PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

The Official History of the Philadelphia Phillies | Baseball Almanac

The Philadelphia Phillies are the longest standing same-named, same-city team in American professional sports, having been born to the National League in 1883. Unfortunately for them, longevity does not constitute greatness. In fact, the Phillies have been dogged by bad management, poor players and general ineptness for almost the entire span of their long history, so much so that they have lost more games than any other American professional sports team.

Their all-time record through 2010 is 9,135 - 10,232, almost 1,100 games under .500. They hold the unenviable records of losing 23 consecutive straight games (1961) and going 92 years (1883-1979) without a championship (a record tied by the Cubs in 2005 and surpassed in 2006).

The Phillies played their first game on May 1, 1883, losing to the Providence Grays 4-3. They would lose 81 of 98 games, a harbinger of things to come. Hall of Famer Harry Wright took over the team in its sophomore season and for the next 10 years they finished out of the first division only once. Wright added great talent, starting with Ed Delahanty. "Big Ed" hit over .400 three times, won a batting title, hit four home runs in a game in 1896 and was the slugging leader in 1893 with 19 home runs and 146 runs batted in.

In 1894 Delahanty was a member of an All-Hall-of-Fame outfield with Sam Thompson and "Sliding" Billy Hamilton. All three hit above .400 that year. Hamilton set a record by scoring 192 runs that year. He won two batting titles and four stolen base crowns (thus his nickname) and Thompson led the league twice in home runs.

The Phillies had a tough time in the first decade of the 20th century after the upstart American League signed away their three biggest stars - Delahanty, Elmer Flick and Nap Lajoie - all future Hall of Famers. Their rebound started when they signed a young Grover Cleveland Alexander. One of the greatest of all pitchers, he won 28 games as a rookie in 1911. He averaged 27 wins in his seven years with Philly, winning 30-plus games three times and 20-plus games each year but 1912 when he won 19.

In 1915, he had one of the all-time great seasons (31-10, 1.22 ERA, 12 shutouts, four one-hitters and 264 strikeouts in sparking the Phillies to the pennant. His battery mate, Gavvy Cravath, was the league's premier slugger, socking a then-record 24 home runs. The Phils lost to the Red Sox in the World Series, winning the first game by two runs before losing four in a row, all by one run.

After two consecutive second place finishes, the Phils collapsed into a dark and dismal period virtually unmatched in the game's history. During the next three decades they would finish last 17 times and next-to-last seven times, losing more than 100 games for five consecutive seasons (1938-1942).

Since the Phils played in the Baker Bowl, an old stadium favorable to power hitters, they had their share of slugging stars, most notably Chuck Klein, who won three home run titles, including a Triple Crown in 1933 (28 home runs, 129 runs batted in, and a .368 average). Klein, like Delahanty, also hit four home runs in one game, accomplishing the feat in 1936. The Phils left the Baker Bowl for Shibe Park in 1938.

The Phils finally emerged from the darkness after World War II, building a team around what the fans came to call the "Whiz Kids" — Richie Ashburn, Curt Simmons, Granny Hamner, Andy Seminick, Robin Roberts and veterans Dick Sisler and Jim Konstanty.

The "Whiz Kids" won the 1950 pennant, but not without a scare. Flying high with a seven game lead and 11 to play, they hit a wind shear of a slump, losing eight of 10 while the Dodgers pulled to within one game. The two teams met on the final day of the season in Brooklyn and were tied 1-1 when Dick Sisler hit a three-run 10th inning homer. Roberts pitched the entire game and Ashburn saved the season by throwing out the winning run at the plate in the bottom of the ninth. It was all academic, as the Phils lost to the Yanks in the World Series.

If the "Whiz Kids" survived a near collapse in 1950, their counterparts in 1964 were not so fortunate. After another decade of floundering near the bottom of the league, the Phils were the team to beat in 1964 behind manager Gene Mauch, pitching ace Jim Bunning (19-8, 2.63), the veteran John Callison (31 home runs, 104 runs batted in, .274) and newcomer Dick Allen (29 home runs, 91 runs batted in, .318). The team had a 6½ game lead with 12 games remaining, and unimaginably lost 10 straight allowing the St. Louis Cardinals to steal the pennant from them by one game.

