adios
08-26-2005, 10:17 PM
Andy Fox wrote about the Yankees "sneaking" into the playoffs. A caveat, I've never had the pleasure of meeting Andy. Hope to someday and I enjoy reading his posts a great deal. With that said for those who think any team's a lock at this point I'd like to post a little blurb on the 64 Phillies. Back in 64 there were no divisional series as the respecvtive pennant winners from each league met in the World Series. The Phillies were up by 6.5 games with 12 games to play and didn't win the pennant. Oh yeah the Cardinals went on to win the World Series that year beating the Yankees. Here's a link chronicaling the Phillies collapse:
64 Phillies Collapse (http://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20050808233849943)
Lotsa baseball left, so it wouldn't surprise me at all if the Yankees actually won their division and went on to win the World Series. Could even see something crazy like the Red Sox and the Angel missing the playoffs. It's a very close race down the stretch.
On Sunday September 20, 1964, the Phillies beat the Dodgers 3-2 behind their ace Jim Bunning, who improved his record to 18-5. The Phils had lost an agonizing extra-inning affair the night before when Willie Davis stole home in the 16th inning. But now, with 12 games remaining, the 90-60 Phillies had a 6.5 game lead on Cincinnati and St.Louis, with the Giants 7 games back.
On Monday the 21st, the Phils 1-0 to the Reds when Chico Ruiz stole home in the sixth inning. Art Mahaffey (12-9) was the hard-luck loser. They lost to the Reds again the next day, as Chris Short got roughed up and fell to 17-8 on the year. The Reds completed the sweep the next day. Dennis Bennett (12-13) took a 3-2 lead into the seventh but gave up a couple of hits to open the inning. Several hitters later, Vada Pinson hit a three-run homer off reliever Ed Roebuck, and the Reds were suddenly just 3.5 games back, with nine still to play. The Cardinals and Giants were both five games back.
On Thursday, Milwaukee came to town and beat Jim Bunning (18-6). On Friday, Mauch brough Chris Short back on just two days rest. Short pitched well, but the Phillies were trailing 3-1 until John Callison, who seemed at this point to be a shoo-in for the NL MVP award, tied it up with a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth. The Braves scored two in the top of the tenth, but Richie Allen, having one of the greatest rookie seasons in history, tied things with a two-out two-run inside the park homer. But the Braves plated two in the 12th to hand the Phils their fifth straight loss. Cincinnati was just 1.5 games back.
The Braves made it 6 Philly losses in a row on Saturday the 26th. Art Mahaffey left after 7 with a 4-2 lead, but relief ace Jack Baldschun and the aging LH Bobby Shantz coughed it up, the big blow coming on a two run triple by Braves rookie Rico Carty.
And now the Reds were .5 game back, the Cardinals were 1.5 games back, and Mauch put the pedal to the floor. On Sunday, Jim Bunning started on two days rest for the first time all year. He was shelled for 7 runs in 3 IP, falling to 18-7; the Phils lost 14-8, despite Callison's three home runs. In New York, the Reds swept a double-header from the Mets and the Phils had suddenly fallen out of first place.
On Monday, the Phils went to St.Louis, and Mauch brought Chris Short back on two days rest for the second time in a row. Short wasn't bad, but Bob Gibson held the Phils to 5 hits. Johnny Callison drove in the Phils only run, but he went 0-4 and was beginning to come down with the flu. The Phillies were now in third place, 1.5 games out of the lead, trailing both Cincinnati and St.Louis.
On Tuesday, the Cards beat Dennis Bennett 4-2 to move into a tie for first with Cincinnati. Having lost nine in a row, the Phils were 1.5 back. John Callison was out of the lineup for the first time all year. But still, shaking with the flu on a cold fall day, Callison would single as a pinch-hitter later in the game. In clear violation of the rules, he was allowed to wear a pitcher's warm-up jacket as he ran the bases, although he was shaking so violently that St.Louis first baseman Bill White would have to fasten it for him. Imagine that...
On Wednesday, the Phils completed the collapse. Bunning started on two days rest again and got hammered as the Cardinals jumped to an 8-0 lead, and coasted to an 8-5 victory. Tim McCarver started the carnage with a two-run homer in the second. The best the Phillies could do now was tie, and they needed the Cardinals to lose all three of their remaining games.
But they stayed alive a little longer. There were no games on Thursday. On Friday, the Cardinals lost 1-0 as the Mets Al Jackson outduelled Bob Gibson. Meanwhile, the Phillies won for the first time in 11 days. Because of the off-day, Chris Short had three days rest. Trailing 3-0, the Phillies rallied for 4 runs in the eighth inning, keyed by Allen's two-run triple, and lived to fight another day.
They survived Saturday as well - the Phils were idle, but the Mets pummelled the Cardinals 15-5. St. Louis and Cincinnati were now in a dead heat atop the league, and the Phillies were one game back. There was one day remaining, and Mauch gave the ball to Jim Bunning on three days rest. Bunning came through with a six-hit shutout, but the Cardinals finally disposed of the Mets and the pennant was theirs. Callison finished second in the MVP voting, which went to Ken Boyer of the Cardinals.
The most surprised man in America was surely St.Louis owner Gussie Busch, who had fallen under the spell of the by-now-ancient Branch Rickey. Busch had fired his GM, Bing Devine, a few months earlier, not long after Devine had traded for Lou Brock. Busch was on the verge of firing manager Johnny Keane, when he suddenly found himself going to the World Series. Keane would manage the Cards to victory over the Yankees and then walk away from the job, going to New York just in time to preside over the Yankees collapse.
