delivers the first pitch of the final Opening Day in the long history of Connie Mack Stadium 55 years ago today.

Short, pitching here to Chicago’s Don Kessinger with Tim McCarver catching, limits the Cubs to five singles in a 2-0 shutout before a Tuesday afternoon crowd of 15,918 at the corner of 21st and Lehigh in North Philly.

Phillies second baseman Denny Doyle, in his major league debut on this day in 1970, collects three of the Phillies’ eight hits against Cubs starter and future Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins.

Denny Doyle

Doyle accounts for the only run the Phillies need against Jenkins with a two-out triple in the third inning to center that easily scores Don Money from second base.

Doyle’s triple comes between a pair of singles he collects off Jenkins – one to right field in the first inning, the other to left in the sixth.

The Phillies finish their final season at Connie Mack Stadium with a 40-40 home record and 73-88 overall before moving in 1971 to South Philly and into then-sparkling new Veterans Stadium.

The Vet, still under construction 55 years ago today, opens in April 1971 on a vast lot at the corner of Broad and Pattison.

The Vet also is a stark contrast to Connie Mack Stadium, which from its opening in 1909 to 1970 is crammed into a city square block and by 1970 becomes a nightmare that only worsens over time in a deteriorating neighborhood where kids demand 50 cents not to vandalize your car.

“We were all excited about going into a new stadium,” Money later says. “Connie Mack Stadium was a nice ballpark field-wise – one of the best fields in the league – but being 60 years old, it was outdated.”