158:
track license, with both
Democratic members of the committee voting in favor of Clark and the Republican member voting against. Clark would never see the track open, as he died on April 17, 1962. His niece's husband, Michael J. O'Neill, saw the construction of the track through and was elected its
226:
On
February 6, 1971, a track-record 24,988 fans turned out to watch thoroughbred races at Liberty Bell Park. Phil Baker, general manager of the Eagle Downs and Continental Thoroughbred Racing Associations, believed that attendance would have been greater if the track had a greater capacity.
254:
signing legislation to lower taxes on the state's harness tracks. Track officials contended that they would not be able to run in 1984 without the break. On
October 13, 1985, Liberty Bell Park announced that it would not run in 1986 and that the property was for sale. Competition from
213:
Pennsylvania legalized parimutuel wagering on thoroughbred racing in 1968. Liberty Bell Park signed five year leases with the Eagle Downs Racing
Association and Continental Thoroughbred Racing Association, who planned on racing at Liberty Bell until construction on their track in
210:(a U.S. Representative and political ally of the track's founder) announced that she would exercise an option her husband held to purchase 50% of the track's shares. The purchase price specified in the option ($ 50,000) was far less than their actual estimate value ($ 2 million).
182:
Liberty Bell Park was constructed over a ten-month period at a cost of $ 12.5 million. The track featured a double-decker grandstand that could hold 30,000 people and a parking lot with room for 10,000 cars. As it was believed that parimutuel wagering on
218:
was completed. $ 800,000 was spent to convert the track for thoroughbred racing. The track's first thoroughbred race occurred on May 31, 1969. It attracted 15,396 spectators who bet $ 1,160,154. Thoroughbred racing at
Liberty Bell Park ended when
238:
to
Liberty Bell Park, effective 1975. The track backed out of its three-year deal the following year due to disagreements between the Hambletonian Society and John J. Rooney, whose William Penn Racing Association was to host the race.
195:
Liberty Bell Park opened on June 7, 1963. Its first meet ran from June 7, 1963 through August 3, 1963 and attracted 510,646 patrons over 50 days of racing. In the fall of 1963, the track was leased to
798:
793:
242:
In 1982, Raymond A. Birkbeck became president of both
Liberty Bell Park and the William Penn Racing Association. He succeeded Louis J. Goffman, who died earlier that year.
263:
was blamed for the track's demise. On May 12, 1986, the 288-acre property was sold to
Western Development Corp. for $ 23.3 million. Franklin Mills Mall, now known as
788:
187:
would soon be legalized, two tracks were constructed; a mile and 5/8 oval for trotters and a mile track with the same back and home stretch for thoroughbreds.
47:
783:
235:
803:
143:
215:
40:
260:
164:
206:
In 1964, Edward J. Dougherty, O’Neill's college roommate took over as track president. That
December, the widow of
256:
139:
In 1961, the
Pennsylvania harness racing commission voted 2-1 to grant Liberty Bell Racing Association, led by
128:
220:
120:
207:
751:
699:
673:
647:
621:
596:
543:
491:
465:
421:
395:
284:
726:
569:
518:
369:
344:
310:
231:
184:
147:
103:
264:
155:
176:
251:
450:
Jerardi, Dick (January 28, 2019). "Edward J. Dougherty, harness racing executive, dies".
151:
124:
98:
777:
200:
160:
140:
32:
28:
196:
116:
62:
49:
179:
general manager James M. Lynch became the track's first racing secretary.
168:
250:
In 1983, Liberty Bell Park reported a deficit, which led to Governor
597:"Official Says Liberty Bell Has Reached President Capacity Limit"
172:
492:"Harness Tracks Will Be Used For Thoroughbreds Temporarily"
199:'s William Penn Racing Association. That meet featured a
544:"Thoroughbred sport enjoys fine start in Pennsylvania"
570:"Omnibus Bill On Elections Is Passed By State House"
230:
In 1973, the Hambletonian Society voted to move the
175:, was the track's first director of operations and
94:
86:
78:
39:
24:
799:Defunct horse racing venues in the United States
311:"James Clark, 62 Of Philadelphia Dies of Stroke"
648:"Liberty Bell Backs Out Of Hambletonian Deal"
8:
167:district attorney who had managed tracks in
19:
794:Defunct horse racing venues in Pennsylvania
445:
443:
18:
338:
336:
334:
332:
345:"Legal Track Betting Opens This Evening"
276:
789:1986 disestablishments in Pennsylvania
725:Bernstein, Ralph (October 15, 1985).
