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Every generation or so, a team comes along whose march toward victory is so improbable that you can't help but root them along. The 1950 Philadelphia Phillies was that kind of team; young and spirited, the Whiz Kids played a raw, emotional brand of baseball, nipping the Brooklyn Dodgers on the final day of the season to bring the National League's perennial doormat its first title in 35 years. Hall-of-Fame member Robin Roberts, the team's ace starter, peppers his recollections with snippets of oral history from his teammates to produce a book as lively as the team itself.--
Book Synopsis The Whiz Kids and the 1950 Pennant by : Robin Roberts
Download or read book The Whiz Kids and the 1950 Pennant written by Robin Roberts and published by Temple University Press. This book was released on 1996 with total page 422 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Every generation or so, a team comes along whose march toward victory is so improbable that you can't help but root them along. The 1950 Philadelphia Phillies was that kind of team; young and spirited, the Whiz Kids played a raw, emotional brand of baseball, nipping the Brooklyn Dodgers on the final day of the season to bring the National League's perennial doormat its first title in 35 years. Hall-of-Fame member Robin Roberts, the team's ace starter, peppers his recollections with snippets of oral history from his teammates to produce a book as lively as the team itself.--
The 1950 Philadelphia Phillies--the "Whiz Kids"--threatened to run away with the pennant, but slumped badly in late summer before finally beating the Brooklyn Dodgers in a thrilling 10 inning game on the last day of the season. That day at Ebbets Field they won only the second pennant in Phillies history and their first in 35 years. Between the two pennants, the Phillies were mostly dreadful, finishing in the first division only once between 1917 and 1949, and dead last 16 times between 1919 and 1945, including five straight years from 1938 to 1942, once finishing 281/2 games out of seventh place. This book tells the stories of those Whiz Kids, a team with one of the most memorable nicknames in baseball history. Not only does this volume recap how their run to the flag was marked by clutch hitting and pitching in close games, it contains biographies of every player who appeared, including Richie Ashburn, Robin Roberts, Willie "Puddin' Head" Jones, and Eddie Waitkus. Game stories and many other features about this unique team round out the volume. In addition to a foreword by Whiz Kid Curt Simmons, it even contains a "View From the Other Side" by Yankees third baseman and former American League President Dr. Bobby Brown. This book is also the product of the dedicated, uncompensated work of 36 members of the Society for American Baseball Research, all of whom share a love of baseball and its rich history. Even for the most knowledgeable baseball fan, what follows is a treasure trove of fascinating anecdotes and facts about a bygone era of baseball when the uniforms were flannel, the players still left their gloves on the field between innings, and the games were played in two hours. With contributions by: Andy Sturgill, Bob Hurte, Bob LeMoine, Bobby Brown, C. Paul Rogers III, Charles Faber, Clayton Trutor, Cort Vitty, Curt Simmons, Dan Fields, David Skelton, Dennis Brislen, Ed Veit, Eric Hanauer, Greg Erion, Gregg Omoth, Gregory H. Wolf, Jack V. Morris, James Ray, Jan Finkel, Jim Sweetman, Jimmy Keenan, Joe Schuster, John Wickline, Lyle Spatz, Mark S. Sternman, Mike Huber, Neal Poloncarz, Ralph Berger, Seamus Kearney, Steve Schmitt, Steve West, Ted Smith, Warren Corbett.
