July 4 Nuggets
A lot of weird, wild and wacky things have happened to the Phillies on Independence Day. It all began 140 years ago and includes three near perfect games. Wild.
On the whacky side the Phillies were not even scheduled on July 4 a year ago. But it wasn’t the first time. It happened five other seasons, 1916, 1915, 1909, 1897 and 1886. Then throw in 1981 (players on strike) and 2020 (shortened season because of Covid).
For decades, doubleheaders were a tradition. July 4 doubleheaders now extinct.
Let the weirdness begin
1883: Trailing 11 to 9 at the end of the 7th inning, the visiting Providence Grays leave to catch a train to New York city to play the Gothams in their second game. Philadelphia is awarded a win by forfeit. Philadelphia then plays a second game also at home and loses, 17–8, to the Boston Beaneaters who had played their first game in NYC and lost 10–7. Somehow the players union would file a grievance today.
1892: In a contest of 300-game winners, the Phils’ Tim Keefe (342–225) faces the Cardinals’ Pud Galvin (365–310) in St. Louis. Galvin is a 9–2 winner, first game of a doubleheader. Will we ever see a 300-game winner again?
1908: Giants’ George (Hooks) Wiltse pitches a 10-inning no-hitter against the Phillies at the Polo Grounds, 1–0. He loses a perfect game in the 9th inning when he hits losing pitcher George McQuillen with a pitch on a 1–2 count and two out. No social media criticism of Phillies manager Billy Murray for not using a pinch hitter in the 9th.
1934: Brooklyn RHP Walter Beck, lifted by manager Casey Stengel in the first inning, angerly fires the ball that hits the Baker Bowl metal right field wall RF Hack Wilson, not paying attention, hears the sound of the ball hitting the wall, turns, retrieves it and fires to second base. Walter became known as Boom-Boom Beck. He wound up pitching for the Phillies, 1939–43.
1938: Phillies move permanently from 51-year-old dilapidated Baker Bowl to Shibe Park and split a doubleheader with the Boston Bees, winning the second game, 10–2, after dropping the opener, 10–5. Attendance is listed as 12,000. Phillies RHP Claude Passeau lost their last game at Baker Bowl but won their first at Shibe Park.
1967: Clay Dalrymple draws 6 walks in a double-header sweep of Houston at Connie Mack Stadium, 9–0 and 4–3 in 11 innings. He caught every inning. Two walks in the first game and four in the second to set a team record and tie the league record. Clay drew four walks the rest of the month.
1969: While doubleheaders were part of the holiday for decades the Phillies last one at home is a sweep by the Montreal Expos at Connie Mack Stadium. An April 16 rain out created the twi-night twinbill. Was Chris Wheeler among the 21,521 fans?
1972: First July 4 game in Veterans Stadium history, 2–1 loss to Giants before 6,098 fans. Phillies had three hits and no strikeouts. Weird.
1975: A crowd of 55,301 is on hand for the Phillies first July 4 postgame fireworks show at Veterans Stadium. Going forward Phillies didn’t schedule fireworks on the holiday out of respect for the City of Philadelphia’s July 4 tradition. Phillies would schedule fireworks for dates around Independence Day pending their home schedule.
1976: On the nation’s bicentennial anniversary, Tim McCarver hits a grand slam in the 2nd inning but passes Garry Maddox at first base. Tim is credited with a three-run single instead as the Phillies beat the Pirates, 10–5, in the first game of a doubleheader in Pittsburgh. Wheels was on the air for this game.
1979: Steve Carlton ties a modern NL record with his fifth career one-hitter, 1–0, over New York, before 40,215 at the Vet. Elliott Maddox’s one-out double in the 7th snaps Carlton’s bid for a perfect game . . . Remember writing a press release prior to that game — Phillies place three starting pitchers on the disabled list, Dick Ruthven (elbow bone chips), Larry Christenson (right groin pull) and Randy Lerch (broken right wrist). There went any chance of a fourth straight NL East title.
1982: Last July 4 doubleheader, a sweep of the Mets at Shea Stadium. Rain out on July 3 forced two the next day. Complete games from Steve Carlton and Mike Krukow. Complete games are now near extinction.
1989: Dickie Thon breaks up the Reds’ Tom Browning’s perfect game bid with a double in the bottom of the 9th, Steve Jeltz then doubles, spoiling a shutout. Reds win, 2–1, in 1 hour, 44 minutes. Browning previously pitched a perfect game, September 16, 1988, against the Dodgers. Never a perfect game in 33 years at the Vet.
2018: Last July 4 win at home, 4–1, over Baltimore behind Aaron Nola (11–2). Save: Victor Arano, first of his career.
2021: Last time the Phillies played at home. Padres win, 11–1. Hey, C Andrew Knapp was on the mound and retired the one batter he faced in the top of the ninth. Only needed four pitches.
