This is Retro Sports Radio. Visit RetroSeasons
.com for more sports history. This is the story
of the fantastic Phillies. A team whose roots
date back to the distant year of 1883. A team
whose heritage is as rich as any team in Major
League Baseball. But a team that had suffered
through the longest period of barrenness in Major
League Sports. That is until 1980. pitch on the
way to Booney he drops a bunt it's fielded by
the pitcher throw to the plate throw is wild
till he's winning the game check swing ground
ball third base Schmidt plays to second there's
one back to first double play here's Tug to the
wind up in the 2 -2 pitch called third strike
he struck him out with a fastball right across
the middle he caught him looking and Tug McGraw
strikes out the side in the eighth inning long
drive to left field he buried it he buried it
way back To be a Phillies fan in 1980 was something
special, something that will live with the millions
of loyal fans for many years to come. Over the
years, generation after generation has followed
the fortunes of this team. There were many memorable
moments and many great players to be recalled.
However, that ultimate moment of glory had always
eluded them. Then in 1980, when no one expected
it, it happened. In retracing the Phillies' rise
to glory, you have to go back to the date of
August 31, 1979, when Dallas Green was appointed
manager. It was not a job he desired. It was
not a job he intended to keep. His future lies
in the Phillies' front office. However, Dallas
Green was the right man for the task at hand.
He had heard the stories of how the Phillies
were a team of talent, but a team that lacked
desire, a team that lacked heart. With job security
the furthest thing from his mind, Dallas Green
responded to the challenge. He made no outrageous
promises. All he said was, if I keep yelling
and screaming, they'll eventually be listening.
And listen, they did. When the 1980 season began,
it was felt that Pittsburgh was the team to beat
in the National League East, with the Montreal
Expos offering a serious threat. The Phillies?
Well, they're good, but you know that Philadelphia
syndrome. Over the first couple of months, the
experts appeared right on target. as Pittsburgh
ruled the roost with Montreal in close pursuit.
But by mid -June, the National League East race
took on a new look as the Phillies made their
move. On June 18th, they found themselves just
one half game from the top when they snapped
a ninth inning one -to -one tie against San Diego
en route to a five -to -one victory. Pinch hitter
Keith Morland led the way with a clutch double.
on a big pinch hit double by Keith Morland. Lefty
Steve Carlton, a two -time Cy Young Award winner,
appeared headed to another one of those years
as he was rolling along at a blistering pace.
On June 22nd, he picked up his eighth straight
win to improve his overall record to 13 -2. The
Fills broke the game open in the seventh with
Lonnie Smith, Mike Schmidt, and Greg Luzinski
leading the way. Blue stretches. Here's the pitch
to Schmidt. Swing and a fly ball right field.
Deep. Jack Clark going away back. Can't get it.
Fair ball off the fence. Lonnie Smith rounding
third. He'll score. Schmidt to third base with
a triple. And it's a tie ball game. Pitch to
Gregg. Swing. Line drive right field. It's caught
by Clark. Schmidt tags. Clark's throw to the
plate. Off line. Mike scores and the Phillies
lead it four to three. And Mike Schmidt is with
us now, and Mike, big blow there in a good ball
game. Thank you. It was a good ball game. I'm
very happy about this game. Not only for Steve,
just getting his 13th win, but the last game
of the road trip gives us a little momentum to
go home with. We got some hitting out of the
middle of our order, the guys that haven't been
swinging too well lately. Mike, the triple that
you hit off the right field fence, did you feel
like it was going to carry that far? Definitely.
You called it a fly ball here. I'm not too appreciative
of that. The Phils were hanging tough, trailing
the Expos by a couple of games. On June 30th,
the Phils journeyed to Olympic Stadium to take
on those Expos in a three game series. In the
opener, the Phillies hit Montreal with a seven
run fourth inning that resulted in a seven to
five victory. Keith Morland and Pete Rose provided
the bulk of the heroics in that big inning. Slam
home run for Keith Marlin and the Phillies take
a 4 -0 lead. 2 -1 pitch to Rose as a drive deep
to right field. Office way, way back. That ball
is out of here. Pete Rose has his first home
run of the year. A two -run homer for Pete Rose
and the Phillies lead at 7 -0. The following
night, the Phillies again defeated the Expos.
this time in 11 innings. With the score tied
at three, Pete Rose played it one run and the
Montreal era would prove to be their undoing
in this five to four Philadelphia win. Pitch
on the way to him, ground ball, base hit to left
field. Rose is being waved around. Here's LaFleur's
throw, it is off line. Philly's score, throw
to third, the ball gets away. Picking up and
coming on in is gonna be Booney and he scores.