Book Synopsis The Whiz Kids Take the Pennant: The 1950 Philadelphia Phillies by : C. Paul Rogers III
Download or read book The Whiz Kids Take the Pennant: The 1950 Philadelphia Phillies written by C. Paul Rogers III and published by Society for American Baseball Research. This book was released on 2018-01-23 with total page 374 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 1950 Philadelphia Phillies--the "Whiz Kids"--threatened to run away with the pennant, but slumped badly in late summer before finally beating the Brooklyn Dodgers in a thrilling 10 inning game on the last day of the season. That day at Ebbets Field they won only the second pennant in Phillies history and their first in 35 years. Between the two pennants, the Phillies were mostly dreadful, finishing in the first division only once between 1917 and 1949, and dead last 16 times between 1919 and 1945, including five straight years from 1938 to 1942, once finishing 281/2 games out of seventh place. This book tells the stories of those Whiz Kids, a team with one of the most memorable nicknames in baseball history. Not only does this volume recap how their run to the flag was marked by clutch hitting and pitching in close games, it contains biographies of every player who appeared, including Richie Ashburn, Robin Roberts, Willie "Puddin' Head" Jones, and Eddie Waitkus. Game stories and many other features about this unique team round out the volume. In addition to a foreword by Whiz Kid Curt Simmons, it even contains a "View From the Other Side" by Yankees third baseman and former American League President Dr. Bobby Brown. This book is also the product of the dedicated, uncompensated work of 36 members of the Society for American Baseball Research, all of whom share a love of baseball and its rich history. Even for the most knowledgeable baseball fan, what follows is a treasure trove of fascinating anecdotes and facts about a bygone era of baseball when the uniforms were flannel, the players still left their gloves on the field between innings, and the games were played in two hours. With contributions by: Andy Sturgill, Bob Hurte, Bob LeMoine, Bobby Brown, C. Paul Rogers III, Charles Faber, Clayton Trutor, Cort Vitty, Curt Simmons, Dan Fields, David Skelton, Dennis Brislen, Ed Veit, Eric Hanauer, Greg Erion, Gregg Omoth, Gregory H. Wolf, Jack V. Morris, James Ray, Jan Finkel, Jim Sweetman, Jimmy Keenan, Joe Schuster, John Wickline, Lyle Spatz, Mark S. Sternman, Mike Huber, Neal Poloncarz, Ralph Berger, Seamus Kearney, Steve Schmitt, Steve West, Ted Smith, Warren Corbett.
Download or read book The Whiz Kids written by Dennis Snelling and published by University of Nebraska Press. This book was released on 2025-06 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Jack Coombs (1906-14) won three games in the 1910 World Series, an amazing accomplishment for any pitcher. (In three World Series he was lifetime 5-0.) That year he had gone 31-9 to pace the A's and lead the league in victories. He was 28-12 the following season and 21-10 in 1912, clearly the best years of his fourteen-year-career. He spent four years with Brooklyn and finished up with Detroit. Lifetime in 355 games Jack was 159-110. After his playing days were over he became head baseball coach at Duke University and sent a number of players to the A's during that time. Orge "Pat" Cooper (1946) a pitcher, not the comedian, who was one of those "Cup of Coffee" guys who saw action in one game, one inning and was never seen or heard from again in the majors. In the minors he pitched, played the outfield and first base and got into 622 games over ten years batting, of all things, .318. As a minor-league pitcher, he was 24-16. Arthur "Bunny" Corcoran (1915) was a member of the '15 A's. He was 0-4 in his one game at third base. Played just two minor-league campaigns (1920 at Norfolk and 1921 at Rocky Mount), played in 238 games and batted .230. Ensign "Dick" Cottrell (1913) spent small parts of five different years in the majors and every one of them with a different team. With the A's he was 1-0, with the rest of them, combined, he was 0-2. In four minor-league seasons, he won 34, lost 26. Why would someone give their kid a military rank as a first name? Stan Coveleski (1912) Hall of Famer, a native of Shamokin, PA, Stan started his fourteen-year career with the A's in 1912 and, somehow, they let him get away after he went 2-1. In fact he spent four years in the minors and was twenty-seven before he was back in the majors to stay, mostly with Cleveland (1916-24). He also saw service with Washington and the Yankees. Lifetime in 450 games, Coveleski won 215, lost 142 with an ERA of 2.88. He was the brother of Harry Coveleski a very good southpaw major-league pitcher who appeared with the Phillies, Reds, and Tigers over nine years (1907-18). Ironically the two brothers never faced each other on the mound. The correct spelling of his last name was Coveleskie, but he never corrected anyone and, as a consequence, his Hall of Famer The Ultimate Philadelphia Athletics Reference Book 1901-1954 93 plaque has his last name spelled incorrectly. (The original spelling of his name was