595:Bernstein, Ralph (February 9, 1971).
519:"Flat Racing Parimutuals Begin in Pa"
7:
784:1963 establishments in Pennsylvania
622:"Hambletonian Goes To Liberty Bell"
236:DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack
727:"Track officials close the 'Bell'"
285:"Lawrence Backs Racing Commission"
14:
517:Bernstein, Ralph (May 31, 1969).
343:Bernstein, Ralph (June 7, 1963).
267:, was constructed on the site.
216:Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania
422:"Really Something Trot Victor"
396:"LB Attendance Average 10,213"
1:
674:"Birkbeck Gets Two Positions"
700:"Horse track tax break OK'd"
261:Garden State Park Racetrack
165:Mercer County, Pennsylvania
820:
370:"Liberty Bell Staff Named"
223:opened in November 1974.
129:Thoroughbred horse racing
752:"Liberty Bell Park sold"
259:casinos and the rebuilt
804:History of Philadelphia
400:The Washington Observer
289:Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
452:Tribune Content Agency
127:from 1963 to 1985 and
121:Northeast Philadelphia
63:40.08750°N 74.96139°W
704:The Pittsburgh Press
548:The Montreal Gazette
470:The Pittsburgh Press
466:"Politics In Racing"
426:The Pittsburgh Press
208:William J. Green Jr.
154:, the state's first
706:. December 31, 1984
576:. November 14, 1974
498:. November 21, 1968
472:. December 10, 1964
376:. December 17, 1962
232:Hambletonian Stakes
185:thoroughbred racing
148:Philadelphia Eagles
131:from 1969 to 1974.
104:Thoroughbred racing
68:40.08750; -74.96139
59: /
21:
16:American race track
628:. October 29, 1973
428:. October 11, 1963
265:Philadelphia Mills
652:Observer-Reporter
601:Observer-Reporter
496:Observer-Reporter
177:Rosecroft Raceway
159:first president.
113:Liberty Bell Park
110:
109:
20:Liberty Bell Park
811:
768:
767:
765:
763:
748:
742:
741:
739:
737:
731:Gettysburg Times
722:
716:
715:
713:
711:
696:
690:
689:
687:
685:
670:
664:
663:
661:
659:
654:. April 17, 1974
644:
638:
637:
635:
633:
626:The Evening News
618:
612:
611:
609:
607:
592:
586:
585:
583:
581:
574:Gettysburg Times
566:
560:
559:
557:
555:
540:
534:
533:
531:
529:
523:Gettysburg Times
514:
508:
507:
505:
503:
488:
482:
481:
479:
477:
462:
456:
455:
447:
438:
437:
435:
433:
418:
412:
411:
409:
407:
402:. August 9, 1963
392:
386:
385:
383:
381:
374:Gettysburg Times
366:
360:
359:
357:
355:
349:Gettysburg Times
340:
327:
326:
324:
322:
317:. April 18, 1962
307:
301:
300:
298:
296:
281:
144:Democratic Party
115:was an American
74:
73:
71:
70:
69:
64:
60:
57:
56:
55:
52:
22:
819:
818:
814:
813:
812:
810:
809:
808:
774:
773:
772:
771:
761:
759:
750:
749:
745:
735:
733:
724:
723:
719:
709:
707:
698:
697:
693:
683:
681:
672:
671:
667:
657:
655:
646:
645:
641:
631:
629:
620:
619:
615:
605:
603:
594:
593:
589:
579:
577:
568:
567:
563:
553:
551:
542:
541:
537:
527:
525:
516:
515:
511:
501:
499:
490:
489:
485:
475:
473:
464:
463:
459:
449:
448:
441:
431:
429:
420:
419:
415:
405:
403:
394:
393:
389:
379:
377:
368:
367:
363:
353:
351:
342:
341:
330:
320:
318:
309:
308:
304:
294:
292:
291:. April 7, 1961
283:
282:
278:
273:
