1.
Shibe Park
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Shibe Park, known later as Connie Mack Stadium, was a baseball park located in Philadelphia. It was the home of the Philadelphia Athletics of the American League, when it opened April 12,1909, it became baseballs first steel-and-concrete stadium. In different eras it was home to The $100,000 Infield, The Whiz Kids, Shibe Park stood on the block bounded by Lehigh Avenue, 20th Street, Somerset Street and 21st Street. It was five blocks west, corner-to-corner, from the Baker Bowl, the stadium hosted eight World Series and two MLB All-Star Games, in 1943 and 1952, with the latter game holding the distinction of being the only All-Star contest shortened by rain. In May 1939, it was the site of the first night game played in the American League, Phillies Hall-of-Fame centerfielder and longtime broadcaster Richie Ashburn remembered Shibe Park, It looked like a ballpark. It had a feeling and a heartbeat, a personality that was all baseball, when as many as 28,000 showed up to fill the 9,500 wooden bleacher seats, Shibe and partner Connie Mack decided the As needed a new place to play. He searched for a site for his new park and found one on Lehigh Avenue between 20th and 21st Streets, five blocks west of Baker Bowl, straddling the neighborhoods known as Swampoodle and Goosetown. It was still primitive at the time, an area of high bluffs, rain-washed gullies, quagmires, open fields, even ponds where chickens pecked. Although a grid of streets was planned for the area, few actually existed, without the hospital, the areas stigma would eventually dissipate, but at the time, the land was still a bargain. He spent a total of $67,500 on seven land packages totaling 5.75 acres, for the design and its execution, Shibe hired William Steele and Sons. Their engineering staff had worked with the new technology of steel-reinforced concrete, and designed and built the citys first skyscraper, the Steele design for the Shibe façade was in the ornate French Renaissance style, including arches, vaultings, and Ionic pilasters. The souvenir program on Opening Day called it a combination of color. Gabled dormer windows on the upper decks copper-trimmed green-slate mansard roof looked out over the streets below, presiding over all were terra cotta busts of Shibe and Mack above the main entrances on Lehigh and 21st. The signature feature of the design was the octangular tower on the southwest corner. On the ground floor was an entrance lobby. Bobby Shantz, pitcher for the As in their last years at Shibe, Shibe was proud of the egalitarianism of the design, he said it was for the masses as well as the classes. In April 1908, design in hand, the Shibes and the Steeles broke ground, with the resources of the Steele firm, construction was speedy, efficient and completed in time to open the 1909 season. The city was excited about its new ballpark – the Philadelphia Public Ledger called it a palace for fans, American League president Ban Johnson pronounced that Shibe Park is the greatest place of its character in the world
2.
Philadelphia
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In 1682, William Penn, an English Quaker, founded the city to serve as capital of the Pennsylvania Colony. Philadelphia was one of the capitals in the Revolutionary War. In the 19th century, Philadelphia became an industrial center. It became a destination for African-Americans in the Great Migration. The areas many universities and colleges make Philadelphia a top international study destination, as the city has evolved into an educational, with a gross domestic product of $388 billion, Philadelphia ranks ninth among world cities and fourth in the nation. Philadelphia is the center of activity in Pennsylvania and is home to seven Fortune 1000 companies. The Philadelphia skyline is growing, with a market of almost 81,900 commercial properties in 2016 including several prominent skyscrapers. The city is known for its arts, culture, and rich history, Philadelphia has more outdoor sculptures and murals than any other American city. Fairmount Park, when combined with the adjacent Wissahickon Valley Park in the watershed, is one of the largest contiguous urban park areas in the United States. The 67 National Historic Landmarks in the city helped account for the $10 billion generated by tourism, Philadelphia is the only World Heritage City in the United States. Before Europeans arrived, the Philadelphia area was home to the Lenape Indians in the village of Shackamaxon, the Lenape are a Native American tribe and First Nations band government. They are also called Delaware Indians and their territory was along the Delaware River watershed, western Long Island. Most Lenape were pushed out of their Delaware homeland during the 18th century by expanding European colonies, Lenape communities were weakened by newly introduced diseases, mainly smallpox, and violent conflict with Europeans. Iroquois people occasionally fought the Lenape, surviving Lenape moved west into the upper Ohio River basin. The American Revolutionary War and United States independence pushed them further west, in the 1860s, the United States government sent most Lenape remaining in the eastern United States to the Indian Territory under the Indian removal policy. In the 21st century, most Lenape now reside in the US state of Oklahoma, with communities living also in Wisconsin, Ontario. The Dutch considered the entire Delaware River valley to be part of their New Netherland colony, in 1638, Swedish settlers led by renegade Dutch established the colony of New Sweden at Fort Christina and quickly spread out in the valley. In 1644, New Sweden supported the Susquehannocks in their defeat of the English colony of Maryland
3.