Kowalewski, he and his brother changed it legally). Stan Coveleskie shared the same name (and they spelled it right, too) not the same talents as the well-known Hall of Famer. Stan played in the minors for six seasons (1944-51), five of them in the Phillies farm system, one in the A's organization. A catcher by trade, Coveleskie appeared in 346 games and batted .261. Homer Cox was signed as a catcher by the A's in 1938 and spent the majority of his ten-year minor-league career in their organization. He played in 578 games and had a .301 lifetime batting average, but never really got out of the low minors. He batted .367 for Lexington in 1945 in eighty-four games, his best season. Martin "Toots" Coyne (1914) went zero for two in his one game for the A's. No other pro record exists. Born and died in St. Louis. Jim Roy Crabb (1912) in seven games for the A's he was 2-4, in two games with the White Sox to start the season, he was 0-1. Lifetime, one year, nine games. Spent seven seasons in the minors, winning seventy-six, losing seventy-one. Once lost twenty games playing for three different teams in 1914. George Craig (1907) no decisions in two appearances. He was a left hander. Was 6-5 in his one minor-league season. Roger "Doc" Cramer (1929-35) who belongs in the Hall of Fame and will never get there despite his twenty-year-career and lifetime batting average of .296. His best A's year was 1935 when he batted .332 in 149 games. Cramer appeared in 2,239 games, had 2,705 hits and batted over .300 eight times
Book Synopsis The Ultimate Philadelphia Athletics Reference Book 1901-1954 by : Ted Taylor
Download or read book The Ultimate Philadelphia Athletics Reference Book 1901-1954 written by Ted Taylor and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2010 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jack Coombs (1906-14) won three games in the 1910 World Series, an amazing accomplishment for any pitcher. (In three World Series he was lifetime 5-0.) That year he had gone 31-9 to pace the A's and lead the league in victories. He was 28-12 the following season and 21-10 in 1912, clearly the best years of his fourteen-year-career. He spent four years with Brooklyn and finished up with Detroit. Lifetime in 355 games Jack was 159-110. After his playing days were over he became head baseball coach at Duke University and sent a number of players to the A's during that time. Orge "Pat" Cooper (1946) a pitcher, not the comedian, who was one of those "Cup of Coffee" guys who saw action in one game, one inning and was never seen or heard from again in the majors. In the minors he pitched, played the outfield and first base and got into 622 games over ten years batting, of all things, .318. As a minor-league pitcher, he was 24-16. Arthur "Bunny" Corcoran (1915) was a member of the '15 A's. He was 0-4 in his one game at third base. Played just two minor-league campaigns (1920 at Norfolk and 1921 at Rocky Mount), played in 238 games and batted .230. Ensign "Dick" Cottrell (1913) spent small parts of five different years in the majors and every one of them with a different team. With the A's he was 1-0, with the rest of them, combined, he was 0-2. In four minor-league seasons, he won 34, lost 26. Why would someone give their kid a military rank as a first name? Stan Coveleski (1912) Hall of Famer, a native of Shamokin, PA, Stan started his fourteen-year career with the A's in 1912 and, somehow, they let him get away after he went 2-1. In fact he spent four years in the minors and was twenty-seven before he was back in the majors to stay, mostly with Cleveland (1916-24). He also saw service with Washington and the Yankees. Lifetime in 450 games, Coveleski won 215, lost 142 with an ERA of 2.88. He was the brother of Harry Coveleski a very good southpaw major-league pitcher who appeared with the Phillies, Reds, and Tigers over nine years (1907-18). Ironically the two brothers never faced each other on the mound. The correct spelling of his last name was Coveleskie, but he never corrected anyone and, as a consequence, his Hall of Famer The Ultimate Philadelphia Athletics Reference Book 1901-1954 93 plaque has his last name spelled incorrectly. (The original spelling of his name was Kowalewski, he and his brother changed it legally). Stan Coveleskie shared the same name (and they spelled it right, too) not the same talents as the well-known Hall of Famer. Stan played in the minors for six seasons (1944-51), five of them in the Phillies farm system, one in the A's organization. A catcher by trade, Coveleskie appeared in 346 games and batted .261. Homer Cox was signed as a catcher by the A's in 1938 and spent the majority of his ten-year minor-league career in their organization. He played in 578 games and had a .301 lifetime batting average, but never really got out of the low minors. He batted .367 for Lexington in 1945 in eighty-four games, his best season. Martin "Toots" Coyne (1914) went zero for two in his one game for the A's. No other pro record exists. Born and died in St. Louis. Jim Roy Crabb (1912) in seven games for the A's he was 2-4, in two games with the White Sox to start the season, he was 0-1. Lifetime, one year, nine games. Spent seven seasons in the minors, winning seventy-six, losing seventy-one. Once lost twenty games playing for three different teams in 1914. George Craig (1907) no decisions in two appearances. He was a left hander. Was 6-5 in his one minor-league season. Roger "Doc" Cramer (1929-35) who belongs in the Hall of Fame and will never get there despite his twenty-year-career and lifetime batting average of .296. His best A's year was 1935 when he batted .332 in 149 games. Cramer appeared in 2,239 games, had 2,705 hits and batted over .300 eight times