The team returned to its second division doldrums the rest of the decade. They moved out of ancient Connie Mack Stadium (nee Shibe Park) for Veterans Stadium in 1970, and a restocked farm system and some astute trades rejuvenated the franchise. Steve Carlton had been a good pitcher in St. Louis, but after being traded to the Phillies he took his game to another plateau. On a team that won only 59 games in 1972, Carlton won the Cy Young Award (27-10, 1.98).

As the youngsters matured the Phils won three consecutive National League East titles (1976-77-78) with Carlton the mainstay (20, 23 and 16 wins) and Mike Schmidt the slugging star (38, 38 and 21 home runs). He became the third Philly player among the 15 in history to hit four homers in a game in 1976. There was plenty of other power with Greg Luzinski (21, 39 and 35 homers), Garry Maddox and Richie Hebner.

The Phils had trouble advancing in the postseason, however, losing all three National League Championship Series. Looking for the boost that would get them over the top, they brought in Pete Rose in 1979. The move paid huge dividends in 1980 when Rose's leadership and fiery competitiveness led the Phillies to their first world championship. As always, Carlton was the pitching leader with another Cy Young year (24-9, 2.34) and Schmidt had one of his finest seasons as Most Valuable Player (48 home runs, 121 runs batted in, .286).

The Phils won a dramatic National League Championship Series against Houston and closed the deal against Kansas City in the World Series in six games, with Carlton winning two and Schmidt hitting a pair of home runs. The Phils won a half-season pennant but lost to Montreal in the strike-forced 1981 Division Series. They were back on top in 1983 with Carlton winning his 300th game. The Phils defeated the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series but succumbed to Baltimore in the World Series.

After another down decade, the Phils roared back in 1993 behind a group of blue collar veterans led by John Kruk (.316), Darren Daulton (24 home runs, 105 runs batted in, .257) and sparkplug Len Dykstra (.305). Tommie Greene and Curt Schilling each won 16 games and Mitch Williams saved 43. After defeating Atlanta in the National League Championship Series, the Phils lost to Toronto in the World Series, best remembered for Joe Carter's walk-off, Series-winning home run against Williams in the sixth game.

After the success of 1993, more losing seasons followed until the drought was broken in 2001 with a non-playoff, second-place finish. Then, following an 80-81 record in 2002, the Phils improved with a string of winning campaigns and near playoff misses until finally returning to the postseason in 2007 propelled by the maturation of a homegrown core that included Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Brett Myers and Cole Hamels.

The 2007 season was also a milestone in that the Phillies recorded their 10,000th team loss; the most losses by a professional team in sports history. After being swept by the Colorado Rockies in the first round in 2007, the Phils, under the guidance of General Manager Pat Gillick and Manager Charlie Manual, returned to the postseason in 2008. Led by the ageless Jamie Moyer, the resurgent Brad Lidge, emerging stars Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth, and the heart of their lineup in Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, the Phils fought past the Milwaukee Brewers and L.A. Dodgers to reach their first World Series since 1993. After a wild, wet Game 5 that took three days to complete due to rain, they took their second World Series championship in franchise history when they defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4 games to 1.

Gillick, who retired at the end of the 2008 season, gave praise to his predecessor, Ed Wade, for putting together a majority of the group of players responsible for the championship victory. The team reins were handed to Ruben Amaro, Jr., who was an assistant to Gillick and Wade during their tenure.

Amaro made some key midseason pickups (particularly Cliff Lee and Pedro Martinez) along the way to the Phils' third consecutive postseason appearance in 2009. After getting past the Rockies and Dodgers in the NL playoffs, the Phillies faced the New York Yankees in their second consecutive Fall Classic. The Phils could not overcome a shaky bullpen and lost the World Series to the favored Yankees, 4 -2, despite stellar pitching by Cliff Lee, who won both of Philadelphia's games.

Led by new ace Roy Halladay, the run of winning seasons continued in 2010 with their fourth consecutive Eastern Division crown. However, they lost in the NLCS to San Francisco. Still, the successes of the decade have provided some distance for the Philadelphia organization and its long-suffering fans from its mostly trying past. A year later, another eastern division title, a 102-win season, but another disappointing postseason loss.

The franchise chose to rebuild after a promising five-year run, and it took an entire decade, that included three last place finishes, but in 2022, a Cinderella story occurred. A newly expanded playoff system enabled them to participate in a Wildcard Series, despite finishing third in the East, and improbable victories over the Cardinals, the defending World Champion Braves in the Division Series, and the San Diego Padres (who were able to defeat the juggernaut Dodgers), thrust the Phillies into their eighth Fall Classic! What followed was one of the most exciting World Series in baseball history, but ultimitely the rebuilt Phillies lost 2-4 to the Houston Astros. The fans, however, have much to look forward to in Philadelphia...

