Presented by the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame
The Phillies responded in a big way yesterday, forcing a winner-take-all game tonight.
Yesterday was the type of game that could spark a deep playoff run—but it all starts tonight.
Let’s make it a true Red October.
October 1 has given us a variety of Philly baseball memories and the end of a trilogy for a hometown hero.
Historical Day for Philly Baseball
On this day in 1950, it was a special day in Philly baseball history.
In Brooklyn, the Phillies held a one-game lead over the Dodgers heading into the final game of the regular season.
The scenario was simple: Win and go to the World Series. Lose, and play a three-game playoff against the Dodgers.
It was an excellent matchup, with Robin Roberts facing Don Newcombe, and it didn’t disappoint.
Both pitchers were going strong, with the game tied heading into the 10th inning.
In the top of the 10th, Phillies left fielder Dick Sisler blasted a three-run homer to give the Phillies a 4-1 lead.
Roberts held the Dodgers down in the bottom of the inning, giving the Whiz Kids their first NL pennant since 1915.
Meanwhile, back in Philadelphia, the A’s were mired in a 100-loss season and simply playing out the string while a power struggle was taking place in the front office.
But for one day, they gave the fans something to cheer about—all 1,387 of them.
The A’s got a complete game from Johnny Kucab and beat the Washington Nationals 5-3.
What those fans didn’t know was that they were watching the end of a 50-year era.
At 87 years old, Connie Mack managed his final game in the majors.
Shortly after the season, Mack was forced to retire amid concerns from his family. He had been experiencing memory lapses, while disagreements continued in the front office over the direction of the team.
Mack, never one to mince words, summed it up when he retired:
“I’m not quitting because I’m getting old. I’m quitting because I think some people want me to.”
A subtle shot at his own family—and the end of one of the longest managerial careers in baseball history.
Trivia – Connie Mack is the all-time leader in manager wins and losses. Who is second in each of those categories? (Answer below)
End of an era
Speaking of Mack, Shibe Park was named after the legendary manager in 1953.
On this day in 1970, the ballpark was set to host its final game, with the state-of-the-art Veterans Stadium scheduled to open the following spring.
But the old ballpark wasn’t ready to go quietly.
The Phillies and Expos went into extra innings before Oscar Gamble knocked in Tim McCarver in the 10th, giving the Phillies a 2-1 victory.
And then the real chaos began.
Fans rushed the field and took it upon themselves to help with the demolition of the old ballpark.
They took wooden slats, signs, seats, bathroom fixtures, and even toilets.
Nothing was safe.
Shibe Park was coming down—and Phillies fans were more than happy to help.
A Thrilla
On this day in 1975, Philly’s Smokin’ Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali faced off for the third and final time in Manila, Philippines.
There was a ton of hype leading up to the fight, and the fighters didn’t disappoint.
They pounded each other through 14 brutal rounds before Frazier’s trainer, Eddie Futch, threw in the towel, allowing Ali to retain the heavyweight championship.
After three unforgettable fights, the trilogy was complete.
Neither fighter would ever be the same after that night in Manila.
Iron Man
On this day in 1980, the Phillies were locked in a tight division race with the Expos.
They needed their stars to come up big, and they answered the call.
Mike Schmidt and Greg Luzinski hit back-to-back home runs, while Steve Carlton delivered a complete-game two-hitter, striking out 10 Cubs as the Phillies rolled to a 5-0 win.
The game also pushed Carlton over 300 innings for the season. He would finish with 304.
It was the last time an MLB pitcher reached the 300-inning plateau. I’ll go out on a limb and guarantee we’ll never see it again.
Trivia Answer – Tony LaRussa is number two on the all-time wins and losses list behind Mack.
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