From Penn Park field to Sovereign Bank Stadium, York-area baseball fans have heard ‘Play ball’
This photograph, courtesy of Mel Miller and Lester Walker of the West Manchester Township, Pa., Historical Society gives a view of Penn Park field, probably the first baseball stadium in the York area. It confirms another photograph, found by Miller and reproduced from glass negatives is, indeed, Penn Park’s stadium.It sat on the acreage now covered by Zion United Church of Christ. For a view of York’s state-of-the-art stadium 100 years later – Sovereign Bank Stadium – see below. Also of interest: Remembering York/Adams major leaguers and A historic York walking tour of the Sovereign Bank stadium area and Plaques offer historic insight into ‘The Swamp,’ before Sovereign Bank Stadium drained it.
The photograph above shows Penn Park’s stadium, an early baseball field in the York area.
How do we know that?
Penn Park is painted on the first-base dugout roof and “Visitors” atop the third base bench. This shows that even at the turn of the 20th century, the visitors were in the line of fire from right-handed batters.
Eagles Park, Martin-Parry Field, Memorial (Bob Hoffman) Stadium and Sovereign Bank Stadium followed the Penn Park field… .
A rainbow welcomes first day visitors to the Revs for game of Season No. 4 at Sovereign Bank Stadium.
Sovereign Bank Stadium – and a crowd topping 5,000 – played host to the York Revs’ opening No. 4 last night.
One wonders how many attended pro games at Penn Park.
Anyway, here are Revs/Sovereign Bank Stadium stats from the York Daily Record/Sunday News sports staff:
Revs attendance
A look at the York Revolution’s average attendance at Sovereign Bank Stadium in their first seasons:
2007 — 3,709 (218,826 in 59 home dates)
2008 — 4,351 (300,246 in 69 home dates)
2009 — 4,126 (276,446 in 67 home dates)*
Atlantic League attending ranking: Fourth in each of the three seasons.
Revs coverage
– See in-depth coverage of the York Revolution at ydr.com/revolution.
– Check out the latest on the Revs and the Atlantic League at Jim Seip’s blog — yorkblog.com/revs.
– instant updates on the Revs and spring training by following Jim Seip’s Twitter account – JimSeip.
– YorkRevsTV.com is your online home for Webcasts and live chats from home games.
*Team officials believe eight home rainouts caused the attendance drop in 2009.
*12/18/13
