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Who could forget that memorable rock-the-baby slam dunk Julius “Dr. J” Erving unveiled in the 1983 NBA Finals where he practically took off from the three-point line punctuating the Sixer’s four-game sweep against the Lakers at the Spectrum? Or what about the lore that Bobby Clarke’s Broad Street Bullies created by dominating the league during the ’74 and ’75 seasons where they won two Stanley Cups, also at “America’s Showplace?”
Since the Spectrum’s opening in ’67, countless memories have been lived by millions of Philadelphia sports fans. But Nov. 23, in front of Erving, Clarke and former teammate Bernie Parent, Comcast-Spectacor Chairman Ed Snider, Mayor Michael Nutter and Spectrum faithful, those memories crashed down brick-by-brick with a series of blows from a wrecking ball to the south side of the arena.
“It’s a little overcast because it’s a sad day and the memories will be taken away,” Erving, a NBA Hall of Famer, said. “Memories are forever if they’re done the right way, and I think there were a lot of memories that were done the right way at the Spectrum. I’m really happy to be here and play a small role in the demolition ceremony but I feel as though my contributions to the memories for the 11 years I played here were anything but small, hopefully.”
Although the basketball legend received the most applause, the outnumbering Flyers fans sporting their orange jerseys gave color to the ceremony. Many expressed sadness as they recollected games they had attended at the Spectrum. New Jersey native Mark Smith remembered the first game he went to in ’75 as if it were yesterday.
“It was so special to come here and see the Flyers. I remember everything these guys did. It’s just sad seeing it go,” Smith said after hearing Parent and Clarke share the stage.
Although in the past Snider expressed his love of the Spectrum by calling it his baby, he was not as enthusiastic last week as he left before the wrecking ball hit.
“I come with mixed emotions,” he told the crowd. “On one hand, I’m really sad to see it go, but on the other hand, I know that I’ll always have the memories. We will all have them.
“I don’t know if I want to see it go down, but let me know what happens.”
Because of the Spectrum’s structure, implosion was not an option, so instead the traditional wrecking ball was chosen. It will not only allow the bricks and iron to be recovered for future use but also to give fans the opportunity to purchase a single brick for $39.95.
“It’s not really the end of an era. It’s really the start of a new one for our great city,” Nutter said.
It will take approximately four to five months for the building to be completely demolished, which will give way to the construction of the new project, Ike Richman, Comcast-Spectacor spokesman, said. Taking the Spectrum’s place will be Philly Live!, a dining, entertainment and shopping hub that will feature a variety of year-round attractions that promise to rejuvenate South Philadelphia and the sports complex. Construction is expected to begin in April with Philly Live! expected to open a year later.
The development project will create 250 new jobs, Nutter said.
“This is about jobs, jobs and more jobs,” he said.
The Spectrum seated a capacity crowd of around 18 thousand depending on the event. The $7-million facility was renamed four times by sponsors throughout its usage, something that Snider joked about as he blessed the sister facility across the street calling it the “Wells Fargo, or whatever-it‘s-called-now Center.”
But it was not just sports fans that enjoyed and shared memories at the Spectrum. A myriad of shows including the circus, professional wrestling, boxing and truck shows drew sellout crowds there.
Perhaps most synonymous with the arena besides the sports teams that called it home were the bands that rocked under the Spectrum roof like the Grateful Dead and Springsteen. Each performed at least 50 concerts throughout the decades — by far the most of any artist.
“I guess the reason I came down is for the reason everybody else is here. It’s a historic landmark and plus, it’s not everyday you get to see a building go down,” Randy Manilok, a New Jersey resident who attended numerous Springsteen concerts at the Spectrum, said.
But the memories will live on for fans, performers and athletes alike.
“On behalf of the old Flyer teams whose professional achievements were done in the Spectrum, we will always remember,” Clarke, an ex-Flyers center, said. “God bless the Spectrum.” SPR
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