Philly's got two runs. At the All -Star break,
the Phillies found themselves just one game from
the top. One of the reasons for the Phillies'
newfound success was the job turned in by rookie
right -hander Bob Walk. One of those free spirits,
Walk won his sixth straight on July 16th when
he turned back the Houston Astros on three hits.
Then the next night, the old master himself,
Steve Carlton, did the rookie one better, allowing
the Astros a mere two hits in winning his 15th
game of the season. However, there were storm
clouds on the horizon. The Phils started to slip.
On August 10th, they dropped a doubleheader to
Pittsburgh. They were now in third place, six
games off the pace. But Dallas Green kept screaming
and the Phils kept listening. On August 21st,
they had crawled back to within a game and a
half of the top. and they defeated the San Diego
Padres in 17 innings. The game was finally resolved
when fake McBride tripled home Mike Schmidt.
The Fills eventually reached the top of the division
on September 4th when home runs by Mike Schmidt
and Greg Luzinski powered them to a 3 -2 victory.
Very high fly ball, deep to right field, way
back, out of here, home run. Mike Schmidt has
just hit his seventh career home run off Jerry
Royce and the Phillies lead it 2 -0. Here's the
2 -2 pitch. Swing and a line drive left field,
deep it is, out of here, home run. a line over
into the bullpen and left. And the Phillies lead
at three to nothing for the bull, his 17. It
was becoming evident that this race was going
right down to the finish. On September 8th, the
Pittsburgh Pirates struggling to stay in the
race were in Philadelphia for a two -game series.
In the opener, the Phillies down the Pirates
62. Then the following night, they completed
the sweep with a 14 -inning 5 -4 victory. The
next night, the Phils were at Shea Stadium to
take on the lowly New York Mets. Dallas Green
took a gamble and sent rookie Marty Beistrom
to the mound. and came up a winner as the youngster
hurled a five to nothing shutout in his first
major league start. Here's Elliott Maddox sending
a fly ball center field. This ought to do it.
Gary Maddox camping. He waits. He takes it. Marty
Bystrom has pitched a five hit shutout. And the
Phillies have won the ball game five to nothing
to remain a half game behind the Montreal Expos.
Marty, congratulations on just a super job in
your first hour. You have to be very, very happy.
Were you nervous at all at the beginning? Well,
just a little bit there, but not really. After
throwing that one inning in L .A., I took all
the nervousness away there and I just felt comfortable
and relaxed. Went out there and threw strikes
tonight. You appear to have command of all your
pitches. Yeah, well, that's what helps me get
these guys out up here. Everything worked out
good. Then the following evening, veteran Dick
Ruthman notched victory number 15 as he downed
the Mets 5 -1. Pitch to McBride, playing fly
ball center of field, Mookie Wilson there. Makes
the catch. That ball is carrying well. That ball
is not going to be caught. It bounces out over
the fence. It'll be a ground rule double. And
Gary Maddox will score the insurance run the
Phillies were looking for. Three to one Phillies
on the ground rule double by Dell Unser. The
set by Beringer. Here's the 2 -1 pitch to Rose.
Here's a hard hit ball. Prove for a base hit
and two more runs are going to score. The Phillies
lead it five to one. The Phillies were hanging
tough, but a mini slump found them two and one
half games behind after losing to Chicago on
September 19th. However, the Expos were going
into a mini slump of their own, and within two
days, the Phillies would be again just one half
game behind. On September 22nd, the Phillies
pulled out a three to two victory over the St.
