Ultimate Baseball Road Trip (25 page)

In 2006, Schmidt wrote a book called
Clearing the Bases: Juiced Players, Monster Salaries, Sham Records, and a Hall of Famer’s Search for the Soul of Baseball
, in which he candidly discusses how fans might view the Steroid Era records and Pete Rose’s bid for the Hall of Fame. Though Schmidt contradicts the statement in an earlier interview with Bob Costas that he would have taken steroids in order to have remained competitive, he claims in the book that he would not have broken any rules to do so. It’s a worthy road trip read from a thoughtful man.

Connie Mack’s statue also adorns the outside of Citizens Bank Park, standing across from the Suite Club entrance. Though he never had any affiliation with the Phillies’ franchise, other than leasing and then finally selling his ballpark to them, to not honor this quiet and distinguished gentleman of the game in this city would be a certain crime against the history of the sport. Mack managed the Philadelphia A’s for the first 50 years of their existence, setting a record for the longest tenure as manager of a single team in the history of professional sports. Mack knew both success and failure, being the first manager to win three World Series and the first to win back-to-back World Series on two separate occasions. His A’s also finished in dead last place in the American League seventeen times. Mack had a quiet demeanor, always wore a suit, and did not believe that managers had that much effect on the outcome of the game. He rarely substituted or pinch hit for players, didn’t like positional platoons, and stuck with his lineup. He was the first man elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1937, and died in Philadelphia in 1956.

This might be one of the priciest tailgates we’ve ever seen! For a steep fee of more than a Benjamin Franklin, fans get access to the only officially sanctioned tailgate outside Citizens Bank
Park, as well as nice seats for a “premium” game. The tailgate includes some quality food and drink options, as well as live entertainment.

Kevin:
What is this, tailgating for the rich and famous?

Josh:
More like First Class services for those who can’t light a hibachi on their own.

Kevin:
I’ll take a standing room ticket and cheesesteak any day.

Josh:
Well said.

Look for the three fifty-foot-tall, glass-encased lanterns that have become the signature elements of the ballpark exterior. At night they light up like beacons, representing the safety of first and third base, and the eternal hope of returning to home plate.

Kevin:
I have to ask, “Where’s the love for the second sack?”

Josh:
Yeah, they used to put football goal posts on the goal line. A light tower behind second would make for a great ballpark quirk.

While Connie Mack built his “spite fences” to keep folks from seeing into the park without paying, designers of the new ballpark welcome such peeking at a field that is twenty-three feet below street level. The designers surely realized that allowing people a glimpse of the action would do nothing but make them drool at the excitement occurring inside. These gates, accessible at street level, provide a view akin to watching a trailer for a film. They whet people’s appetites.

Sure it was only a movie and its sequels have continued a bit too long, but the first
Rocky
is still a Philadelphia classic. Rocky Balboa, you’ll recall, was the hard-hitting heavyweight from South Philly who dethroned champion Apollo Creed in a 1978 rematch rumble, then later KO’d brother-in-law Paulie, the
A-Team’s
“Mr. T,” Cold War relic Ivan Drago, and pro fighter “Tommy Gun” Morrison.

The Rocky statue originally stood at the top of the seventy-two stone steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art at Benjamin Franklin Parkway and 26th Street, so that fans could run up the steps and jump up and down with both fists raised the way Rocky did in the movie. But it was removed by those who understand “art” much better than we do, perhaps because they couldn’t stomach the idea that a statue of Balboa held such a prominent locale in the city. For a while it stood outside the Spectrum. But now it resides at the bottom of the Art Museum’s steps, which is a shame for the people who still run up them.

Though there aren’t many places to get refreshments near the park, there are some that make a walk through the parking lots worthwhile. But Philadelphia is a great food town, and whether you’re up for cheesesteaks, scrapple, soft pretzels, water ice, or Tastykakes, Philly offers lots of local flavor.

Though technically McFadden’s is inside the park, you can access it from the outside without a ticket even on game days. It’s a pretty nondescript Irish sports pub on the whole,
but it has plenty of beers, an outdoor seating terrace, cute waitresses, and live music before the game. Plus, you can use your ticket to enter the ballpark proper through McFadden’s own entrance, which could save time you might waste entering through the regular gates.

Philly Live announced plans to build the largest sports bar in the world in time for the 2012 Phillies’ season. Since it has two levels and more floor space than most Target stores, we just hope this bar comes with a similarly oversized number of taps and waitresses. Seriously, though, we would have settled for a dozen smaller, quality bars, but going from no bars outside to just one … well, it’s an improvement.

17th Street and Packer Avenue

There may not be many joints near the Sports Complex, but this authentic little sports bar makes up for it big-time. Look for the big “T” (as in “Tavern”) on Packer Avenue. The Philadium is a great old-school joint, with cold cheap beers and delicious cheap pub food. With nothing on the menu above $8, the food has an Italian bent, but everything is available, from burgers to crab legs. This is the place that you want to go to before the game for a slice of what true Phillies phanatics are serving up. And the people inside are friendly and knowledgeable sports fans.

