Veterans Stadium, former home of the Eagles, Phillies and countless memories, took over two years to build and nine more to see its first championship.
But in the course of 62 seconds early yesterday morning, the towering South Philadelphia icon that has hosted over 66 million fans since its opening in 1971 was reduced to a cloud of dust.
Said Vet announcer Dan Baker, to a huge crowd assembled on nearby Packer Avenue, "Ladies and gentlemen, you just witnessed history."
Roughly 3,000 pounds of explosives were used in a series of blasts that brought the Vet crumbling inward. The flawless implosion sent a dust cloud eastward toward New Jersey. The dust appropriately coated the brand new home of the Phillies, Citizens Bank Park, with the remains of the old.
More impressive than any blast heard yesterday morning, however, was the emotional response of fans, including Mayor John Street.
"We can't get stuck in the past," Street said, reflecting his mixed emotions about the Vet's demise. "I mean we really do have to move on."
For some fans, the move will not be so easy, as the Vet was, at times, better known for its fans than for its athletes.
The 700 level atop the upper deck was home to the some of the most notorious fans in sports. The fans, in fact, were so out of control that the stadium established a courtroom in the structure in 1997.
The 700 level mentality showed itself once again yesterday, as dozens of fans tried to cross a barrier on the temporarily closed Walt Whitman Expressway, in defiance of police orders.
The Vet is also known as the place whose turf, considered the worst in sports, ended the career of Cowboys receiver and enemy of the city Michael Irvin. As if that were not enough to engrave the incident into Philadelphia lore, the Eagles faithful booed the injured Irvin as he was carried off the field.
Along with the bad memories that dissipated into the dust also went the good ones, including the late Tug McGraw's strikeout of the Royals' Willie Wilson to clinch the 1980 World Series for the Phillies.
Yesterday's implosion ceremony began promptly at 6:40 a.m., with a fitting tribute to veterans, followed by the introduction of past Phillies greats.
Among the legends present at the ceremony was relief pitcher Mitch Williams, who recorded the save that propelled the "Fightin' Phils" into the 1993 World Series.
However, the guest of honor was Greg "Bull" Luzinski, famous for delivering his "Bull Blasts" to the upper deck. Bull, with the help of the Phillie Phanatic, followed Street's countdown with one final Bull Blast on the ceremonial plunger, starting the implosion at 7 a.m.
Now, as Street said, "We just have to move into the future."
The future looks bright for the Pattison Avenue sports complex, consisting of Citizens Bank Park across the street from the Eagles' year-old Lincoln Financial Field. The Wachovia Center, home of the Flyers and 76ers, and the Wachovia Spectrum round out the complex.
The opening of Citizens Bank Park will cap a bittersweet year for the complex, which has seen the emotional "Final Innings Weekend" at the Vet and now yesterday's implosion.
The Phillies will host the Cleveland Indians in a two-game series to close spring training at the new ballpark April 3 and 4. The regular season home opener will take place April 12 versus Cincinnati.
It took the Phillies 10 full seasons to win a World Series at the Vet. Street believes it won't take nearly as long in the new stadium.
"It won't take any more than three years," he said.