Louis Cardinals in 10 innings. With rookie Keith
Morland providing the offensive heroics as Steve
Carlton garnered win number 23. And Tug McGraw
notched save number 18. Seeming ready with a
2 -2 pitch. Fly ball right field. Dropping quickly.
Is it fair ball or fair ball? Extra bases. Bull
was rounding third, he's going to score and Moreland's
in the second with a double. And the Phillies
lead it three to two on Keith Moreland's pinch
hit double down the right field line. The Phillies
return home on September 24th for their final
home stand of the season. In the opener of the
home stand, the Phillies and Mets were at a nothing
nothing standoff after the regulation nine innings.
Then on the 10th, Pete Rose snapped an 0 for
15 slump and the Phillies had a one to nothing
victory. Neil Allen getting his sign. Checks
the runner at second. Loviglia with a long lead.
The pitch. Grounded up the middle. Pete, was
that the good curveball you hit there? No, sir.
The first pitch was a curveball, and I guess
he thought I'd be looking for a curveball. I
don't know what they're going to do in that situation,
Rich. I don't know if they're going to try to
get me to go for a bad pitch or what, but the
first one just ripped right off the table for
a strike, and he came back with the fastball.
And so the beat went on. The next night, the
Phillies moved into first place by a half game
when they again beat the Mets 2 to 1. The game
was scoreless in the fifth. When the combined
bats of Manny Trio, Gary Maddox, Larry Boa and
Lonnie Smith provided the two runs that it took
to win. Hit to the right field corner giving
chase is Washington. He can't get that ball.
It's in play off the wall. Manny Trio round second.
He's heading for third and Manny will have a
stand up triple. Right left field and a base
hit. Run scores. Phillies lead it one to nothing.
Gary Maddox lines Jackson's first pitch to left
field and Gary has a seventy first run batted
in and the Phillies have a lead. Jackson has
his sign. And here's the pitch to him. Bouncing
ball back the middle. It's through for a base
hit. Larry Bowe is going to score. Bystrom holds
it second. Phillies lead the ball game two to
nothing on a RBI single by Lonnie Smith. Now
the Montreal Expos were in town for a big three
game series. In the first game a score was tied
at 1 1 entering the bottom of the ninth inning.
When Baker McBride caught hold of a Dave Palmer
pitch in the Phillies led the division by a game
and a half. Palmer's pitch to it. However, the
Expos came back to win the final two games of
the series, and the Phillies were now down a
half game. The issue would be resolved in the
final week of the season. On September 29th,
the Chicago Cubs were in town. They had a chance
to play the spoilers, and they were doing a good
job of it. The game was tied at 3 -3 when the
Cubs scored two runs in the top of the 15th inning
to take the lead. A loss could well have cost
the Phillies the division championship. But Gary
Maddox and Manny Trio would not let that happen.
1 -1 pitch. Swing and a base hit. Center field
tie game. Gary Maddox, a two -out line drive
single to center. And the Pills are still alive.
It's 5 -5 in the 15th. The 1 -1 pitch. Swing
and a ground ball. Base hit. Five and fifteen
innings. The key blows. Game time. Two outs.
Single by Maddox. And the game winning. Two outs.
Single by Manny Trejo. That win was the turning
point for the Phillies. The Phillies wouldn't
lose again until the National League East had
been resolved. The Phillies followed up that
game with a 14 to 2 pounding of the Cubs. In
the third game of the series, Steve Carlton recorded
his 24th win of the season with a 5 -0 blanking
of Chicago. In the final regular season home
game, the Phillies were to claw their way to
a share of first place with the Expos. The set
by Caudill, pitch on the way. Line drive, center
field base hit. Unser being waved around. Here
comes Martin's throw back in. Not in time. And
the Phillies lead the ball game 2 -1. Here's
the one strike pitch to Bittner. Check swing,
ground ball, third base. Schmidt plays to second.
There's one, back to first. Double play! Phillies
got the twin killing. They're out of trouble
in the eighth inning. So it was on to Montreal.
