A Liberty Bell originally installed at Veterans Stadium has a new home, as the Philadelphia Phillies have installed it outside Citizens Bank Park as part of an offseason renovation.
Over the offseason, the Phillies worked with Citizens Bank Park food and beverage partner Aramark on a renovation that was focused on new gathering spaces and food options. As part of those upgrades, the Phillies obtained a 19-foot-high Liberty Bell that sat atop Veterans Stadium beginning with the 1983 season and installed it outside the newly renovated area near the Third Base Plaza.
The bell was installed at Citizens Bank Park on Thursday. In a fitting act of timing, the installation came 15 years to the date that Veterans Stadium was imploded. More from NBCPhiladelphia.com:
With opening day just a week away, fans passing the ballpark on Thursday got their first glimpse of the bell’s new placement. The bell was installed today.
It’s hard to miss and will surely make a nice new photo opportunity for Phillies fans and out-of-towners looking to capture a memory.
The bell you see today was actually the “second and final bell that was displayed at Veterans Stadium,” according to the Phillies. It was installed on the Vet’s catwalk prior to the 1983 season and remained there before being removed prior to the Vet’s implosion in 2004. It is made of steel and aluminum, weighs more than 5,000 pounds and contains over 300 light bulbs.
The Phillies provided a closer look at the bell on social media:
On this date 15 years ago, Veterans Stadium was imploded. #TBT
Fittingly, the same bell from The Vet was installed at Citizens Bank Park earlier today. #RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/N60BNOc64w
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) March 21, 2019
Veterans Stadium was home to the Phillies from 1971-2003, and hosted the NFL’s Eagles from 1971-2002.
The Phillies open their 2019 home schedule with Opening Day against the Atlanta Braves on March 28. For a closer look at the offseason renovation project at Citizens Bank Park, as well as other features that are new at the ballpark this season, see our 2019 preview for the Phillies.
Rendering depicting the Liberty Bell in its new home courtesy Philadelphia Phillies.
RELATED STORIES: 2019 Preview, Citizens Bank Park; Phillies, Aramak Unveil 2019 Citizens Bank Park Upgrades