Shutterbug blogger chronicles Parkway plans, shows B Love for Phillies

As fans of the one-of-a-kind photo/blog site PhillySkyline.com (http://www.phillyskyline.com), we know Brad Maule just enough to know that he’s had two big passions since moving to the City of Brotherly Love from western Pennsylvania a few years ago:

1.) Office buildings, planned developments, and the means by which his neighborhood connects with the city as a whole and our two rivers. OK, that’s probably more than one thing.

2.) The Phillies.

Not necessarily in that order.

With the latter winning just their sixth National League pennant in their 125-year woe-begotten history late last night, we wondered how he would play last evening’s announcement (conveniently early, before game time) from government officials and Barnes Foundation officers that demolition and construction was starting at the museum’s new site at 20th and the Parkway.

The Phils clinched their World Series berth in Los Angeles; otherwise we’re fairly sure B Love would have been in South Philly, season ticket holder that he is.

But as usual, there he was, snapping away, and managed to get a good shot of the Barnes’ unique, symbolic start to construction.

The beauty part came later, when he decided to blog about it. The Phillies game, that is.

He posted pics of the bigwigs, yes, but married them, in a fashion, with his posting, which included an admirable mea culpa to Charlie Manuel.

We’re guessing that about midnight or after, Maule – one of the city’s most creative photographers – figured that the best service he could offer his readers was twisting the images of the pinot grigio-and-brie crowd like a soft pretzel around his baseball text.

He was right, and we’re betting his clever placement of planning / development / architectural / museum peeps with Phillies players will flatter more of the former than the latter. The exception might be the mayor and the guv, seen below words of praise for Pat Gillick and Manuel, with no disrespect for the GM and manager.

But Andy Altman and Peter Kelsen as Chase Utley and Pat Burrell? Darrell Clarke as Jimmy Rollins? We’re thinking the planning czar, zoning attorney and city councilman might well print and frame Maule’s post, hanging it alongside today’s front pages.

And don’t miss the photos of Barnes protesters grouped with words about Dodgers fans (note the sunglasses).

Posted by Thomas J. Walsh
Contact the reporter at tom@thomasjwalsh.info