The mission was now clear cut. win two out of
three and become National League Eastern Division
champs. The Phillies' destiny was in their own
hands. In the first game, the Phillies went up
by one. to the wind up in the two two pitch called
third strike he struck him out with a fastball
right across the middle he caught him looking
and Tug McGraw strikes out the side in the eighth
inning. Olympic Stadium in Montreal Harry Callis
with you where the Phillies have down the Expos
by a score of two one brilliant pitching tonight
by Dick Ruthven Starkey line especially Tug McGraw.
Tug going the last two innings striking out five
of the six men he faced so the Phillies have
a game lead on Montreal. 20th save of the year,
you looked like you had outstanding stuff tonight.
Harry, it's strange. It really is. This game
of baseball is weird. Warming up tonight, I felt
a little bit stiff, maybe because of the coolness
of the weather up here. I was extremely nervous.
Once I got out on the field, everything seemed
to be real calm, and the pitches just seemed
to come from nowhere. I really didn't feel as
though I had really great stuff tonight. I think
when you feel that way, Harry, it makes you concentrate
all that much more, and it makes you work on
your mechanics and make sure you do everything
right. Doug, it looked to me like you caught
a couple of hitters looking for the Scrooge and
zipped that fastball. Well, you know, Harry,
like I said earlier, I just really didn't feel
as though I had overpowering stuff. And so what
Booney and I did was try to mix up the pitches
a lot. I shook off a whole bunch of signs. I
kept shaking my head. Sometimes he'd give me
the pitch I wanted and I'd shake my head and
until he come back to it Just just to try to
use everything we could to try to keep the hitters
from sitting on any one particular pitch and
and I think I think they they were really aware
of the screwball tonight and actually I The eighth
inning I did I did make some real good pitches
with the screwball as it turned out in the ninth
They were all sitting on the screwball and I
was able to get them with the fastball in the
slider So tonight was one of those nights where
fortunately everything worked out real well Then
in game two, after an eternal rain delay, the
Phillies said to themselves, let's get this thing
over. The pitch to Boone. Back through the middle.
Base hit. Here's Blake McBride being waved around.
Here's the throw. It's going to be way off target.
Boone goes into second. Phillies have tied the
game. The pitch to Schmidt. Long drive to left
field. in the ninth inning of the game never
would have gone over time and when he. It's been
a scuffling year for you. This has to make you
feel pretty good. It feels great, Rich. I already
came up here feeling very confident in this series.
I just feel like with Tug out there, we just
got the magic. And with all the converse and
all the frustrations that we've experienced,
this is just a super. It's still the first stopping
point for us. And we've had a goal all year to
get to the playoffs, but to go on past them.
So we're ready. And we've got the big guy going
with us. two extra days rest is going to be really
important to us. I'm just excited about it. We
want to get in that series. Michael Jack, you
just drove Harry Kelly's car with that whole
month. Buddy, this has been quite a year. Nice
going, buddy. Thank you, Rich. How do you feel?
Without a doubt, I feel as good as I've ever
felt in my life. Booney got the biggest hit of
his career. Gary against the Cubs, I think, initiated
this whole week for us with that hit that he
got with two outs. Well, here's the guy, Doug
McGraw and Doug day after day. I have never seen
a release pitcher pitch the way you have, buddy.
Beautiful. Richie, I'll tell you, this is a ball.
I didn't know that last inning whether I was
ever going to be able to get it to the catcher
or not. Today was an eighth title all day. That
rainy leg got up this morning, took three, took
three more when the game finally started, and
then going out for the last inning, had to pump
down a couple more, and we got it up there. I
believe you're going to get a day off tomorrow,
Doug, and I believe we can safely tell the fans
they can stay out tonight. They don't have to
get through. get your rest tonight but I'll tell
you what Phyllis and Grandma Dad Uncle Hank and
Mark and Carrie save some champagne for when
we get home we'll have a party together. Paul
Owens now is here folks God love you Vice President
General Manager of the Phillies this is your
fourth division crown how does this one feel
compared to the other? I don't know. The other
years I kind of felt we might do it and this
year we had her ups and downs early with her
pitching. I don't know, I just got a pressure
one out of this and our guys have fought like
hell. I think it's September and we won all our
games in a row. They can talk about having a
little trouble down at clubhouse, but these guys
all want to win. I guarantee you that. It's pretty
evident right now. Dick Ruppert is here. Ruppert's
winning the big game last night. How does this
one feel? This feels great. I mean, all the adversity
and everything for six months in to come in and
do it. And I'll tell you what, we can't say enough
for Tug and Marty in the month of September as
far as the feds and staff. That made it for us.
