This day in baseball: One hundred-loss matchup
Posted: October 6, 2019 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Boston Beaneaters, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, Philadelphia Phillies, sports Leave a commentFor the second time in major league history, two one hundred-loss teams faced one another on October 6, 1923. The 52-100 Beaneaters beat the 50-102 Phillies, 5-4, in the first game of a doubleheader. Boston had also been part of the first one hundred-loss matchup when the 50-100 club played 45-103 Brooklyn in 1905.
Philadelphia Phillies logo, 1923-1924 (Business Insider)
This day in baseball: Digging up a ploy
Posted: September 17, 2019 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, sports, Tommy Corcoran Leave a commentOn September 17, 1900, Reds shortstop Tommy Corcoran left his position and began digging around the third base coaching box with his spikes at Philadelphia Park. The Reds captain ended up digging out a metal box containing an electrical device inside with attached wires. It was suspected that the device was being used by the Phillies in a sophisticated scheme to steal signs, though I’m curious as to what tipped off Corcoran to start digging.
Tommy Corcoran (Wikipedia)
This day in baseball: The last doubleheader complete-gamer
Posted: June 19, 2019 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Cincinnati Reds, history, Jack Scott, Major League Baseball, MLB, Philadelphia Phillies, sports Leave a commentThe last pitcher to pitch a complete game in both games of a doubleheader was Jack Scott of the Philadelphia Phillies. Scott accomplished this feat on June 19, 1927 against Cincinnati at Redlands Field. Scott won the opener of the twin bill, 3-1, however, he lost the second game, 3-0.
Jack Scott in 1922 (Wikipedia)
This day in baseball: Philadelphia’s first win
Posted: May 14, 2019 Filed under: 19th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Stockings, history, Lake Front Park, National League, Philadelphia Phillies, Philadelphia Quakers, sports Leave a commentThe Philadelphia Quakers (later known as the Phillies) won their first game in franchise history on May 14, 1883 again the Chicago White Stockings (later known as the Cubs). The Quakers had lost their first eight games of the season, but then proceeded to pound the White Stockings 12-0 at Chicago’s Lake Front Park. The Quakers would finish the season with a depressing 17-81 (.173) record, putting them in last place in the National League.
Lake Front Park (projectballpark.org)
“Be A Believer in Giant/Dodger/Philly Fever,” The Paid Attendance
Posted: April 8, 2019 Filed under: 20th Century, Pop culture | Tags: Baseball, Los Angeles Dodgers, Major League Baseball, MLB, music, Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, sports, The Paid Attendance Leave a commentI came across these somewhat randomly this weekend: three songs by a group called The Paid Attendance. So far as I have been able to tell, these are the only three songs by this group, and I have only been able to find audio for two of them. That being said, I suppose it’s not really a big deal that I cannot find audio for the third, as it would likely just fall in line with the other two songs. First off, here’s “Be A Believer in Giant Fever,” released in 1978.
The group must have had a thing for New-York-teams-gone-California, because in 1979, they put one out for the Dodgers.
The third song, for which I have not been able to find audio online, appears to be the same song with a Philly twist: “Be A Believer in Philly Fever.”
I am curious as to whether the original intention was to put out a version for each team in the majors. If so, they didn’t get very far into the process. Whatever the intention, I did find the Giants and Dodgers versions fun to listen to. It’s the kind of song that makes you want to do a little jig while you brush your teeth in the morning.
Backwards bases
Posted: March 11, 2019 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Dallas Green, Duke Snider, Jimmy Piersall, Major League Baseball, MLB, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, sports 3 CommentsOn June 23, 1963, Mets outfielder Jimmy Piersall faced Phillies pitcher Dallas Green to lead off the top of the fifth. Piersall swung on Green’s offering and blasted what was career homer number 100.
To celebrate the milestone, Piersall then decided to take Duke Snider up on his clubhouse bet and ran around the bases backward. He completed his trip around the bases in the correct order: first, second, third, and home — he just faced backwards. Piersall essentially backpedaled all the way around the infield.
complex.com
This day in baseball: Cox buys the Phillies
Posted: February 18, 2019 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, history, Kenesaw Mountain Landis, Major League Baseball, MLB, National League, Philadelphia Phillies, sports, William D. Cox Leave a commentAfter the bankrupt team had been taken over by the National League, William D. Cox purchased the Philadelphia Phillies from the NL on February 18, 1943. At the age of 33, this made Cox the youngest owner in the league. However, evidence surfaced later that year that Cox had placed some bets on his own team. Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis launched an investigation, and Cox eventually admitted to making some “sentimental” bets on the Phillies. Landis responded by banning Cox from baseball on November 23, 1943.
Shibe Park (Wikipedia)
