Go The Distance

      From my graveyard tan, I can tell we are deep into another Philadelphia summer. Like the summers of my youth, the Philadelphia baseball team is great once again. I believe my love of Franklin and passion for the burial ground can only be matched with my passion for baseball and my unconditional love of the Fighting Phillies. As I have mentioned many times before, I can connect the burial ground to almost anything in the universe and that doesn’t stop with the baseball diamond. 

Phils First Baseball Team, 1883
© description below

How can I connect Christ Church to baseball? Last Sunday I spent a hot but winning afternoon at the Phillies Ballpark. As I sat in my seat high above home plate, I remembered that these were the best seats to see the steeple of Christ Church in the distance over the centerfield wall. As I removed my cap for the singing of the National Anthem, I looked at the large American flag and thought about Francis Hopkinson, the signer of the Declaration and designer of the American Flag who attended Christ Church and is buried at Christ Church Burial Ground. Even the National Anthem itself reminded me that I need to start cracking on my ideas for the 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812 and its connection to Christ Church. My mind drifted back to baseball and the game at hand against our enemies to the west from Pittsburgh. On the huge new scoreboard were various ads which appeared from inning to inning. My “Hop grin” appeared when I saw an ad for Franklin Square, the Franklin Institute and the Philadelphia Zoo. The most nerdish moment was when the Phils newest player, Hunter Pence, stepped up to bat and I turned to my friend and said, “Hey, did you know that in 1719 they purchased the graveyard for 72 pounds, 16 shillings and 1 pence?” I know, I know, I’m spending too much time in the sun. 

Can You Find It?
© Description Below

When I think my favorite baseball movie Field of Dreams, it reminds me of the burial ground and the process of re-opening it. No not the part about hearing voices, I will never officially admit to that, but of the classic line, “Open it and they will come.” I think I can safely say that more than a decade ago, no one could have ever imagined that over 60,000 people would visit the burial ground, let alone pay money to do so. In baseball and in life I feel that you gotta believe! It’s all about faith. I have faith that people will continue to visit our historic and sacred grounds for reasons they may not even understand. I have faith that we will continue to use the funds we collect to preserve the grounds and the memory of those buried beneath our soil. And of course I have faith that I will be taking off a day of work this fall to watch a World Series parade stroll down Broad Street. 

2008 World Series Parade
© Description Below

Go Phillies!!!

- Hop

I concur, Kevin Costner.