In a special collector's edition format, this revised edition of The New Biographical History of Baseball presents updated statistical research to create the most accurate picture possible of the on-field accomplishments of players from earlier eras. It offers original summaries of the personalities and contributions of over 1,500 players, managers, owners, front office executives, journalists, and ordinary fans who developed the great American game into a national pastime. Each individual included has had an impact on the sport as mass entertainment or as a cultural phenomenon, and as an athletic art or a business enterprise. Also included are first-time entries on players like Sammy Sosa and Albert Belle, and expanded entries for such players as Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds. This special resource for fans of baseball reflects the breakout talent and enduring fan favorites from all eras of the historic game.
Book Synopsis The New Biographical History of Baseball by : Donald Dewey
Download or read book The New Biographical History of Baseball written by Donald Dewey and published by Triumph Books. This book was released on 2013-10-01 with total page 498 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a special collector's edition format, this revised edition of The New Biographical History of Baseball presents updated statistical research to create the most accurate picture possible of the on-field accomplishments of players from earlier eras. It offers original summaries of the personalities and contributions of over 1,500 players, managers, owners, front office executives, journalists, and ordinary fans who developed the great American game into a national pastime. Each individual included has had an impact on the sport as mass entertainment or as a cultural phenomenon, and as an athletic art or a business enterprise. Also included are first-time entries on players like Sammy Sosa and Albert Belle, and expanded entries for such players as Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds. This special resource for fans of baseball reflects the breakout talent and enduring fan favorites from all eras of the historic game.
Card by card--all 572 of the '59 Topps set--this book contemplates the lives and times of mid-20th century baseball. That season was in the heart of a period of turmoil: milestones in integration, franchise shifts to the West Coast, a potential rival league, the major leagues' expansion, and labor issues that included paying young prospects not to play. The cards help tell the players' stories, too. The slugger who had a date with Marilyn Monroe (no, not Joe DiMaggio), and the minor leaguer better known than Marilyn. The nephew of a Black Sox player, and the target of a bribery attempt. The lefty catcher. The pitcher from Mayberry. The only player to pinch-hit for Ted Williams. Strikeout kings and wildmen. Religious stalwarts and hell raisers. The stripper's husband. The coolest socks in baseball. Ballplayers who were also basketball players--including the NBA's No. 1 pick one year. Satchel's Six Rules and Twig's Six Rules. Coot, Rip, Turk, Puddin' Head, Whammy, The Rope and Captain Midnight. Pick any card, and you'll find another engaging tale about baseball.
Book Synopsis When Baseball Was Still Topps by : Phil Coffin
Download or read book When Baseball Was Still Topps written by Phil Coffin and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2023-12-25 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Card by card--all 572 of the '59 Topps set--this book contemplates the lives and times of mid-20th century baseball. That season was in the heart of a period of turmoil: milestones in integration, franchise shifts to the West Coast, a potential rival league, the major leagues' expansion, and labor issues that included paying young prospects not to play. The cards help tell the players' stories, too. The slugger who had a date with Marilyn Monroe (no, not Joe DiMaggio), and the minor leaguer better known than Marilyn. The nephew of a Black Sox player, and the target of a bribery attempt. The lefty catcher. The pitcher from Mayberry. The only player to pinch-hit for Ted Williams. Strikeout kings and wildmen. Religious stalwarts and hell raisers. The stripper's husband. The coolest socks in baseball. Ballplayers who were also basketball players--including the NBA's No. 1 pick one year. Satchel's Six Rules and Twig's Six Rules. Coot, Rip, Turk, Puddin' Head, Whammy, The Rope and Captain Midnight. Pick any card, and you'll find another engaging tale about baseball.