Connie Mack
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Cornelius Alexander McGillicuddy, better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball player, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he records for wins, losses. Mack managed the Philadelphia Athletics for the clubs first 50 seasons of play, starting in 1901, before retiring at age 87 following the 1950 season, however, constant financial struggles forced repeated rebuilding of the roster, and Macks teams also finished in last place 17 times. Mack was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937, Mack was born Cornelius McGillicuddy in East Brookfield, Massachusetts on December 22,1862. As with many Irish immigrants whose names began with Mc, the McGullicuddys were often referred to as Mack and his parents, Michael McGillicuddy and Mary McKillop, were both immigrants from Ireland. Michael McGillicuddys father was named Cornelius McGillicuddy, and by tradition, Connie is a common nickname for Cornelius, so Cornelius McGillicuddy was called Connie Mack from an early age. Connie Mack never legally changed his name, on the occasion of his marriage at age 48. His nickname on the field was Slats, for his height of 6 feet 2 inches. During the American Civil War, he served with the 51st Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Michael McGillicuddy suffered from several ailments as the result of his military service, he was able to work only infrequently, and drew a disability pension. Mack was educated in East Brookfield, and began working summers in local cotton mills at age 9 to help support his family. He quit school after completing the eighth grade at age 14, intending to work full-time to contribute to the familys support and he clerked at a store, worked on local farms, and worked on the production lines of the shoe factories in nearby towns. Mack was also an athlete, and frequently played baseball. In 1879 his skills landed him a place on East Brookfields town team, though younger than his teammates by several years, Mack was the teams catcher and de facto captain. Beginning in 1886, Mack played 10 seasons in the National League and one in the Players League, for a total of 11 seasons in the major leagues, almost entirely as a catcher. Beginning in 1884, he played on minor league teams in the Connecticut cities of Meriden, in the winter of 1889, he jumped to the Buffalo team of the new Players League, the Bisons, investing his entire life savings of $500 in shares in that club. But the Players League went out of business only a year. In December 1890 Mack signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League, as a player, Mack was a light-hitting catcher with a reputation as a smart player, but didnt do anything particularly well as a player. Mack was one of the first catchers to position himself directly behind home plate instead of in front of the backstop, according to Wilbert Robinson, Mack never was mean
4.
1913 World Series
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In the 1913 World Series, the Philadelphia Athletics beat the New York Giants four games to one. The As pitching gave the edge to a closer-than-it-looked Series in 1913, the great Christy Mathewson lost his Series swan song in the final game to an old college rival and eventual fellow Baseball Hall of Fame member, Eddie Plank. The Giants thus became the first National League team since the Chicago Cubs to win three consecutive pennants and they were also the second club to lose three consecutive World Series, and, as of 2017, the last to do so. The Series itself was an ironic face-off, as the Giants, the As would win again in a four-game sweep in the 1989 World Series, famous for the earthquake that struck before Game 3, which would be the last World Series victory for the As. AL Philadelphia Athletics vs. NL New York Giants In the opener, frank apparently liked his nickname and wanted to hang on to it. Mathewson and Plank matched craft and guile, and after nine innings it was as it had been at the beginning, in the bottom of the ninth, the Giants had put on a stirring baseball version of the goal-line stand. With none out, the As had Amos Strunk on third, the next batter, Jack Lapp, grounded to first, where Hooks Wiltse, a pitcher, was filling in. Wiltse made a stop and threw home to nab Strunk. With Barry on third now and Lapp on first, Plank grounded to Wiltse and Hooks fired home again, Mathewson retired the next hitter, and the game went into extra innings. The home team won a game, although the visiting Giants made it close in the late innings. So all but one of the five games of the 1913 World Series were won by the visiting team, planks own error in the fifth inning cost him a shutout in the finale. 1913 World Series, Philadelphia Athletics over New York Giants Cohen, Richard M. Neft, the World Series, Complete Play-By-Play of Every Game, 1903–1989. Archived from the original on 2008
5.
