GaryMrMets
04-03-2004, 11:36 PM
http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/phi/news/phi_news.jsp?ymd=20040403&content_id=688423&vkey=spt2004news&fext=.jsp
04/03/2004 1:44 PM ET
A day of firsts at Citizens Bank Park
Thome hits first HR at new park
By Tom Singer / MLB.com
PHILADELPHIA -- The fanfare began building right before Christmas 2000. On Dec. 21 of that year, city officials approved a financing plan for a new ballpark.
The Phillies and their fans opened the present this afternoon.
At 1:21 p.m., before a packed house of curious and expectant fans, Vicente Padilla zinged a fastball past the Cleveland Indians' Matt Lawton and launched the Citizens Bank Park era.
Nine minutes later, Jim Thome really launched the era, by launching a pitch from Jeff D'Amico into the right-field seats for the first homer in the new park.
After rounding the bases, carried along by a loud roar, Thome gave the sellout crowd another opportunity to cheer by hopping out of the dugout for a curtain call.
It isn't the park's official opening -- that comes on April 12, when the Phillies host the Reds in the regular-season home opener -- but the interleague exhibition game sets the stage for the official housewarming.
A brief ceremony led to that first, ovation-triggering pitch by Padilla.
Following a high-speed video montage of Citizens Bank Park's creation, various civic dignitaries were introduced.
Club president David Montgomery thanked the fans "represented by all of you here today" in the shiny navy-blue seats.
Philadelphia Mayor John Street proclaimed, "What a day for the city and for the Phillies! A wonderful day!"
With two rows of Phillies players forming an aisle leading out of the first-base dugout, construction workers who had hustled to bring in the project on time ran onto the field.
In small groups they ran to the nine positions on the field and were soon joined by the Phillies' starting lineup for the singing of the national anthem.
Dana Penn -- of, appropriately, Laborers Local 332 -- led the rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner."
Then Padilla reared back to throw the first pitch of this star-spangled day.
Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/images/2004/04/03/s4HAuJZO.jpg
Larry Bowa talks with Pat Burrell before the first game at Citizens Bank Park. (Rusty Kennedy/AP)
04/03/2004 1:44 PM ET
A day of firsts at Citizens Bank Park
Thome hits first HR at new park
By Tom Singer / MLB.com
PHILADELPHIA -- The fanfare began building right before Christmas 2000. On Dec. 21 of that year, city officials approved a financing plan for a new ballpark.
The Phillies and their fans opened the present this afternoon.
At 1:21 p.m., before a packed house of curious and expectant fans, Vicente Padilla zinged a fastball past the Cleveland Indians' Matt Lawton and launched the Citizens Bank Park era.
Nine minutes later, Jim Thome really launched the era, by launching a pitch from Jeff D'Amico into the right-field seats for the first homer in the new park.
After rounding the bases, carried along by a loud roar, Thome gave the sellout crowd another opportunity to cheer by hopping out of the dugout for a curtain call.
It isn't the park's official opening -- that comes on April 12, when the Phillies host the Reds in the regular-season home opener -- but the interleague exhibition game sets the stage for the official housewarming.
A brief ceremony led to that first, ovation-triggering pitch by Padilla.
Following a high-speed video montage of Citizens Bank Park's creation, various civic dignitaries were introduced.
Club president David Montgomery thanked the fans "represented by all of you here today" in the shiny navy-blue seats.
Philadelphia Mayor John Street proclaimed, "What a day for the city and for the Phillies! A wonderful day!"
With two rows of Phillies players forming an aisle leading out of the first-base dugout, construction workers who had hustled to bring in the project on time ran onto the field.
In small groups they ran to the nine positions on the field and were soon joined by the Phillies' starting lineup for the singing of the national anthem.
Dana Penn -- of, appropriately, Laborers Local 332 -- led the rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner."
Then Padilla reared back to throw the first pitch of this star-spangled day.
Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/images/2004/04/03/s4HAuJZO.jpg
Larry Bowa talks with Pat Burrell before the first game at Citizens Bank Park. (Rusty Kennedy/AP)