Provides a comprehensive listing, including biographical information and statistics, of each athlete inducted into one of the major sports halls of fame.
Book Synopsis The Sports Hall of Fame Encyclopedia by : David Blevins
Download or read book The Sports Hall of Fame Encyclopedia written by David Blevins and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2012 with total page 1302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Provides a comprehensive listing, including biographical information and statistics, of each athlete inducted into one of the major sports halls of fame.
In 1936, the Baseball Hall of Fame was established to honor the legends of the sport. The first inductees were some of the greatest names of the dugout, including Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth. Less than ten years later, in 1945, the Hockey Hall of Fame inducted its first members. The Soccer Hall of Fame was established in 1950, followed by the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1959, and the Football Hall of Fame in 1963. In all, more than 1,400 inductees—players, teams, and behind the scenes personnel—have been enshrined in these five halls of fame. The Sports Hall of Fame Encyclopedia is a comprehensive listing of each inductee elected into one or more of these major sports halls of fame. From Hank Aaron to Fred Zollner, this book contains biographical information, sport and position(s) played, and career statistics (when applicable) of each of the more than 1,400 honorees. The book also includes specific appendixes for each shrine, in which inductees are listed alphabetically and by year of induction. Also included are appendixes briefly describing the history of each hall of fame.
Book Synopsis The Sports Hall of Fame Encyclopedia by : Dave Blevins
Download or read book The Sports Hall of Fame Encyclopedia written by Dave Blevins and published by Scarecrow Press. This book was released on 2011-12-23 with total page 1303 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1936, the Baseball Hall of Fame was established to honor the legends of the sport. The first inductees were some of the greatest names of the dugout, including Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth. Less than ten years later, in 1945, the Hockey Hall of Fame inducted its first members. The Soccer Hall of Fame was established in 1950, followed by the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1959, and the Football Hall of Fame in 1963. In all, more than 1,400 inductees—players, teams, and behind the scenes personnel—have been enshrined in these five halls of fame. The Sports Hall of Fame Encyclopedia is a comprehensive listing of each inductee elected into one or more of these major sports halls of fame. From Hank Aaron to Fred Zollner, this book contains biographical information, sport and position(s) played, and career statistics (when applicable) of each of the more than 1,400 honorees. The book also includes specific appendixes for each shrine, in which inductees are listed alphabetically and by year of induction. Also included are appendixes briefly describing the history of each hall of fame.
Preeminent baseball analyst Bill James and ESPN.com baseball columnist Rob Neyer compile information on pitches and their origins, nearly two thousand pitchers, and more in this comprehensive guide. Pitchers, the pitches they throw, and how they throw them—they’re the stuff of constant scrutiny, but there's never been anything like a comprehensive source for such information…until now. Bill James and Rob Neyer spent over a decade compiling the centerpiece of this book, the Pitcher Census, which lists specific information for nearly two thousand pitchers, ranging throughout the history of professional baseball. Their guide also includes a dictionary describing virtually every known pitch, biographies of great pitchers who have been overlooked, and top ten lists for fastballs, spitballs, and everything in between. James and Neyer also weigh in on the debate over pitcher abuse and durability, offer a formula for predicting the Cy Young Award winner, and reveal James’s Pitcher Codes. Learn about the origins and development of baseball’s most important pitches and more knuckleballers and submariners than you ever thought existed! Baseball’s action always starts with the pitchers. Begin to understand them and join in on entertaining debates while having a great deal of fun with the history of the game that captivates so many with this one-of-a-kind guide.
