AS THE PHILLIES BEGIN TO CLOSE A RATHER DISMAL SEASON OF UNDER-ACHIEVEMENT WE COMMEMORATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF WHAT HAS BEEN LABELED “THE GREAT COLLAPSE of 1964”. THE PHILS WENT INTO THE FINAL WEEKS OF THE SEASON WITH A “SAFE” 6 ½ GAME LEAD WITH 12 GAMES TO PLAY AND PROCEEDED TO LOSE 10 GAMES IN A ROW AND ULTIMATELY THE NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST DIVISION PENNANT. THEY WOULDN’T CONTEND AGAIN UNTIL 12 YEARS LATER IN 1976 WHEN THEY WON 3 STRAIGHTS PENNANTS ONLY TO LOSE IN THE PLAYOFFS EACH TIME. THEY FINALLY MADE IT TO THE PROMISED LAND IN 1980 WHEN THEY FINALLY WON IT ALL IN THEIR 3RD WORLD SERIES APPEARANCE IN CLUB HISTORY AND FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP. WHAT PEOPLE SEEM TO FORGET AS THEY OFTEN DO…..THE 1964 PHILLIES WEREN’T EVEN SUPPOSED TO CONTEND FOR THE PENNANT, BUT THEY SURPRISED US AND THE BASEBALL WORLD BY COMING WITHIN ONE GAME OF WINNING IT. AND IN LOSING MANAGER GENE MAUCH WAS BLAMED FOR THE COLLAPSE. GENE MAUCH WAS PROBABLY THE MOST INNOVATIVE MANAGER OF HIS TIME. HE WAS THE ONE WHO DEVISED THE DOUBLE SWITCH IN THE LINEUP THAT ALL MANAGERS USE TODAY. MAUCH WAS ALSO A FIERY GUY WITH OPPOSING PLAYERS AND UMPIRES. HE WOULD CONSTANTLY HARRASS PLAYERS FROM THE DUGOUT AND UMPIRES HEARD IT FROM HIM TOO. ONCE HIS PITCHER ASKED THE UMP FOR A NEW BALL AND THE UMP REFUSED. MAUCH CALLED TIMEOUT AND WENT OUT TO THE MOUND. HE LOOKED AT THE BALL, DROPPED IT ON THE GROUND AND STOMPED IT WITH HIS SPIKES. THE UMP THREW HIM OUT OF THE GAME BUT HIS PITCHER GOT A NEW BALL. THAT WAS GENE MAUCH. A HARD LUCK MANAGER, HE WAS ONE OF THE WINNINGEST MANAGERS TO NEVER MAKE IT TO THE WORLD SERIES. IN 1982 WHILE MANAGING THE CALIFORNIA ANGELS, HIS TEAM HAD A 2 GAMES TO NONE LEAD IN THE BEST OF 5 SERIES AND LOST TO MILWAUKEE. AND IN 1986 HIS TEAM HAD A 3 GAME TO 1 LEAD IN THE BEST OF 7 SERIES WITH TWO OUTS AND A TWO STRIKE COUNT IN THE 9TH INNING AND LOST THAT GAME AND THE SERIES TO THE RED SOX. THE 1964 PHILLIES WERE ALWAYS REMINDED ABOUT THAT SEASON AND EVEN SOME OF THE PLAYERS BLAMED MAUCH BUT MOST HANDLED IT WITH GRACE AND HUMOR OVER THE YEARS. I REMEMBER IT WITH MIXED EMOTIONS – HAPPY BECAUSE JIM BUNNING PITCHED A PERFECT GAME ON FATHER’S DAY AT SHEA STADIUM, JOHNNY CALLISON HIT A GAME WINNING HOMER AND WAS VOTED MVP OF THE ALL-STAR GAME, AND DICK ALLEN WAS VOTED ROOKIE OF THE YEAR. AND ALSO DISAPPOINTMENT BECAUSE THEY CAME OH SO CLOSE AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MY FIRST WORLD SERIES EXPERIENCE. MY GREATEST THRILL THOUGH WAS GETTING TO MEET MOST OF THAT TEAM AND TALK BASEBALL WITH THEM INCLUDING THE 1964 SEASON. EVERY ONE OF THEM HAD SOMETHING FUNNY TO TELL ABOUT AN OTHERWISE UNFUNNY SEASON. I BECAME GOOD FRIENDS WITH MANY OF THEM AND I GOTTA SAY – THAT WAS PROBABLY A BIGGER THRILL THAN IF THEY WOULD HAVE WON THE PENNANT. IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT WINNING…..IT’S ABOUT HOW YOU HANDLE LOSING.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 02:51:45 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015