$100,000 infield
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The $100,000 infield was the infield of the Philadelphia Athletics in the early 1910s. The $100,000 infield consisted of first baseman Stuffy McInnis, second baseman Eddie Collins, shortstop Jack Barry, according to the Encyclopædia Britannica, the nickname reflects the purported combined market value of the foursome. Baseball historian Bill James rated the 1914 edition of the $100,000 infield the greatest infield of all time, and also ranked the 1912 and 1913 editions in the top five all time. The $100,000 infield helped the Athletics win four American League championships in five years—1910,1911,1913, the group was broken up after losing the 1914 World Series as a result of the financial pressures resulting from the emergence of the Federal League. Two members—Collins and Baker—have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Collins was the first member of the $100,000 infield to join the Athletics. He debuted on September 17,1906, after playing college ball at Columbia University, in 1906 and 1907, he played 20 games for the Athletics, mostly at shortstop. In 1908, he took over as the Athletics regular second baseman, replacing Danny Murphy, during the $100,000 infield years from 1910 to 1914, he played 738 games, getting 922 hits in 2,677 at bats for a batting average of.344. He led the American League in runs in 1912,1913 and 1914, stolen bases in 1910, singles in 1913 and times on base in 1914. He also finished in the top ten in the American League in batting average, on-base percentage, hits, in addition, he finished in the top ten in American Most Valuable Player voting every year from 1911 through 1914, winning the Most Valuable Player award in 1914. He returned to Mack and the Athletics in 1927, finishing his career playing 12 games for the Athletics in their 1929 and 1930 World Championship seasons and he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1939. Barry was the next to join the Athletics, debuting on July 13,1908, between 1910 and 1914, Barry played 686 games for the Athletics, getting 607 hits in 2,334 at bats for a batting average of.260. He finished in the American League top ten in sacrifice hits every year from 1911 through 1914 and he finished in the top 20 in Most Valuable Player voting every year from 1911 through 1914, with his best showing a ninth-place finish in 1913. He was sold to the Boston Red Sox in the middle of the 1915 season and he missed the Red Sox 1918 Championship season due to service in the U. S. Navy. Baker also joined the Athletics in 1908, debuting on September 21 and he became the Athletics regular third baseman in 1909, and led the American League in triples that season. Between 1910 and 1914, Baker played 742 games for the Athletics and he led the American League in home runs every year from 1911 through 1914, and led the league in runs batted in during 1912 and 1913. He finished in the top ten in the American League Most Valuable Player voting every year from 1911 through 1914, finishing third in 1914, his highest showing. Baker was the hero of the 1911 World Series, hitting two home runs to help the Athletics win the series, which earned him the nickname Home Run Baker. Baker held out the 1915 season when manager and owner Connie Mack refused to increase his salary and he finished his career as the third baseman for the Yankees pennant-winning teams in 1921 and 1922
6.
Chief Bender
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Charles Albert Chief Bender was a pitcher in Major League Baseball during the first two decades of the 20th century. In 1911, Bender tied a record by pitching three games in a single World Series. He finished his career with a record of 212-127, for a.625 winning percentage. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953, Bender was born in Crow Wing County, Minnesota as a member of the Ojibwe tribe. His father was German and his mother was part Chippewa, as a child, he received the Indian name Mandowescence, meaning Little Spirit Animal. His family had 160 acres on the White Earth Indian Reservation near Bemidji and his father taught him to farm on the reservation. He graduated from Carlisle Indian Industrial School and attended Dickinson College, Bender debuted in the major leagues in 1903. He is one of only a few pitchers in the 20th century to throw 200 or more innings at the age of 19. His walks per nine innings rate was 2.17, only a few pitchers since 1893 have had a rate below 2.2 at the age of 20 or younger and that year he also won a game against Cy Young and even met his future wife Marie. In 1905, Bender earned an 18-11 win-loss record with a 2.83 ERA, helping the As win the AL pennant, but they lost the World Series in five games to the New York Giants. After solid seasons in 1906,1907,1908 and 1909, Bender led the AL in winning % at.821, going 23-5 with a 1.58 ERA. He went 1-1 with 1.93 ERA in the World Series as the As beat, in five games, the Chicago Cubs, Bender pitched a complete-game three-hitter in the opener, striking out 8 and giving up only one unearned run. He lost game 4 of the series in another complete game effort, Bender pitched all 9 2/3 innings for the Athletics, striking out 6. In 1911 he led the AL in winning percentage again, going 17-5 with a 2.16 ERA as the As won their second consecutive AL pennant, going 101-50 and finishing 13 1/2 games ahead of the Detroit Tigers. In a rematch of the 1905 World Series, the Athletics got their revenge, defeating the New York Giants, Bender again went the distance, a 4-hit performance which he gave up no earned runs. He went 2-1, with 1.04 ERA and 3 complete games in the series, in 1912 Bender was 13-8 with a 2.74 ERA. He did not start for nearly 40 games late in the year and was suspended by the As in September for alcohol abuse and his next contract had a clause saying he had to abstain from drinking to earn his full salary. In 1913 he went 21-10 with a 2.21 ERA and they would also make it three World Series titles in four years by defeating the Giants in five games
7.
