Homecoming weekend for the Athletics

In a few days, some well-traveled relatives will return to Philadelphia for a weekend visit - only their second "homecoming" since packing bags for the Midwest more than a half-century ago.

Family surname's still the same as during its long Pennsylvania residency.

Athletics.

The Philadelphia Athletics, born 1901. Later, they were the Kansas City Athletics (1955-67). You know the current "younger" relatives as the Oakland Athletics.

During the 54 baseball seasons (1901-54) shared here by the American League A's and their National League neighbors, the Phillies, the two clubs never met in a game that counted. The Athletics played in eight World Series during that stretch; the Phillies in two. But never in the same seasons, except spring training and "city series" exhibitions.

Major League Baseball would not institute regular-season interleague competition until 1997. Before this coming three-game Oakland vs. Philadelphia booking at Citizens Bank Park, the two former North Philadelphia neighbors previously faced each other here just once, in 2003. Two Phillies-A's interleague series transpired in California in the meantime. Oakland won both, two games to one, in 2005 and '08.

In 2003 - Veterans Stadium's final season - Oakland posted a 7-4 series-opening victory. Rain forced the Saturday match to be rescheduled as part of a Sunday doubleheader. The Phillies won both games. Oakland now leads the overall interleague series, 5-4.

Many combatants from that Vet series have retired or are with other teams. But two Phillies starters in that June 8, 2003 doubleheader are expected to play again - Jimmy Rollins and Placido Polanco. Second baseman Mark Ellis is the lone returning Oakland starter.

That June 6, 2003, game was the Athletics franchise's first victory in Philadelphia since Sept. 4, 1954. The '54 Philadelphia Athletics lost their final five home games before leaving Connie Mack Stadium for the last time.