Gene Mauch was 38 years old in 1964, and would manage for another 23 years. The Phillies collapse would always be with him. Mauch never again had as good a team, despite his AL West winners in Anaheim.
64 Phillies Collapse (http://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20050808233849943)
Lotsa baseball left, so it wouldn't surprise me at all if the Yankees actually won their division and went on to win the World Series. Could even see something crazy like the Red Sox and the Angel missing the playoffs. It's a very close race down the stretch.
On Sunday September 20, 1964, the Phillies beat the Dodgers 3-2 behind their ace Jim Bunning, who improved his record to 18-5. The Phils had lost an agonizing extra-inning affair the night before when Willie Davis stole home in the 16th inning. But now, with 12 games remaining, the 90-60 Phillies had a 6.5 game lead on Cincinnati and St.Louis, with the Giants 7 games back.
On Monday the 21st, the Phils 1-0 to the Reds when Chico Ruiz stole home in the sixth inning. Art Mahaffey (12-9) was the hard-luck loser. They lost to the Reds again the next day, as Chris Short got roughed up and fell to 17-8 on the year. The Reds completed the sweep the next day. Dennis Bennett (12-13) took a 3-2 lead into the seventh but gave up a couple of hits to open the inning. Several hitters later, Vada Pinson hit a three-run homer off reliever Ed Roebuck, and the Reds were suddenly just 3.5 games back, with nine still to play. The Cardinals and Giants were both five games back.
On Thursday, Milwaukee came to town and beat Jim Bunning (18-6). On Friday, Mauch brough Chris Short back on just two days rest. Short pitched well, but the Phillies were trailing 3-1 until John Callison, who seemed at this point to be a shoo-in for the NL MVP award, tied it up with a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth. The Braves scored two in the top of the tenth, but Richie Allen, having one of the greatest rookie seasons in history, tied things with a two-out two-run inside the park homer. But the Braves plated two in the 12th to hand the Phils their fifth straight loss. Cincinnati was just 1.5 games back.
The Braves made it 6 Philly losses in a row on Saturday the 26th. Art Mahaffey left after 7 with a 4-2 lead, but relief ace Jack Baldschun and the aging LH Bobby Shantz coughed it up, the big blow coming on a two run triple by Braves rookie Rico Carty.
And now the Reds were .5 game back, the Cardinals were 1.5 games back, and Mauch put the pedal to the floor. On Sunday, Jim Bunning started on two days rest for the first time all year. He was shelled for 7 runs in 3 IP, falling to 18-7; the Phils lost 14-8, despite Callison's three home runs. In New York, the Reds swept a double-header from the Mets and the Phils had suddenly fallen out of first place.
On Monday, the Phils went to St.Louis, and Mauch brought Chris Short back on two days rest for the second time in a row. Short wasn't bad, but Bob Gibson held the Phils to 5 hits. Johnny Callison drove in the Phils only run, but he went 0-4 and was beginning to come down with the flu. The Phillies were now in third place, 1.5 games out of the lead, trailing both Cincinnati and St.Louis.
On Tuesday, the Cards beat Dennis Bennett 4-2 to move into a tie for first with Cincinnati. Having lost nine in a row, the Phils were 1.5 back. John Callison was out of the lineup for the first time all year. But still, shaking with the flu on a cold fall day, Callison would single as a pinch-hitter later in the game. In clear violation of the rules, he was allowed to wear a pitcher's warm-up jacket as he ran the bases, although he was shaking so violently that St.Louis first baseman Bill White would have to fasten it for him. Imagine that...
On Wednesday, the Phils completed the collapse. Bunning started on two days rest again and got hammered as the Cardinals jumped to an 8-0 lead, and coasted to an 8-5 victory. Tim McCarver started the carnage with a two-run homer in the second. The best the Phillies could do now was tie, and they needed the Cardinals to lose all three of their remaining games.
But they stayed alive a little longer. There were no games on Thursday. On Friday, the Cardinals lost 1-0 as the Mets Al Jackson outduelled Bob Gibson. Meanwhile, the Phillies won for the first time in 11 days. Because of the off-day, Chris Short had three days rest. Trailing 3-0, the Phillies rallied for 4 runs in the eighth inning, keyed by Allen's two-run triple, and lived to fight another day.
They survived Saturday as well - the Phils were idle, but the Mets pummelled the Cardinals 15-5. St. Louis and Cincinnati were now in a dead heat atop the league, and the Phillies were one game back. There was one day remaining, and Mauch gave the ball to Jim Bunning on three days rest. Bunning came through with a six-hit shutout, but the Cardinals finally disposed of the Mets and the pennant was theirs. Callison finished second in the MVP voting, which went to Ken Boyer of the Cardinals.
The most surprised man in America was surely St.Louis owner Gussie Busch, who had fallen under the spell of the by-now-ancient Branch Rickey. Busch had fired his GM, Bing Devine, a few months earlier, not long after Devine had traded for Lou Brock. Busch was on the verge of firing manager Johnny Keane, when he suddenly found himself going to the World Series. Keane would manage the Cards to victory over the Yankees and then walk away from the job, going to New York just in time to preside over the Yankees collapse.
Gene Mauch was 38 years old in 1964, and would manage for another 23 years. The Phillies collapse would always be with him. Mauch never again had as good a team, despite his AL West winners in Anaheim.