Pete Rose has just joined us. Pete's been talking
to a million and one writers. And Pete, you've
been through it before, but what a ballgame.
What a win. What a division championship. Well,
I think it was more like a three -ring circus
today, Harry, than it was a ballgame. But they
bowed us tough. And Booney got a keen hit for
us. And of course, Smitty hit his 48th home run.
And he's been hot this week. And our pitching
was excellent again. And we could stand here
all day and talk about Tugger. As far as I'm
concerned, he's the best reliever in the league
right now. So what do you think? Petey, I don't
think there's any question about it. Let me tell
you, you're a walking encyclopedia of every game
that's ever been played and every game you've
ever been involved in. I want to see you replay
this one one time in 10 years. I know who made
the errors, I know that. But you know, we were
trying to be too aggressive on the bases, Dan.
I think some of us forgot that the turf was wet.
And it's like when Schminnie hit the base at
the left field and we held me up, they thought
I was going. So the Phillies were East Division
champions, but they had been in the same position
in 1976, 77, and 78. Could they overcome that
worn out jinx of not being able to win in postseason
play? They were ready. The fantastic Phillies
were in the playoffs. Could they lick that terrible
curse that had seemingly been cast upon them?
Before game one, much was made of the fact that
the Phillies had won only one postseason game
in Philadelphia in their history. That was on
October 8, 1915, when Grover Cleveland Alexander
beat the Boston Red Sox 3 -1 in the opener of
the World Series. Now it was October 7, 1980,
almost 65 years to the day. It was time to end
that famine. Their opponent was the scrapping
Houston Astros who had won the National League
West some 24 hours earlier in a divisional playoff
game with the Los Angeles Dodgers. After an all
-night flight from Los Angeles, the Astros figured
to be a little weary for game one. However, it
surely didn't appear that way. The pitching matchups
pitted Ken Forch against Steve Carlton. Lefty
a 24 -game winner during the regular season was
shaky as he struggled to find his rhythm. The
Astros nicked him for a run in the third. But
it could have been more. But Carlton, being the
competitor that he is, battled his way out of
jam after jam. For that matter, all the Phillies
were battling. History was not on their side.
Finally in the sixth, their efforts were rewarded.
For the moment, it appeared as though the monkey
was off their back. And in the seventh, the Phillies
made it a 3 -1 game. Out of the bullpen came
Tug McGraw for the final two innings. And he
simply shut the door on Houston. And the Phillies
had a 3 -1 victory in the first game of this
best of five series. However, the Astros bounced
back the next night to even the series at a game
of peace with a 7 -4 victory in 10 innings. Now
the scene shifted to the spacious Astrodome in
Houston, Texas. In game three, the Astros eked
out a 1 -0 victory in extra innings to take a
2 -1 lead in the series. Suddenly, history was
staring in the Phillies' faces again. Would they
fail once more in postseason play? Game four
of the series was one that will live in baseball
history. Just about everything imaginable occurred
in this game. In the fourth, with the game scoreless,
the Astros pulled off what they thought was a
triple play, but turned out to be a double play.
That was not. Bern rule even doesn't think that
he that he caught the ball. That was a short
hop. Maddox is out at first. Everybody else is
safe. But all that craziness aside, the Phillies
were fighting for their lives. With the hourglass
dwindling, the Phillies came to bat in the eighth
and trailing two to nothing. Pitch on the way
to Rose. Bouncing ball right side. It has eyes.
It goes through. Being waved around is the lead
man, Gross. He's going to score. Play to third.
Not in time. Play to second. Not in time. Runners
second and third. Phillies trail the game two
to one. Here's the three -two pitch. Swing and
a bouncing ball back to middle. It's curved by
Morgan. No throw. Everybody safe. Tie ball game.
Ready to go. Half the belt. The 1 -2 pitch to
trio. Punch shot right field being charged. And
that ball is caught. The runners are tagging.
