The Color Orange

Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium barely is a week old in 1971 when Atlanta rookie Earl Williams becomes the first player to launch a ball into the orange seats of the upper deck.

That prodigious shot comes 53 years ago today as Williams – following a two-homer game the day before against the Phillies – turns a one-out pitch from right-hander Rick Wise into a souvenir.

Williams’ solo homer lands just inside the left-field foul pole and ties the score at 2 in a game the Braves eventually win 5-4 in 10 innings before a Sunday afternoon crowd of 29,583.

The home run spree in South Philly is a harbinger of things to come for Williams at Veterans Stadium, where in 23 career games he hits .282 with seven homers, seven doubles and 18 runs batted in.