Phillies knew score, thank to Yanks and Ballantine
It’s true the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees have little shared history. Before the dawn of interleague play, their only meeting had been during the 1950 World Series, where the Whiz Kids were tossed aside by the Yankees in the middle of one of their frequent dynasties.
In a bizarre twist, what they have shared is the same Ballantine Beer scoreboard.
According to Joe Sixpack, an aptly named writer at Philly.com, the Yankees decided to dispatch of their scoreboard in 1955 when Yankee Stadium — opened in 1923 — was being modernized. No longer would Yankee announcer Mel Allen refer to home runs as “Ballantine blasts” as the Phillies bought the mammoth structure for $175,000 and installed it at Connie Mack Stadium, the former Shibe Park.
Believe it or not, the Ballantine Beer scoreboard was the Phillies’ first electronic scoreboard. Before that, scores were changed by hand, like they still are at Wrigley Field.
Joe Sixpack reminisced about the scoreboard, which he saw as a youngster and which obviously influenced his aunt:
“My baseball-crazy aunt, who took me to the games of my youth, could attest to the power of the beer company’s advertisement. One afternoon, she looked at us in amazement as my cousins and I, upon witnessing Johnny Callison hit two home runs in a single game, broke into the chorus from the Ballantine jingle: “Hey friend - do it again.”
Alas, the scoreboard was demolished in 1976. And though Ballantine Ale is still sold, it’s not nearly as popular as it was in its 1950s heyday.