Home Run Baker
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John Franklin Home Run Baker was an American professional baseball player. A third baseman, Baker played in Major League Baseball from 1908 to 1922, for the Philadelphia Athletics, Baker has been called the original home run king of the majors. Baker was a member of the Athletics $100,000 infield and he helped the Athletics win the 1910,1911 and 1913 World Series. After a contract dispute, the Athletics sold Baker to the Yankees, Baker appeared with the Yankees in the 1921 and 1922 World Series, though the Yankees lost both series, before retiring. Baker led the American League in home runs for four consecutive years and he had a batting average over.300 in six seasons, had three seasons with more than 100 runs batted in, and two seasons with over 100 runs scored. Bakers legacy has grown over the years, and he is regarded by many as one of the best power hitters of the deadball era, during his 13 years as a major league player, Baker never played a single inning at any position other than third base. Baker was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1955, Baker was born on March 13,1886, to Franklin Adams Baker and Mary Catherine on their farm in Trappe, Maryland. The Bakers, who were of English descent, had been farmers in Trappe for six generations and his mother, of Scottish descent, was reported to be a distant relative of Robert E. Lee. Baker enjoyed working on his fathers farm, but he aspired to become a baseball player from the age of ten. In Trappe, most of the attended the local baseball teams games on Saturdays. Franks older brother, Norman, was known in the town for his playing ability. Norman once tried out for the Philadelphia Athletics, but he did not like that city, Baker pitched for the local high school baseball team and worked as a clerk at a butcher shop and grocery store owned by relatives. He signed with a local baseball team based in Ridgely, Maryland, in 1905. The team, which was managed by Buck Herzog, paid him $5 per week, Herzog found that Baker could not pitch well, but that he could hit. Baker was unable to play the outfield well, but he was able to move into the infield as a third baseman for Ridgely, in 1906, Baker played for Sparrows Point Club in Baltimore, earning $15 per week. He received an offer to play for a team in the Class C Texas League in 1907 and he instead signed with an independent team based in Cambridge, Maryland. A scout for the New York Giants of the National League noticed Baker while he was playing for Sparrows Point and they arranged for Baker to receive a tryout with the Baltimore Orioles of the Class A Eastern League late in the 1907 season. Playing in five games, Baker recorded two hits, both singles, in 15 at-bats, Orioles manager Jack Dunn decided that Baker could not hit, and Baker was released
8.
