The same year, alcohol sales at sporting events were banned in Pennsylvania but were still legal across the Delaware River in neighboring South Jersey.

In 1964, Philadelphia voters approved a US$25-million-bond issue for a new stadium to serve as the home of both the Eagles, who played at the University of Pennsylvania's Franklin Field, and the Phillies.

In December 1969, the Phillies announced that they anticipated that they would play the first month of the 1970 season at Connie Mack Stadium before moving to the new venue.

[7] Prior to its opening, the stadium was blessed by Marine Corps chaplain veteran Francis "Father Foxhole" Kelly.

[7] Jim Bunning, who was named to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996, was the winning pitcher, and Bill Stoneman of the Expos took the loss.

[15][16] The last publicly broadcast words uttered at Veterans Stadium came from Harry Kalas, who helped open the facility on April 10, 1971, who paraphrased his trademark home run call: "It's on a looooooong drive…IT'S OUTTA HERE!!!"

On June 6, 2005, the anniversary of World War II's D-Day, a plaque and monument to commemorate the spot where the stadium stood and a memorial for all veterans was dedicated by the Phillies before their game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

On September 28, 2005, the second anniversary of the stadium's final game, a historical marker commemorating where the ballpark once stood was dedicated.

[20] According to a 2013 analysis by The Philadelphia Inquirer, the brain cancer rate of Phillies players while the team was at Veterans Stadium was three times higher than that of the general population.

[21] Some of the speculation centers around the possibility that chemicals in the stadium's AstroTurf field may have played a role, but there has been no research to support that theory definitively.

Even by multipurpose stadium standards, the upper deck was exceptionally high, and many of the seats in that area were so far from the field that it was difficult to see the game without binoculars.

In his book If Football's a Religion, Why Don't We Have a Prayer?,[23] Jereé Longman described the 700 Level as having a reputation for "hostile taunting, fighting, public urination and general strangeness."

[24] The NFLPA reportedly threatened to sue the city for the poor conditions, and many sports agents told the Eagles not to even consider signing or drafting their clients.

On October 10, 1993, Chicago Bears wide receiver Wendell Davis had his cleats caught in a seam while he planted to jump for an underthrown bomb from QB Jim Harbaugh, tearing both of his patella tendons and ending his career, barring a short-lived comeback attempt with the Indianapolis Colts in 1995.

[25] On October 10, 1999, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin suffered a neck injury against the Eagles at Veterans Stadium that proved to be his final play in the NFL and led to his premature retirement.

Long before Davis' and Irvin's injuries, Cleveland Browns standout defensive tackle Jerry Sherk contracted a near-fatal staph infection from the Veterans Stadium turf during a 1979 game.

The Eagles' team president Joe Banner was irate after the game, calling the stadium's conditions "absolutely unacceptable" and "an embarrassment to the city of Philadelphia.

The problem was caused by heavy rain over the weekend prior to the game, which made the dirt in the sliding pits and pitcher's mound so soft that the cutouts covering them in the football configuration became mushy and uneven.

The problem was solved by using asphalt hot mix, which allowed for a solid, level playing surface, but required a jackhammer for removal whenever the stadium was converted from football back to baseball (between August and October of each year).

In March 2023, investigative reporters from the Philadelphia Inquirer bought souvenir samples of the old Veterans Stadium AstroTurf used from 1977 to 1981 and commissioned diagnostics through the Eurofins Environmental Testing laboratory.

Six former Phillies who played at Veterans Stadium have died from glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer: Tug McGraw, Darren Daulton, John Vukovich, Johnny Oates, Ken Brett, and David West.

[29] In that game, Cowboys placekicker Luis Zendejas suffered a concussion during a rough block by linebacker Jessie Small after a kickoff.

The volatile mix of beer, the "bounty" and the intense hatred for "America's Team" (who finished 1–15 that season) led to fans throwing snowballs at Dallas players and coaches.

The Eagles fans' behavior during a 24–12 Monday Night Football loss[33] to the San Francisco 49ers in 1997 and a 34–0 loss to Dallas a year later[34] was such that the City of Philadelphia assigned a Municipal Court Judge, Seamus McCaffery, to the stadium on game days to deal with fans removed from the stands in what was referred to as "Eagles Court".

The CCBL won the game 7–3 behind the performance of winning pitcher and future major leaguer Joe Magrane of the University of Arizona.

[57] Ownership elected to remain in Old Orchard Beach for 1988, renamed the club the 'Maine Phillies', and moved to Moosic, Pennsylvania in 1989 as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons.

[59] The stadium hosted an exhibition match on August 2, 1991, between the U.S. National Team and English professional soccer club Sheffield Wednesday F.C.

In addition to the challenge of installing a natural grass field for the games, FIFA would have required the Phillies to vacate the stadium for a month to allow for sufficient preparation time prior to the matches.

The only professional wrestling event held in Veterans Stadium was NWA/Jim Crockett Promotions The Great American Bash on July 1, 1986, with an attendance of 10,900.

The venue also played host to religious events including annual Jehovah's Witnesses conventions, which was open to the public each year it took place.