Here's the throw to the plate. Rose scores. But
the Astros tied it up in the ninth, and this
one was headed for extra innings. In the tenth,
Pete Rose started things with a single. Then
with pinch hitter Greg Luzinski at bat Astros
catcher Bruce Bochy was about to find out what
it's like to play against Pete Rose The one nothing
pitch driven to left field hard hit ball down
into the corner that ball one hops against the
fence Here comes Pete Rose digging around third.
He's gonna keep right on gone. Here's the play
at the plate He knocked Bochy over the throw
was there, but he knocked him over both. He didn't
hold the ball and the Phillies lead the game.
Manny Trio followed with another key hit that
scored Luzinski, and the Phillies were on their
way to tying up this series with a 5 -3 victory.
In game five, the Phillies again found themselves
on the short end of the score, entering the eighth
inning trailing 5 -2. But as they had done the
day before, they put together an eighth inning
rally, this time tallying five times. The one
strike to Trio, line drive, left field, safe
hit! The Astros refused to quit, and they tied
it up in the bottom of the eighth. After a scoreless
ninth inning, this one would have to be resolved
in extra innings for the fourth game in a row.
In the tenth. Pinch hitter Dell Unser and center
fielder Gary Maddox parlayed a pair of doubles
into a run, and the Phillies were on top to stay.
Pinch on the way to Maddox. Line drive, center
field, sinking, face hit. That ball's in play.
Phillies lead. The ball gets guy pool. Maddox
goes to second. In the bottom of the tenth, Dick
Ruthven, working out of the bullpen on this night,
put down the Astros 1 -2 -3. And the Philadelphia
Phillies were the National League champions.
The winds up by Ruthven. The 3 -2 pitch. Here
is a punch shot to center field. Maddox racing
over. He catches the ball! Phillies win the parents!
The Phillies have won the parents! The Phillies
win the ball game 8 -7. They go to the World
Series for the first time in 30 years. We came
a long way as a team this year Richie. You know
that as well as anybody. It took every ounce
of everything we had to win this playoff and
actually to win our division as well. I think
we're so happy about this, going into the World
Series for the first time in so many years. It's
the biggest problem we're going to have is getting
over these hangovers we're going to have tonight.
I'm very excited. This is the biggest three of
my life. And like I said, I just want to thank
my teammates, the Philadelphia organization for
making it possible for me to make my dream come
true, getting a house for me and my family. I'm
so excited. I don't know. I think I'm going to
have a hard time. I was going to worry when they
went in. You know, when they went ahead three
to two, you know, I thought we could still come
back. And then when they scored on the wow pitch,
you know, I went in and told Larry, you're really
better now because one run down, we still got
two at bat. Then they come up with Hal, got another
base hit. Trimple was driving another run. And
you know, three down at that time is difficult.
One's not that quite difficult. You've got some
guys get to follow the ballpark. But we came
back with five. And I just couldn't believe they
tied up into that. But you know, Cruz, a tremendous
hitter. And they got the base runners. The pool
had a great night. And we just didn't get the
key guys out in the right situations except the
ninth inning. I did a lot of praying on that
field yesterday and today, and all of my prayers
were answered, Harry. And I watched most of that
game today. I was a lot of dead weight out there
myself. And Manny Trio reached back and played
the best game I've ever seen a second baseman
play. The best game bar none I've ever seen a
second baseman play. It took everything else
and everything this team had. They said we couldn't
beat them down here two games, got down three
runs, just 2 -5 right at them. 13 years in the
big leagues. I loved every one of them, but not
as much as this year. I feel so happy for these
guys. I think these guys have buried some ghosts
that have been following me around a long time.
They've been following the 64 team a long time.
The John Tightpant's tightest team in 1915, I
think we laid them to rest. So the Phillies were
in the World Series for the first time since
1950, and only the third time in their history.
They would lock horns with the American League
champion, Kansas City Royals, and attempt to
win their first championship ever. Game one of
the World Series was played at Veterans Stadium
on Tuesday, October 14th. Because of having to
go the full route in the playoffs, the Phillies'
pitching situation was not in the best of shape.