Herb Pennock
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Herbert Jefferis Pennock was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball from 1912 through 1933 and he is best known for his time spent with the star-studded New York Yankee teams of the mid to late 1920s and early 1930s. Connie Mack signed Pennock to his Philadelphia Athletics in 1912, after using Pennock sparingly, and questioning his competitive drive, Mack sold Pennock to the Boston Red Sox in 1915. After returning from service in 1919, Pennock became a regular contributor for the Red Sox. After retiring as a player, Pennock served as a coach and farm director for the Red Sox. Pennock was regarded as one of the greatest left-handed pitchers in baseball history, Mack later called his sale of Pennock to the Red Sox his greatest mistake. Pennock died of a hemorrhage in 1948, later that year. Pennock was born on February 10,1894 in Kennett Square and his father, Theodore Pennock, and mother Mary Louise Pennock were of Scotch-Irish and Quaker descent. His ancestors came to the United States with William Penn, Herb was the youngest of four children. Pennock attended Westtown School and Cedarcroft Boarding School, where he played for the baseball team, after struggling as a first baseman, with a weak offensive output and throwing arm that resulted in curved throws, his Cedarcroft coach converted Pennock into a pitcher. While pitching at Cedarcroft, Pennock threw a no-hitter to catcher Earle Mack, Pennock agreed to sign with the Athletics at a later date. Mack signed Pennock in 1912 to play for his team based in Atlantic City. Pennocks father insisted that he sign under an alias in order to protect his collegiate eligibility, Pennock threw a no-hitter against a traveling Negro league baseball team, and Mack promoted him to the Athletics. Mack intended for Pennock to be one of the prospects who would replace star pitchers Eddie Plank, Chief Bender, Pennock made his major league debut with the Athletics during the 1912 season on May 14, allowing one hit in four innings pitched. He was the youngest person to play in the American League that season, former major leaguer Mike Grady, a neighbor of Pennocks in Kennett Square, took Pennock under his wing, while Bender taught Pennock to throw a screwball. Pennock missed most of the 1913 season with an illness, but was able to rejoin the team late in the season, Mack let Bender go after the season, naming Pennock his Opening Day starting pitcher in 1915. On Opening Day, Pennock threw a complete game shutout against the Boston Red Sox. However, as the Athletics struggled, Pennocks nonchalant playing style drew Macks ire, concluding that Pennock lacked ambition, Mack sold Pennock to the Red Sox for the waiver price of $2,500
9.
American League
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The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League, is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a league based in the Great Lakes states. It is sometimes called the Junior Circuit because it claimed Major League status for the 1901 season,25 years after the formation of the National League. At the end of season, the American League champion plays in the World Series against the National League champion. Through 2016, American League teams have won 64 of the 112 World Series played since 1903, the 2016 American League champions are the Cleveland Indians. The New York Yankees have won 40 American League titles, the most in the history, followed by the Philadelphia/Kansas City/Oakland Athletics. Originally a minor league known as the Western League, the American League later developed into a major league after the American Association disbanded, in its early history, the Western League struggled until 1894, when Ban Johnson became the president of the league. Johnson led the Western League into major league status and soon became the president of the newly renamed American League, babe Ruth, noted as one of the most prolific hitters in Major League Baseball history, spent the majority of his career in the American League. The American League has one notable difference versus the National League, in 1902, the Milwaukee Brewers moved to St. Louis and were renamed the St. Louis Browns. In 1902, The Cleveland Bluebirds were also renamed the Cleveland Broncos, in 1903, the Broncos were renamed the Cleveland Naps. In 1915, the Naps were renamed the Cleveland Indians, in 1903, the Baltimore Orioles moved to New York and were renamed the New York Highlanders. In 1913, the Highlanders were renamed the New York Yankees, in 1904, the Chicago White Stockings were renamed the Chicago White Sox. In 1908, the Boston Americans were renamed the Boston Red Sox, in 1954, the St. Louis Browns moved to Baltimore and were renamed as the Baltimore Orioles. In 1955, the Philadelphia Athletics moved to Kansas City and were renamed as the Kansas City Athletics, in 1961, the league expanded and added two teams as the Los Angeles Angels and the Washington Senators, expanding the league to 10 teams. The original Senators team moved to Minneapolis/St, Paul in 1961 and were renamed as the Minnesota Twins. The Angels team name changed to the California Angels in 1966, then to the Anaheim Angels in 1997, the Kansas City Royals and the Seattle Pilots were added to the American League, expanding the league to 12 teams. In 1970, the Seattle Pilots moved to Milwaukee and were renamed the Milwaukee Brewers, in 1972, the Washington Senators relocated to the Dallas/Fort Worth area and were renamed the Texas Rangers. In 1977, the league expanded to fourteen teams, when the Seattle Mariners, in 1998, the Tampa Bay Rays was added to the American League and at the same time, the Milwaukee Brewers were switched to the National League, leaving the American League with 14 teams
10.
