Philadelphia – Shibe Park Inaugural Opening Day, 1909

Philadelphia – Shibe Park Inaugural Opening Day, 1909

2 - Real Photo Postcards, Chief Bender, Deadball Stadiums, Eddie Collins, Eddie Plank, Frank "Home Run" Baker, Hall of Famers, Haworth Kodak Philadelphia A's, Photos published in Baseball Photography of the Deadball EraSeptember 13, 2020

This was the Inaugural game at the new Shibe Park in Philadelphia on April 12, 1909. Our view of the A’s dugout shows most of the team’s players.

(L to R) Heinie Heitmuller, Danny Murphy, Bob Ganley, Eddie Plank, Jack Lapp, Jimmy Dygert, Eddie Collins, Harry Davis, Ed Larkin, ???, Rube Oldring, “Home Run” Baker, Harry Krause, ???, Jack Barry, Stuffy McGinnis, Scotty Barr, Doc Powers?, Jack Coombs, ???, Chief Bender.

The image of “Home Run Baker” is perhaps the first image of Baker in the Majors as he only played eight games in 1908 with the A’s. Doc Powers, who may be in the photo took ill that day after the game and died days later.

This same photo appeared in Spalding’s 1910 Guide in an article about Opening Day at the new stadium, thus establishing a definitive date for it and the photographer as Howard Kingsmore.