Baseball Almanac Top Quote

"Garland them with timeless lilies! Although they are a bunch of dillies, Who give honest men the willies. We still love them for their sillies. Hail, The Phillies." - Michener, James. Author. The Armchair Book of Baseball. Macmillan Publishing. 30 April 1985. Page 217-218.

Philadelphia Phillies History

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Philadelphia Phillies Franchise Facts

Philadelphia Phillies Rosters | 1883 - Current
      1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889
1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899
1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1908
1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919
1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929
1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2020 2021 2022 2023            
Bold Rosters = Uniform Numbers Worn
Philadelphia Phillies Schedules | 1883 - Current
      1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889
1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899
1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909
1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919
1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929
1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2020 2021 2022 2023            
Bold Schedules = Box Scores
Phillies 100-Win Seasons
Year Record Manager
1976 101-61 Danny Ozark
1977 101-61 Danny Ozark
2011 102-60 Charlie Manuel
Phillies 100-Loss Seasons
Year Record Manager
1904 52-100 Hugh Duffy
1921 51-103 Bill Donovan
" " Kaiser Wilhelm
1923 50-104 Art Fletcher
1927 51-103 Stuffy McInnis
1928 43-109 Burt Shotton
1930 52-102 Burt Shotton
1936 54-100 Jimmie Wilson
1938 45-105 Jimmie Wilson
" " Hans Lobert
1939 45-106 Doc Prothro
1940 50-103 Doc Prothro
1941 43-111 Doc Prothro
1942 42-109 Hans Lobert
1945 46-108 Freddie Fitzsimmons
" " Ben Chapman
1961 47-107 Gene Mauch
Phillies No-Hitters
Name IP Date
Charlie Ferguson 9.0 08-29-1885
Red Donahue 9.0 07-08-1898
Chick Fraser 9.0 09-18-1903
Johnny Lush 9.0 05-01-1906
Jim Bunning 9.0 06-21-1964
Rick Wise 9.0 06-23-1971
Terry Mulholland 9.0 08-15-1990
Tommy Greene 9.0 05-23-1991
Kevin Millwood 9.0 04-27-2003
Roy Halladay 9.0 05-29-2010
Roy Halladay 9.0 10-06-2010
Cole Hamels 6.0 09-01-2014
  Jake Diekman 1.0 " "
  Ken Giles 1.0 " "
  Jonathan Papelbon 1.0 " "
Cole Hamels 9.0 07-25-2015
Michael Lorenzen 9.0 08-09-2023
Bold = Perfect Game
Phillies Cycle Hitters
Name Inn. Date
Lave Cross 9.0 04-24-1894
Sam Thompson 9.0 08-17-1894
Cy Williams 9.0 08-05-1927
Chuck Klein 9.0 07-01-1931
Chuck Klein 14.0 05-26-1933
Johnny Callison 9.0 06-27-1963
Gregg Jefferies 9.0 08-25-1995
David Bell 9.0 06-28-2004
J.T. Realmuto 9.0 06-12-2023
Bold = Natural Cycle
Phillies Cy Young Winners
Year Name POS
1972 Steve Carlton LHP
1977 Steve Carlton LHP
1980 Steve Carlton LHP
1982 Steve Carlton LHP
1983 John Denny RHP
1987 Steve Bedrosian RHP
2010 Roy Halladay RHP
Phillies MVP Winners
Year Name POS
1932 Chuck Klein OF
1950 Jim Konstanty P
1980 Mike Schmidt 3B
1981 Mike Schmidt 3B
1986 Mike Schmidt 3B
2006 Ryan Howard 1B
2007 Jimmy Rollins SS
2021 Bryce Harper OF
Phillies Rookies of the Year
Year Name POS
1957 Jack Sanford P
1964 Dick Allen 3B
1997 Scott Rolen 3B
2005 Ryan Howard 1B
Phillies Retired Numbers
# Name POS
-- Grover Alexander P
-- Chuck Klein OF
1 Richie Ashburn OF
14 Jim Bunning P
15 Dick Allen 1B/3B
20 Mike Schmidt 3B
32 Steve Carlton P
34 Roy Halladay P
36 Robin Roberts P
42 Jackie Robinson 2B