Eddie Collins
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Edward Trowbridge Collins, Sr. nicknamed Cocky, was an American Major League Baseball second baseman, manager and executive. He played from 1906 to 1930 for the Philadelphia Athletics and Chicago White Sox, a graduate of Columbia University, Collins holds major league career records in several categories and is among the top few players in several other categories. Collins coached and managed in the major leagues after retiring as a player and he also served as general manager of the Boston Red Sox. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939 and he died several years later after having suffered from heart problems for a number of years. As a native of Millerton, a 384-acre village in Dutchess County, New York and he graduated from Columbia University, at a time when few major league players had attended college. He started his American professional baseball career on September 17,1906 when he signed with the Philadelphia Athletics at the age of 19, when he signed with the Philadelphia organization, Collins was still a student at Columbia. He played some of his minor league games under the last name of Sullivan so that he could protect his collegiate status. After spending all but 14 games of the 1907 season in the leagues, he played in 102 games in 1908. That season, he registered a.347 batting average and 67 steals, in 1910, Collins stole a career-high 81 bases and played on the first of his six World Series championship teams. He was part of the Athletics so-called $100,000 infield which propelled the team to four American League pennants and he earned the leagues Chalmers Award in 1914. In 1914, the newly formed Federal League disrupted major league contract stability by luring away established stars from the AL, to retain Collins, Athletics manager Connie Mack offered his second baseman the longest guaranteed contract that had ever been offered to a player. Collins declined, and after the 1914 season Mack sold Collins to the White Sox for $50,000, the Sox paid Collins $15,000 for 1915, making him the third highest paid player in the league, behind Ty Cobb and Tris Speaker. In Chicago, Collins continued to post top-ten batting and stolen base numbers and he was part of the notorious Black Sox team that threw the 1919 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds. However Collins was not accused of being part of the conspiracy and was considered to have played honestly, in August 1924, he was named player-manager of the White Sox and held the position through the 1926 season, posting a record of 174-160. Collins returned to Philadelphia to rejoin the Athletics in 1927 as a player-coach and he recorded only 143 plate appearances in his last four years, mostly as a pinch hitter. He did not play in any World Series games for the 1929 or 1930 World Series champion As, Collins finished his career with 1,300 runs batted in. To date, Collins is the only MLB player to play for two teams for at least 12 seasons each and he still holds the major league record of 512 career sacrifice bunts, over 100 more than any other player. He was the first major leaguer in history to steal 80 bases in a season, and still shares the major league record of six steals in a game
11.
1913 New York Giants season
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The 1913 New York Giants season was the franchises 31st season. It involved the Giants winning the National League pennant for the third consecutive year, led by manager John McGraw, the Giants dominated the NL and finished 12½ games in front of the second place Philadelphia Phillies. They were beaten by the Philadelphia Athletics in the 1913 World Series, ace pitcher Christy Mathewson went 25–11 and led the NL with a 2.06 ERA. Rube Marquard and Jeff Tesreau also won over 20 games, taken together with the 1911 and 1912 pennant winners, this team is considered one of the greatest of all-time. The roster was basically unchanged from 1912, september 15,1913, Rule 5 draft Ben Dyer was drafted by the Giants from the Decatur Commodores. Hank Ritter was drafted by the Giants from the Wilmington Chicks, Note, Pos = Position, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, Avg. = Batting average, HR = Home runs, RBI = Runs batted in Note, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, Avg
12.
Road (sports)
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A road game or away game is a sports game where the specified team is not the host and must travel to another venue. Most professional teams represent cities or towns and amateur sports teams often represent academic institutions, each team has a location where it practices during the season and where it hosts games. When a team is not the host, it must travel to games. Thus, when a team is not hosting a game, the team is described as the team, the visiting team, or the away team. The venue in which the game is played is described as the stadium or the road. The host team is said to be the home team, major sporting events, if not held at a neutral venue, are often over several legs at each teams home ground, so that neither team has an advantage over the other. Occasionally, the team may not have to travel very far at all to a road game. These matches often become local derbies, a few times a year, a road team may even be lucky enough to have the road game played at their own home stadium or arena. This is prevalent in college athletics where many schools will play in regional leagues or groundshare. The related term true road game has seen increasing use in U. S. college sports in the 21st century, while regular-season tournaments and other special events have been part of college sports from their creation, the 21st century has seen a proliferation of such events. These are typically held at sites, with some of them taking place outside the contiguous U. S. or even outside the country entirely. In turn, this has led to the use of true road game to refer to contests played at one home venue. In some association football leagues, particularly in Europe, the teams fans sit in their own section. Depending on the stadium, they will either sit in a designated section or be separated from the home fans by a cordon of police officers. However, in the leagues in England, supporters may be free to mix. When games are played at a site, for instance the FA Cup final in England which is always played at Wembley Stadium. This results in each team occupying one half of the stadium and this is different from other sports, particularly in North America, where very few fans travel to games played away from their home stadium. Home and away fans are not separated at these games
