What a story! The Philadelphia Phillies had not participated in a World Series since 1950. That would change in 1980.
BACKDROP: It was a good time to be a sports fan in Philadelphia. In May 1980, the 76ers reached the NBA finals, the Flyers reached the Stanley Cup finals, and the Eagles reached the Super Bowl in January 1981. All three of those teams lost, but the fact that all four of the Philadelphia sports teams made it to the finals during those eight months, with one winning, is quite impressive. In 1983, the Phillies secured their fourth National League pennant but lost to the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series. Since then, they have captured four more pennants and another World Series title in 2008.
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The Philadelphia Phillies franchise dates back to 1883, when Chester A. Arthur was President of the United States. The Phillies were initially known as the Philadelphia Quakers but were renamed the Phillies in 1890. Despite some outstanding seasons, the Phillies did not achieve first place until 1915, when they lost to the Red Sox in the World Series, four games to one.
In 1932, Phillies outfielder Chuck Klein won the NL MVP award, and the following year, he claimed the elusive Triple Crown. Despite having some good players on the team, the Phillies wouldn’t win the NL Pennant again until 1950, with pitcher Jim Konstanty winning the NL MVP that same year. However, the Phillies had the misfortune of facing the powerhouse New York Yankees in the World Series and lost four games to zero.
1976
From 1951 to 1975, the Phillies had just nine winning seasons and no pennants. One of the few highlights was pitcher Steve Carlton’s 1972 Cy Young Award. However, that would all change in 1976.
The Phillies finished the 1976 season with 101 wins and 61 losses, marking their best record in team history. Centerfielder Garry Maddox led the team with a batting average of .330, while third baseman Mike Schmidt topped the team in RBIs with 107. Schmidt also led the team and the league in home runs, hitting 38. Pitcher Steve Carlton had a 20–7 record with a 3.13 ERA, and Jim Lonborg recorded an 18–10 record with a 3.08 ERA.
Mike Schmidt, shortstop, Larry Bowa, second baseman, Dave Cash, left fielder, Greg Luzinski, and catcher Bob Boone were named to the All-Star team. Danny Ozark received the Manager of the Year Award. However, the season concluded in disappointment as the Reds swept them in the NLCS.
1977 and 1978
The loss to the Reds didn’t discourage them. The 1977 Phillies matched their 101–61 record from 1976. Although he recorded 140 strikeouts for the season, the third most in MLB, Greg Luzinski had a stellar year. He batted .309, hit 39 home runs, the third most in the league, and drove in 130 runs, the second highest in the league.
Mike Schmidt (photo courtesy This Day in Baseball)
Mike Schmidt hit 38 home runs, the fifth most in the league, and drove in 104 runs. The Phillies had one of, if not the best, benches in baseball. Utility player Tommy Hutton appeared in 107 games and batted .309. Backup catcher Tim McCarver participated in 93 games and batted .320. Reserve outfielder Bake McBride played in 85 games and hit .339. Backup first baseman Davey Johnson played in 78 games and batted .321.
Steve Carlton (photo courtesy Baseball Hall of Fame)
Pitcher Steve Carlton led both the team and the league with 23 wins. His 23–10 record and 2.64 ERA earned him another Cy Young Award. Larry Christenson also enjoyed a remarkable season, finishing with a 19–6 record. Tug McGraw had an excellent season as the Phillies’ top relief pitcher.
Greg Luzinski, Mike Schmidt, and Steve Carlton made the All-Star team. However, for the second consecutive year, the Phillies lost in the NLCS, this time to the Dodgers, three games to one.
The Phillies weren’t quite as dominant in 1978, finishing the season with a 90–72 record, but that was enough to secure first place. Greg Luzinski had another impressive year, belting 35 home runs and driving in 101 RBIs. Shortstop Larry Bowa led the team in batting average, hitting .294.
Steve Carlton was again the top pitcher, winning 16 games with a 2.84 ERA. Larry Bowa, Bob Boone, and Greg Luzinski made the All-Star team. The season concluded in frustration, as the Phillies lost to the Dodgers again in the NL Championship Series.
1979 and Pete Rose
During the offseason, the Phillies signed free agent Pete Rose, expecting him to help lead Philadelphia to the World Series. However, injuries and a lackluster pitching staff ultimately derailed the team.
They struggled throughout the season, and with a 65–67 record heading into September, something had to be done.
As often happens in baseball, the manager received most of the blame, resulting in Danny Ozark’s dismissal. Dallas Green took over, and the Phillies won 19 of their last 30 games. Yet it was still too little, too late, as they finished the season 14 games out of first place. Mike Schmidt hit 45 home runs, the second highest in the league, while the rest of the team managed only 74. Schmidt also led the team in RBIs with 114.
Pete Rose posted the best batting average on the squad, hitting .331. Aside from Steve Carlton, who won 18 games, the pitching staff faced difficulties. Even their top relief pitcher, Tug McGraw, struggled, ending the season with a 5.16 ERA. Larry Bowa, Bob Boone, Pete Rose, Mike Schmidt, and Steve Carlton made the All-Star team.
1980 — A Season to Remember
The Phillies had a slow start in 1980, and by the end of May, they weren’t impressing anyone with a 23–18 record. By the All-Star break, the Phillies appeared to be a slightly above-average team with a 41–35 record. Fortunately, no other team in their division was performing exceptionally well. Mike Schmidt, Pete Rose, and Steve Carlton were the only Phillies selected for the All-Star Team.
Bake McBride greeted at home plate by Larry Bowa (photo courtesy MLB)
By the end of August, the Phillies stood at 68–60, just a half-game out of first place. However, they won 16 of their next 24 games, taking a half-game lead over the Montreal Expos. With only ten games remaining, six against the Expos, the Phillies needed to continue their winning streak. The Phillies and Expos kicked off a three-game series on September 26, with Montreal taking two of three to reclaim their half-game lead.
The Phillies’ next series was a four-game series against the Chicago Cubs. They swept the Cubs, and it all came down to the final three games against Montreal. The two teams were tied for first place with identical 89–70 records. Philadelphia won the series two games to one.
Mike Schmidt had a memorable season, leading MLB with 48 home runs and topping the National League with 121 RBIs. He also achieved a solid batting average of .286 and won the NL MVP award. Starting right fielder Bake McBride posted a .309 average, while backup catcher Keith Moreland batted .314 and backup outfielder Lonnie Smith hit .339.
Pitcher Steve Carlton enjoyed another impressive season with a 2.34 ERA and a 24–9 record, earning his third Cy Young award. Tug McGraw rebounded from his lackluster 1979 season by shutting down opponents with an exceptional 1.46 ERA.
CONTINUED IN PART TWO….