Phillies Batting Champions
Year Name #
1891 Billy Hamilton .340
1899 Ed Delahanty .410
1910 Sherry Magee .331
1929 Lefty O'Doul .398
1933 Chuck Klein .368
1947 Harry Walker .363
1955 Richie Ashburn .338
1958 Richie Ashburn .350
Phillies ERA Champions
Year Name #
1915 Grover Alexander 1.22
1916 Grover Alexander 1.55
1917 Grover Alexander 1.83
1972 Steve Carlton 1.97
Phillies Home Run Champions
Year Name #
1889 Sam Thompson 20
1893 Ed Delahanty 19
1895 Sam Thompson 18
1896 Ed Delahanty 13
1897 Nap Lajoie 10
1913 Gavvy Cravath 19
1914 Gavvy Cravath 19
1915 Gavvy Cravath 24
1917 Gavvy Cravath 12
1918 Gavvy Cravath 8
1919 Gavvy Cravath 12
1920 Cy Williams 15
1923 Cy Williams 41
1927 Cy Williams 30
1929 Chuck Klein 43
1931 Chuck Klein 31
1932 Chuck Klein 38
1933 Chuck Klein 28
1974 Mike Schmidt 36
1975 Mike Schmidt 38
1976 Mike Schmidt 38
1980 Mike Schmidt 48
1981 Mike Schmidt 31
1983 Mike Schmidt 40
1984 Mike Schmidt 36
1986 Mike Schmidt 37
2003 Jim Thome 47
2006 Ryan Howard 58
2008 Ryan Howard 48
2022 Kyle Schwarber 46
Phillies Strikeout Champions
Year Name #
1910 Earl Moore 185
1912 Grover Alexander 195
1913 Tom Seaton 168
1914 Grover Alexander 214
1915 Grover Alexander 241
1916 Grover Alexander 167
1940 Kirby Higbe 137
1953 Robin Roberts 198
1954 Robin Roberts 185
1957 Jack Sanford 188
1967 Jim Bunning 253
1972 Steve Carlton 310
1974 Steve Carlton 240
1980 Steve Carlton 286
1982 Steve Carlton 286
1983 Steve Carlton 275
1997 Curt Schilling 310
1998 Curt Schilling 300
Phillies Wild Cards
Year Record Manager
2022 87-75 Joe Girardi
" " Rob Thomson
2023 90-72 Rob Thomson
Phillies East Division Titles
Year Record Manager
1976 101-61 Danny Ozark
1977 101-61 Danny Ozark
1978 90-72 Danny Ozark
1980 91-71 Dallas Green
1981 59-48 Dallas Green
1983 90-72 Pat Corrales
" " Paul Owens
1993 97-65 Jim Fregosi
2007 89-73 Charlie Manuel
2008 92-70 Charlie Manuel
2009 93-69 Charlie Manuel
2010 97-65 Charlie Manuel
2011 102-60 Charlie Manuel
Phillies N.L. Pennants
Year Record Manager
1915 90-62 Pat Moran
1950 91-63 Eddie Sawyer
1980 91-71 Dallas Green
1983 90-72 Pat Corrales
" " Paul Owens
1993 97-65 Jim Fregosi
2008 92-70 Charlie Manuel
2009 93-69 Charlie Manuel
Phillies World Championships
W.S. Opponent M.V.P.
1980 Kansas City Mike Schmidt
2008 Tampa Bay Cole Hamels
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Phillies Franchise Facts | Research by Baseball Almanac
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How did they become known as the Phillies? Arthur Bartlett in Baseball and Mr. Spalding (1951) explained, "Since the classic old Philadelphia name of Athletics had already been grabbed by the American Association, (Alfred J.) Reach called his team simply the Philadelphias, a name eventually shortened to Phillies."

Philadelphia Phillies World Series
   
1915 World Series 1993 World Series
1950 World Series 2008 World Series
1980 World Series 2009 World Series
1983 World Series 2022 World Series
Bold = World Champions

Did you know that the Phillies nickname is the oldest still in continuous use by any Major League team from any league? The franchise has had two other unofficial nicknames: 1883-1889 Philadelphia Quakers & 1944-1945 Philadelphia Blue Jays, but neither of these names were ever officially recognized by the Phillies, by the National League, or by Major League Baseball.

The Philadelphia Phillies played their first Major League game on April 30, 1883. Their opponent was the Providence Grays who defeated them 4-to-3 at Recreation Park.