As a result, rookie Bob Walk would have to do
the hurling against Kansas City's 20 -game winner,
Dennis Leonard. It's unusual to start a rookie
in a World Series. It's so unusual that it had
been 28 years since it had happened, when Joe
Black towed the rubber for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
But then again, this had been an unusual season
for the Phillies. At the outset, things looked
bleak for the Phillies, as Amos Otis and then
Willie Akins cracked two run homers to give the
Royals a four to nothing lead. But in the third,
the Phillies came roaring back. It started with
the bats of Larry Boa, Bob Boon, Lonnie Smith,
and a fielding mix -up by the Royals, George
Bratt. Leonard rides in the 2 -2 pitch to Boa.
Swing base hit center field. Boa has the Phillies'
first hit of the World Series. Look at that point.
Dennis Leonard had retired seven pills in a row.
There goes Boa. The pitch to Boon. A called strike.
Throw to second. Not in time. Stolen base Larry
Boa. The pitch to Boon. Swing. That made the
score four to two, but it also cleared the bases.
However, the Phillies were far from through.
First Pete Rose was hit by a pitch, and then
Mike Schmidt walked, bringing to the plate, Bate
McBride. In the fourth, the Phils made it a 6
-4 ball game. With a runner on third in two outs,
Bob Boone, who already had one RBI for the night,
played it another. Meanwhile Bob walk had settled
down since being touched for the two home runs.
It was pitching good baseball Walk finally weakened
in the eighth when Willie Akins hit his second
to run home run in the game to make it a seven
to six game Out of the bullpen came the ubiquitous
tug McGraw to shut the door and the Phillies
had captured the first game of the 1980 World
Series to pitch to Willie Wilson Game 2 figured
to be the pitching masterpiece of the series,
pitting the Phil's 24 -game winner Steve Carlton
against the Royals' outstanding left -hander
Larry Gura. The game was scoreless through the
first four innings, but Lefty was struggling.
However, when he needed it, he had it, and the
Phillies' defense took it from there. And the
pitch to Amos Otis. Curve ball, ground ball,
shortstop might be two. Oh, and a 3 -0 -1, the
relay. Yes, double play. And the Phillies get
out of the inning. It's still a nothing -nothing
ball game. Meanwhile, Gura was outstanding, retiring
the first 13 batters to face him. In the fifth,
he suddenly lost it, and the Phillies capitalize.
A pitch to Moreland. Ground ball in. Phillies
lead at one to nothing. Swing and a line drive.
It's a hit to the left. Gary Maddox scores and
the Phillies lead at two to nothing. The Royals
finally got to Carlton in the sixth for a run.
It could have been more except for that Phillies
combo of Boa to Trio to Rose as they reeled off
their third double play of the night. Here's
a stretch by Carlton. The pitch to White. Swing
a hard ground ball right at Boa. Might be two
to Trio. The Royals were too good a team to be
repelled too many times. In the seventh, Lefty
lost his control, walking three batters, and
the end result was three runs that gave Kansas
City a 4 -2 lead. But there was no panic with
the Phillies. They had been in this situation
before and had survived. In the eighth, with
the Royals ace reliever Dan Quisenberry on the
mound, they opened up with a four -run assault
that gave them a 6 -4 lead to send the city of
Philadelphia into a state of unknown euphoria.
first base with a walk and nobody out. Dale Unser
facing the side wheeling Dan Quisenberry. Here's
the pitch to Unser. Playing in a drive in the
gap in left center field. Otis chasing. Can't
get it. Going all the way back to the fence.
Here's Boone rounding third. He's being weighed
home. Boone scores. Unser at second with a clutch
pitch double. Quisenberry's pitch to McBride.
In the ninth, Big Ron Reed rambled out of the
bullpen, and as McGraw had done the night before,
he blew the Royals away, and the Phillies were
up two games in this World Series. Ron Reed trying
to lock up game two of the World Series. Here's
a stretch by Big Ron. The 2 -2 pitch. Swing and
a miss! He struck, game out! John Wathen goes
down, swinging, and the Phillies win 6 -4. Now
it was on to Kansas City for the next three games.