1526 Packer Ave.

www.chickiesandpetes.com/locations/south-philadelphia

A minor chain, Chickie and Pete’s is the no-frills sports bar that claims to have invented crab fries. The fries dusted in Old Bay seasoning are a good enough option, but we were excited about the “eat with your hands” menu options that allow patrons to get elbow-deep in their meals. Wings, sloppy sandwiches, cheese wiz poppers, and hot roast beef sandwiches are just a taste of the offerings. Downside? It’s not cheap. Additional upside? You can pay to park at Chickie and Pete’s and ride to the ballpark in Chickie and Pete’s Taxi Crab, which will drop you off before the game and pick you up after.

303 W. Oregon Ave.

www.oregondinerphilly.com

If it’s scrapple you’re after, the Oregon Diner is the place to go near the ballpark. It comes served crispy and hot. Never had scrapple? Have no flippin’ idea what it even is? It’s pan-fried pork scrap meatloaf (everything but the “oink”) mixed with spices and cornmeal and it’s a working-class delicacy when done right. Most everything else on the menu at the Oregon is good too, but it’s the scrapple that keeps ’em coming back.

1026 Wolf St.

http://bombbomb-restaurant.com

A bit farther away, but worth the trip, Bomb Bomb is
the Bomb
for baby back ribs and Italian in the vicinity of the ballpark. The first bomb explodes to the tune of authentic Italian dishes such as chicken parmesan and calamari, while the second bomb unleashes fabulous barbecued chicken and ribs, all reasonably priced. This is one explosive combination we find delightful.

1415 W. Porter St.

www.salentorestaurant.com/langolorest.html

For more high-end traditional Italian, bring your appetite to L’Angolo, but don’t expect to be able to eat anything at the ballpark afterwards. The place is small, built into a former home, but the portions are big and reasonably priced (for high-end Italian), making L’Angolo a destination all its own. Try the lobster ravioli or the ricotta gnocchi for a meal you won’t soon forget.

10th Street and Packer Avenue

Located inside the Holiday Inn, this bar tries to cater to all four major sports played within its patrons’ reach, and does a passable job, with big-screen TVs, pool tables, beer signs, and heck, even authentic Philly fans. However, we still can’t get past the fact that the place is located inside a Holiday Inn. If you’re passing by and need a place to stop on your way to the ballpark, Sportz Page will do the trick.

700 Packer Ave.

Offering off-track betting at its best (or worst, depending on your outlook), this place has lost business over the years to the offerings of the new ballpark. Let’s paint the picture: If you enter the Turf Club in the middle of the day, you’ll find old men drinking cheap beer, reading the racing forms, and smoking really awful-smelling cigars. Kevin likes the place, while Josh recommends driving an hour to Atlantic City instead.

Ah, the Philly cheesesteak. Boston has its chowda, Chicago its deep-dish, Milwaukee its brat. But during our road trip,
few regional foods titillated our palates quite the way the cheesesteaks in Philly did.

If you’ve never experienced the Philly cheesesteak, here’s what you need to know. First off, this is real steak, not the chopped-up grizzle your local pizza and sub shop dishes out. A Philly steak consists of slabs of rib eye—sliced just a bit thicker than deli meat—stacked on top of each other on a freshly baked roll, topped with your choice of either provolone or Cheez Whiz.

You can’t drive two blocks in this town without seeing a sign for “Steaks” or “Steak Hoagies” or “Cheesesteaks.” Which steak-maker is the best? It’s a matter of opinion, and a new king of steaks is crowned in Philly practically every year. But that doesn’t help you, so here are our favorites:

9th Street and 1237 E. Passyunk Ave.

www.patskingofsteaks.com/location.html

www.genosteaks.com/

Operating on opposite corners of the same intersection, Pat’s and Geno’s are the two most famous steak shops in Philly, and usually the place where most tourists head—even though they are the source of ridicule among locals. But since you’re probably a tourist just like us, we think you’ll find the quality good and the joints make for an interesting destination less than a mile from the ballpark. Just follow 9th or 11th away from the park and you can’t miss the intersection.

Pat’s has been doing business since 1930, and offers less glitz than Geno’s. Pat’s looks a bit seedier, but it also has more accolades to its credit. Pat’s often garners “Best Cheesesteak in Philly” status from one poll or another. Of course, Geno’s does too.

Geno’s, which opened in 1966, features bedazzled neon signs and scores of autographed 8-by-10’s of celebs on its exterior. These include pictures of Tommy Lasorda arguing with National League umpire Eric Gregg—both of whom were known to put away a few steaks in their day—Oprah, Bill Cosby, Magic Johnson, Britney Spears, Shaq, Tony Danza, pro wrestlers, and some steak-loving strippers. Geno’s opened a stand inside the ballpark when CBP first opened in 2004, but that location has since closed.

Both joints stay open until 4:00 a.m. and offer outdoor service only, twelve months a year. The people-watching after the bars close is worth the price of a sandwich.

As for your choice of cheeses, true Philadelphians prefer the yellow/orange goo commonly known as Cheez Whiz, but known locally simply as “Whiz.” Whatever you call it, Whiz is always simmering just a few degrees above its congealing point at any Philly steak joint. But we both prefer the provolone, which seems more like an actual dairy product and less like a synthetic one.

A quick tutorial on Philly vernacular is in order: If you want cheese on your steak, say you want one “wit.” If not, say one “wit out.” If you just say you want one “wit,” the help will assume you want it “wit whiz.” So if you want yours “wit provolone,” be sure to ask for one “wit provolone.” We also highly recommend getting your steak “wit” grilled onions.

39 East Oregon Ave.