Growing Up Eagles-Obsessed in South Philly
When you grow up in South Philly in a big family, Eagles games at Franklin Field aren’t just something you watch—you live them.
My dad was one of ten kids. My mom was one of five. Both sets of grandparents lived directly across the street from us on Shunk Street—one at 1436, the other at 1440. On any given Sunday you could stand on the sidewalk and almost do a roll call of the Oakes family just by looking up and down the block.
Sports were the soundtrack of our house. If it was a game, it was on—either coming through the radio in the kitchen or flickering on the TV in the living room. The Eagles were at the center of it all. Growing up, I remember Sonny Jurgensen under center and Pete Retzlaff making big catches. Professional football was different then. The players often lived in the neighborhoods around us and worked regular jobs in the offseason. They were heroes on Sunday and working men on Monday.
Getting the Golden Ticket to an Eagles Game
I had two brothers and a sister. My oldest brother, six years ahead of me and sadly no longer with us, usually got the call when it was time to head to the game. My dad had two season tickets, and one of us kids got to go. For a long time it was my big brother’s privilege. My sister didn’t care much for sports, and my youngest brother hadn’t arrived yet—he’s eight years younger than I am—so I waited my turn.
I still remember the first time my father looked at me and said, “You’re coming to the Eagles game today.” I must have been seven or eight. For a South Philly kid, that felt like being invited onto the field itself.
Game Day at Franklin Field in the 1960s
Back then, Eagles games at Franklin Field were played at Penn’s stadium in West Philly. From where we lived, getting there was simple. If someone had a car or we could grab a ride, it was about fifteen minutes. On really cold days, or when the weather turned nasty the way it can in Philly, we’d take the bus up into town and walk across the bridges to the stadium, bundled against the wind.
Franklin Field wasn’t like the stadiums you see today. There were no individual plastic seats with cup holders—just long wooden benches with numbers stamped on the planks. Your “seat” was a number on the board. Ticket prices were a different world, too. A game cost somewhere around three dollars. The season was twelve games—six home, six away—and one season ticket for those six home games might run about eighteen dollars. Two tickets for the whole season were in the neighborhood of thirty-six bucks. Hot dogs, pretzels and sodas were also affordable, and if you bought a bag of soft pretzels from the pretzel man outside the stadium, you could just walk them right in.
Outside Franklin Field, vendors lined the sidewalks with green-and-white banners, buttons and flags. My brother and I shared a bedroom back on Shunk, and our walls were covered with those Eagles flags. In those South Philly rowhomes—three or four bedrooms, one bathroom, sometimes a third floor if you were lucky—there was always room for more Eagles gear.
Inside the stadium, our section was like a little neighborhood of its own. My dad’s friends all had season tickets nearby, and the same faces showed up year after year. Everyone knew each other’s names, kids, and favorite players. My seat was next to a larger-than-life character everyone called “Fatty Babe.” He took up at least three numbers on the bench. On raw winter days when the wind came howling through Franklin Field, he was a gift. You’d tuck in tight next to him and suddenly the cold didn’t feel so bad.
Franklin Field’s Special Place in Eagles History
Franklin Field itself holds a special place in Eagles history. The Birds played there from 1958 through 1970, drawing more than 60,000 fans on game day. Instead of paying rent to the University of Pennsylvania, the team made yearly donations to help with maintenance, while Penn kept the revenue from concessions and parking. It was on that field that the Eagles beat Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers 17–13 to win the 1960 NFL Championship—Lombardi’s only playoff loss. And it was there, in 1968, that frustrated fans pelted a Santa Claus stand-in with snowballs, cementing Philadelphia’s reputation as one of the most passionate—and occasionally infamous—fan bases in sports.
Walking Home Through Grays Ferry After the Game
Some of my favorite memories, though, are from after the final whistle. I remember walking back down through Grays Ferry with my dad and his buddies, the cold settling in as the adrenaline of the game wore off. Down in an area called “The Devils’s Pocket” we’d stop at a local tappy—a neighborhood taproom—where the men would have a beer. I’d sit at the bar with a root beer or birch beer, feeling ten feet tall, like I was part of the grown-up conversation. The smell of beer and cigarettes, the sound of the jukebox, the clink of glasses—those are as much a part of my Eagles memories as any touchdown.
How Eagles Game Days Have Changed
Times have changed. Football has become a massive business. The players are year-round athletes, the stadiums are high-tech cathedrals, and game day stretches across television, social media, and parking lots full of tailgates. But for me, Sundays will always be tied to those wooden benches at Franklin Field, squeezed in next to “Fatty Babe,” standing beside my dad in a sea of green.
These days, when I watch the Eagles and see the sea of fans at the Linc, my mind still goes back to those early Eagles games at Franklin Field with my dad. I think about how many lives intersect on a single game day—people driving in from all over the region, riding SEPTA, walking through busy parking lots and crowded concourses. Most of the time, it’s just loud, joyful chaos. But sometimes, things go wrong: a serious crash on the way to the game, a fall on icy steps, a dangerous situation in a parking lot or on the ride home.
From Franklin Field Memories to Helping Injured Philadelphians
That’s where my family’s story has come full circle.
My dad would have been proud of the work my son, Thomas G. Oakes II, is doing today—representing injured Philadelphians when they need it most. The same toughness, loyalty and sense of community that defined those Sundays at Franklin Field are the values that drive The Oakes Firm now. When someone’s life is turned upside down by a serious injury, they deserve a lawyer who knows this city, its neighborhoods and its people.
Eagles Game Day Questions – From a South Philly Kid’s Perspective
When did the Philadelphia Eagles play at Franklin Field?
The Philadelphia Eagles played their home games at Franklin Field from 1958 through the 1970 season, before moving to Veterans Stadium in South Philadelphia.
What made Eagles games at Franklin Field different from games at the Linc today?
Franklin Field had long wooden benches instead of individual seats, smaller concourses, and no real tailgating culture. Fans usually met inside the stadium rather than in huge parking lots. It felt more like a neighborhood gathering than the modern, high-tech game-day experience at Lincoln Financial Field.
What should Eagles fans watch out for on game day to stay safe?
Game days bring heavy traffic, crowded sidewalks, and slippery steps or ramps when the weather turns bad. Plan how you’re getting to and from the game, watch where you walk in parking lots and on stairways, and report dangerous conditions to stadium staff or security as soon as you see them.
What should I do if I’m injured going to or from an Eagles game in Philadelphia?
Get medical care right away, then, if you can, take photos or video of what caused your injury and get contact information for any witnesses. After that, talk to a local injury lawyer who knows Philadelphia. The Oakes Firm helps injured Philadelphians after crashes, falls, and other serious incidents on game day or any day.
Talk to The Oakes Firm About Your Injury
If you or someone you love is hurt in Philadelphia—whether it’s on a game day or any other day—The Oakes Firm should be your first call for injury law. You can reach the firm at (215) 833-4412 or visit TheOakesFirm.com to schedule a free consultation. From South Philly rowhomes to Center City courtrooms, we’re proud to stand up for injured Philadelphians and their families.
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Disclaimer: PhillyLegalConnect provides general information about Philadelphia, safety, and legal topics. It is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Reading this article or using this website does not create an attorney–client relationship. If you need legal advice about your specific situation, contact a licensed attorney. The Oakes Firm is an independent law firm; any reference or link to The Oakes Firm is for convenience and does not guarantee a particular outcome in your case.
