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Phillies

Ben Shibe once ruled Philadelphia baseball. But like the ballpark he built, his legacy has disappeared.

Fifty years since the last game at the later-renamed Connie Mack Stadium, Shibe's Philly legacy, unlike Mack's, has faded. In the early 20th century, that would have been unthinkable.

Shibe Park in 1909. The Athletics had played at 9,500-seat Columbia Park, but by 1907, demand for tickets was so strong that Ben Shibe decided a bigger ballpark was essential.
Shibe Park in 1909. The Athletics had played at 9,500-seat Columbia Park, but by 1907, demand for tickets was so strong that Ben Shibe decided a bigger ballpark was essential.Read moreGeorge Grantham Bain Collection / Library of Congress