On Wednesday, the Eagles officially announced the schedule for 2014 Training Camp, including plans for two open practices at Lincoln Financial Field on July 28th and August 3rd. The team held practice sessions at Lincoln Financial Field in 2013 as well, but the Eagles went a step further this season by scheduling an open practice at Franklin Field on August 10th.
Located on the University of Pennsylvania's campus, Franklin Field is one of the most historic sporting venues still in use. Here are five facts about the Eagles' home from 1958-70, collected from The Eagles Encyclopedia by Ray Didinger and Robert S. Lyons, that you may not have known …
1. Original Construction
Franklin Field was originally built by the University of Pennsylvania's alumni association in 1895, costing $100,000 dollars to construct. Originally, the stadium could seat 24,000 people, but in 1922, it was reconstructed in order to seat a larger amount of fans.
2. There's No Place Like Home Number Six
Since 1933, the Eagles have called eight different stadiums home, including The Baker Bowl, Temple Stadium, Municipal Stadium/JFK Stadium, Shibe Park/Connie Mack Stadium, Forbes Field, Franklin Field, Veterans Stadium, and Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles occupied Franklin Field from 1958-70, before moving into the state-of-the-art Veterans Stadium for the 1971 season.
The Eagles occupied Franklin Field for 13 seasons, their third-longest tenure at any of the venues mentioned above, trailing only Veterans Stadium (32 seasons) and Shibe Park/Connie Mack Stadium (18 seasons).
3. First Things First
A number of innovations that have shaped the way we view football games today were originally initiated at Franklin Field. The nation's first scoreboard was installed there in 1895. In 1922, the stadium was the site of the first football radio broadcast. Seventeen years later in 1939, it housed the first commercial football telecast.
4. For The Record
The Eagles finished with an overall record of 41-45-2 at Franklin Field. The apex of the team's success at the stadium came in 1960, when Franklin Field hosted the NFL Championship Game on December 26th. The Eagles defeated the Green Bay Packers 17-13, capturing the team's third NFL title.
5. Past Meets Present
The Eagles secured their first win at Franklin Field in their second game in the stadium, knocking off the New York Giants 27-24 on October 5th, 1958. The Eagles' final win at the stadium was also the final game that they every played there, as they defeated Pittsburgh 30-20 on December 20th, 1970 to close out the season.
On August 10th, the Eagles will return to their former home for an open practice. We hope to see you there.