252:Dick Thornburgh
248:
193:
137:
102:
67:
65:
61:
58:
53:
50:
48:
46:
45:
17:
12:
11:
5:
817:
815:
807:
806:
801:
796:
791:
786:
776:
775:
770:
769:
758:. May 13, 1986
743:
717:
691:
680:. May 16, 1982
665:
639:
613:
587:
561:
550:. June 2, 1969
535:
509:
483:
457:
439:
413:
387:
361:
328:
315:Meriden Record
302:
275:
274:
272:
269:
247:
244:
192:
189:
152:James P. Clark
136:
133:
125:harness racing
108:
107:
99:Harness racing
96:
92:
91:
88:
84:
83:
80:
76:
75:
43:
37:
36:
26:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
816:
805:
802:
800:
797:
795:
792:
790:
787:
785:
782:
781:
779:
757:
756:Reading Eagle
753:
747:
744:
732:
728:
721:
718:
705:
701:
695:
692:
679:
678:Reading Eagle
675:
669:
666:
653:
649:
643:
640:
627:
623:
617:
614:
602:
598:
591:
588:
575:
571:
565:
562:
549:
545:
539:
536:
524:
520:
513:
510:
497:
493:
487:
484:
471:
467:
461:
458:
453:
446:
444:
440:
427:
423:
417:
414:
401:
397:
391:
388:
375:
371:
365:
362:
350:
346:
339:
337:
335:
333:
329:
316:
312:
306:
303:
290:
286:
280:
277:
270:
268:
266:
262:
258:
257:Atlantic City
253:
245:
243:
240:
237:
233:
228:
224:
222:
221:Keystone Park
217:
211:
209:
204:
202:
201:Grand Circuit
198:
190:
188:
186:
180:
178:
174:
170:
166:
162:
161:Edwin C. Moon
157:
153:
149:
145:
142:
134:
132:
130:
126:
122:
118:
114:
105:
100:
97:
93:
89:
85:
81:
77:
72:
44:
42:
38:
34:
30:
27:
23:
760:. Retrieved
755:
746:
734:. Retrieved
730:
720:
708:. Retrieved
703:
694:
682:. Retrieved
677:
668:
656:. Retrieved
651:
642:
630:. Retrieved
625:
616:
604:. Retrieved
600:
590:
578:. Retrieved
573:
564:
552:. Retrieved
547:
538:
526:. Retrieved
522:
512:
500:. Retrieved
495:
486:
474:. Retrieved
469:
460:
451:
430:. Retrieved
425:
416:
404:. Retrieved
399:
390:
378:. Retrieved
373:
364:
352:. Retrieved
348:
319:. Retrieved
314:
305:
293:. Retrieved
288:
279:
249:
241:
229:
225:
212:
205:
194:
181:
141:Philadelphia
138:
112:
111:
33:Pennsylvania
29:Philadelphia
163:, a former
135:Development
106:(1969–1974)
101:(1963–1985)
87:Date closed
79:Date opened
66: /
41:Coordinates
778:Categories
762:3 February
736:3 February
710:3 February
684:3 February
658:3 February
632:3 February
606:3 February
580:3 February
554:3 February
528:3 February
502:3 February
476:3 February
432:3 February
406:3 February
380:3 February
354:3 February
321:3 February
295:3 February
271:References
197:Art Rooney
156:parimutuel
123:that held
117:race track
54:74°57′41″W
51:40°05′15″N
234:from the
95:Race type
169:Missouri
25:Location
246:Closure
191:Opening
203:race.
150:owner
35:, U.S.
764:2024
738:2024
712:2024
686:2024
660:2024
634:2024
608:2024
582:2024
556:2024
530:2024
504:2024
478:2024
434:2024
408:2024
382:2024
356:2024
323:2024
297:2024
173:Ohio
171:and
146:and
90:1985
82:1963
119:in
780::
754:.
729:.
702:.
676:.
650:.
624:.
599:.
572:.
546:.
521:.
494:.
468:.
442:^
424:.
398:.
372:.
347:.
331:^
313:.
287:.
31:,
766:.
740:.
714:.
688:.
662:.
636:.
610:.
584:.
558:.
532:.
506:.
480:.
454:.
436:.
410:.
384:.
358:.
325:.
299:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.