In game three, the Phillies again came from behind
to tie the contest. But this was not to be their
night, as the Royals would win the game in ten
innings. The next afternoon, the Royals tied
up the series at two games apiece with a 5 -3
victory. However, something very meaningful occurred
in this game as far as the Phillies were concerned.
It was in the fourth inning, and the Royals'
George Brett was at bat against the Phillies'
Dicky Knowles. No two pitch to Brett. George
Brett has to hit the dirt on a high inside fastball
and Brett goes down in a hurry at home plate.
Here comes Jim Fry Kansas City Major out of the
dugout. To many across North America and throughout
the baseball world, Knowles was cast as a villain.
But the ballplayers knew what was happening.
To that point the momentum or as the players
might say the Big Mo had been in the Royals favor.
Someone had to stem the tide, halt it. Knoll's
purpose pitch did the job. From that moment on
the Royals would be as docile as lamb, scoring
only four runs in the final 22 innings of the
series. In game five the Phillies sent their
September sensation Marty Beistrom to the mound
to be opposed by the Wiley veteran Larry Gura.
For three innings, they matched each other. Then
in the fourth, the Phillies took the lead. Here's
the pitch to Schmidt. Fastballs. Playing at a
high, towering drive to deep right center. Otis
going way back. This ball is out of here. Home
run Mike Schmidt. And the Phillies lead it two
to nothing. The Royals finally got on the scoreboard
in the fifth. And in the sixth they came up with
two more to take a three to two lead. It could
have been more except for a perfect relay throw
by Manny Trio from Bank McBride to cut down Darryl
Porter at home plate. Fastball swaying in a long
drive to deep right field. Bank McBride going
away back. He'll never get it. Off the fence.
Here's Darryl Porter being waved around. It remained
a one -run ball game as the innings wound down
and both teams went to their aces out of the
bullpen. Quisenberry for the Royals. McGraw for
the Phils. Finally it was the top of the ninth.
Last call for the Phillies. Mike Schmidt got
things started with an infield hit. Now Del Unser
was at the plate. Unser had already had one big
hit in the series off Quisenberry. Could he do
it again? Schmitt is heading for third base,
being waved around third. Here is the relay throw
to the plate, and Schmitt is safe at home plate.
Phillies have tied the game here in the ninth,
3 -3. Del Unser, another clutch, pinched double.
Unser eventually moved to third, and with two
outs and Manny Trio at the plate, he would score.
Here's the pitch to Trio. In the bottom of the
ninth McGraw seemed to be struggling as he loaded
the bases on walks. But when he needed it most,
it was there. Bases loaded with Royals, two down,
bottom half of the ninth inning, Phillies lead
by a run. It all boils down to Tug McGraw and
ex -teammate Jose Cardinal. Tug is ready. A one
-two pitch. So now it was back to Philadelphia
and history. In game six, the Phillies sent Steve
Carlton to the mound while the Royals countered
with right -hander Rich Gale. The game was scoreless
through two innings. When in the third with the
bases loaded, Mike Schmidt, who would be the
series MVP, put Philadelphia on the board. In
the fifth, the Phillies made it a three -to -nothing
ball game. And in the sixth, they upped the count
to four -to -nothing. Here's the pitch by Squidor,
playing in a line drive left field. It's a fair
ball going to the corner. Larry Bowe, rounding
first, on his way to second. He's there with
a stand -up double. The 0 -1 pitch to Boo. Carlton
was back in midseason form as he whistled through
the Royals batting order. But in the eighth Carlton,
who was now up to 331 innings pitch for the season,
tired. And the Royals got to him for a run. Once
more out of the bullpen came the Tugger. The
Royals were fighting for their baseball lives.
In the night, they again loaded the bases with
one out. But there would be no call from the
governor. Their execution was about to be completed.
Less than 24 hours later, the Philadelphia Phillies
and more than one million of their faithful convened
in a parade and celebration unmatched in sports
history. It was truly a loving between a city
and its team. Philadelphia Phillies, world champions
of baseball. The man who guided this band of
world first game and now 97 years five months
and 21 days later they have finally reached the
summit. They are the world champions of baseball.