Book Synopsis The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers by : Bill James
Download or read book The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers written by Bill James and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2008-06-16 with total page 500 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Preeminent baseball analyst Bill James and ESPN.com baseball columnist Rob Neyer compile information on pitches and their origins, nearly two thousand pitchers, and more in this comprehensive guide. Pitchers, the pitches they throw, and how they throw them—they’re the stuff of constant scrutiny, but there's never been anything like a comprehensive source for such information…until now. Bill James and Rob Neyer spent over a decade compiling the centerpiece of this book, the Pitcher Census, which lists specific information for nearly two thousand pitchers, ranging throughout the history of professional baseball. Their guide also includes a dictionary describing virtually every known pitch, biographies of great pitchers who have been overlooked, and top ten lists for fastballs, spitballs, and everything in between. James and Neyer also weigh in on the debate over pitcher abuse and durability, offer a formula for predicting the Cy Young Award winner, and reveal James’s Pitcher Codes. Learn about the origins and development of baseball’s most important pitches and more knuckleballers and submariners than you ever thought existed! Baseball’s action always starts with the pitchers. Begin to understand them and join in on entertaining debates while having a great deal of fun with the history of the game that captivates so many with this one-of-a-kind guide.
How the 1980 Philadelphia Phillies Won the First World Series Championship in Franchise History The road was rocky and the suspense intense as a make-or-break 1980 baseball season unfolded for the Philadelphia Phillies under a new, often-unpopular manager who sought to shape a collection of All-Star talent into champions. In the end, Dallas Green’s gruffness, Pete Rose’s clubhouse leadership, Mike Schmidt’s Most Valuable Player performance, Steve Carlton’s almost unbeatable pitching, Tug McGraw’s irrepressible personality—plus contributions from young, unheralded players and savvy veterans—led the club to the franchise’s first World Series in history. Although the Phillies had risen to prominence and relevance in the late 1970s, they could not get past the National League Championship Series. Management was tempted to blow up the team. Wooing Rose as a free agent to add spirit, as well as a clutch bat, and the promotion of the reluctant Green from the farm system in place of well-liked Danny Ozark, helped change the dynamics of the team. The risky strategy led to some internal discord and relentless challenges from Green, but after months of seeming slow to emerge as a team prepared to grab a championship, the Phillies clutch ballplaying through the end of September to qualify for the playoffs, and then played inspired baseball when most needed in October. Some forty years later, that Phillies group is especially prized for the breakthrough in a near-century-long wait for a title for a club that began play in 1883. Only once since then have the Phillies claimed another crown. The mix of superstars, with the major influence of such players as Bob Boone, Larry Bowa, Greg Luzinski, Lonnie Smith, Manny Trillo, Garry Maddox, and Bake McBride helped take the Phillies on a months-long-ride, culminating in the glory they and their fans both hungered for for so long.
Book Synopsis Phillies 1980! by : Lew Freedman
Download or read book Phillies 1980! written by Lew Freedman and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2020-06-02 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How the 1980 Philadelphia Phillies Won the First World Series Championship in Franchise History The road was rocky and the suspense intense as a make-or-break 1980 baseball season unfolded for the Philadelphia Phillies under a new, often-unpopular manager who sought to shape a collection of All-Star talent into champions. In the end, Dallas Green’s gruffness, Pete Rose’s clubhouse leadership, Mike Schmidt’s Most Valuable Player performance, Steve Carlton’s almost unbeatable pitching, Tug McGraw’s irrepressible personality—plus contributions from young, unheralded players and savvy veterans—led the club to the franchise’s first World Series in history. Although the Phillies had risen to prominence and relevance in the late 1970s, they could not get past the National League Championship Series. Management was tempted to blow up the team. Wooing Rose as a free agent to add spirit, as well as a clutch bat, and the promotion of the reluctant Green from the farm system in place of well-liked Danny Ozark, helped change the dynamics of the team. The risky strategy led to some internal discord and relentless challenges from Green, but after months of seeming slow to emerge as a team prepared to grab a championship, the Phillies clutch ballplaying through the end of September to qualify for the playoffs, and then played inspired baseball when most needed in October. Some forty years later, that Phillies group is especially prized for the breakthrough in a near-century-long wait for a title for a club that began play in 1883. Only once since then have the Phillies claimed another crown. The mix of superstars, with the major influence of such players as Bob Boone, Larry Bowa, Greg Luzinski, Lonnie Smith, Manny Trillo, Garry Maddox, and Bake McBride helped take the Phillies on a months-long-ride, culminating in the glory they and their fans both hungered for for so long.