Skip to main content

Sunday School: History Lesson 9

There is tons of lore about the 1950 Phillies, the team full of youth that fought off the Dodgers to make it to the World Series, but do you know about how the season finished? Do you know how the 1950 Whiz Kids nearly pulled a 2007 Metropolitans? Read on, little stars...and let's shine together.

In the closing weeks of the 1950 season, our Phillies had a 7 game lead with just 11 games left to play. A World Series berth seemed almost locked up. It would be the Phillies first trip to the Series in 35 years. However, without warning, the team began to fizzle (yes the Whiz began to Fizz). They lost seven of nine, during the final weeks of the season, while the Brooklyn Dodgers won 12 of 15 games during a stretch in the closing weeks. The Phillies roster suffered a big loss, in September, when 17 game winner, pitcher Curt Simmons, an Army National Guard member, was drafted for the Korean War. The team kept fighting, however. In fact, 1950 was the year that the team got the nickname, "The Fightin' Phils".

With a collapse looming, Brooklyn hosted a 2 game series to close the season against the Phillies, at Ebbets Field. The Phils held a 2 game lead. If the Dodgers won both games, it would force a 3 game playoff series to decide the National League Champions. As you may expect, for the sake of building drama so future generations like us can pass the story on, the Dodgers were victorious in the 1st game. Roy Campanella, a Philadelphia native, smashed a 3-run homerun to seal the 7-3 victory for the Dodgers.

On Sunday, October 1st, Robin Roberts would take the mound for Philadelphia. This would be Robin's third start in five days. Righty Don Newcombe would start for Brooklyn. This was a match up of 19 game winners. Former Phils manager Burt Shotton was now the manager of the Dodgers.

In the top of the 6th inning, Willie Jones singled home Dick Sisler for the first run of the game. In the bottom half of the 6th, the Dodgers tied it on a Pee Wee Reese homer.

The score was still tied entering the bottom of the 9th inning. The Dodgers had runners on 1st and 2nd, with no outs, when Duke Snider lined a single to centerfield. Richie Ashburn fielded the ball on one hop, while Dodgers third base coach, and former Phillie, Milt Stock waived Cal Abrams home. Abrams was not the fastest guy on the field (12 steals in 8 seasons), and was surely no match for Ashburn's arm. Richie fired home and Abrams was out by several feet, tagged by Stan Lopata. Ashburn's throw prevented the pennant winning run from scoring, and kept the Phillies alive. Roberts then intentionally walked Jackie Robinson, and escaped the bases loaded jam by getting Carl Furillo and Gil Hodges to pop and fly out, respectively.

The game then went into extra innings with both Roberts and Newcombe still pitching for their teams. Dick Sisler would smash a 3-run homer to cement his name in Phillies lore. The Dodgers did not score in the 10th and the Whiz Kids avoided a terrible collapse and were on their way to the World Series, with a 4-1 victory.

Comments

IRONPIGPEN said…
This was great. I did not know the origin of that name.

I was history major in college so I appreciate the lesson.

I also lived in Philly for a few years so I appreciate the Campanella thing.

I'll do an all-time draft thing. What are we doing? Picking a player for each position or a 25-man team. Eligible players are "drafted and signed" by Phillies? Selection criteria based on Phillies MLB career or complete MLB career?

Popular posts from this blog

Eric B Needs to be Cut (and My Name is Rakim)

While the Phillies are on a hot streak this month, one player on the team is not. Eric Bruntlett is 1-for-12 in July. Since the start of May, Bruntlett's apex in batting average has been .167 on June 14th. Bruntlett's ineptitude can be tolerated no longer. Get rid of this guy NOW! Eric B. is the 2009 Endy Chavez. Remember Endy...the guy who in 2005 managed just 2 hits in his final 42 games played as a Phillie? That is about the sort of output the Phillies are getting from Bruntlett, and it's time to fix this void. Julio Lugo was designated for assignment last week by the Red Sox and is expected to become a free agent. The Metropolitans are rumored to be interested. Why wouldn't the Phillies be interested in a guy who could surely outhit Bruntlett? Lugo was hitting .284 through 37 games played this season with Boston. Suspended Lehigh Valley IronPig Pablo Ozuna is eligible to return next Wednesday. Ozuna is batting .294 through 51 games at triple A. Miguel Cairo is also...

Yankees Fans Misled By Pepsi Promotion

**** Today, New York Yankees fans attended a Pepsi promotion in Times Square hoping for chances to win opening day tickets to the new stadium, but the tickets, which were difficult to track down due to poor organization on Pepsi's part, were actually for a game in June. Furthermore, the 250 pairs that were promised were actually only 100 pairs. The fans, who were made to sprint through traffic over multiple city blocks when locations for the promotion changed, quickly turned against the soda brand by pooring out their beverages and chanting anti-Pepsi phrases. Yankees fans are even threatening a boycott of Pepsi. An appearance by Yankee great Goose Gossage could not even settle the angry mob, as he had to be whisked away, as a precaution, according to the Daily News . Ooo , I'd hate to see what "the worst fans in sports" (Philadelphia fans) would have done to their free Pepsi cans and beloved reliever in that situation. Because this happened in a non-Philly city, th...

5th spot, Wall, Old timers, Links

The race for the Phillies' fifth starter spot is still on. While it's not fully fair to compare Grapefruit League stats, when some of the pitchers have had "B game" and scrimmage outings mixed in, Kyle Kendrick and Carlos Carrasco look to be falling behind Chan Ho Park and "Jay" Happ. Happ added to his solid Grapefruit League stats (2.45 ERA, 1.09 WHIP in 4 games) today against the Rays. Pitching coach Rich Dubee had been displeased with Kendrick even before he surrendered 8 earned runs in 3 innings of work yesterday against the Braves. Park has been working on improving his change up, with (Coach) Jamie Moyer. Park noticed Moyer's location control on his change, so he sought out Moyer to teach him the grip and positioning of the ball. Moyer, of course, feels good about helping anyone on the Phils' staff. Park has been coached by greats like Nolan Ryan with the Rangers and Sandy Koufax with the Dodgers, so Moyer is in great company. Park is working h...