Base Ball In Philadelphia

The release of Ken Burns' documentary Baseball in 1994 and the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's debut in the major leagues in 1997 once again brought attention to the integration of baseball. Integration did not guarantee equality or even begin to solve baseball's race-related struggles. In some instances, integration caused even more problems for the African American players and their white teammates. This was the case in Philadelphia, where, among other discriminatory actions, Phillies manager Ben Chapman instructed his players to verbally abuse Jackie Robinson. This work examines how Philadelphia acquired a reputation as a tough place for African American players. It follows the very slow and difficult progress of integration of the Philadelphia Phillies and Athletics. Attempts to integrate Philadelphia baseball began being made as early as the 1860s, and all of them proved futile until 1953. Those attempts and the reasons that they failed are discussed. The book provides biographical and statistical information on some of the African American players who were confronted with discrimination, and also looks at the white players, managers, coaches, and front office personnel who were having a difficult time accepting African American players on their teams.

For nearly 40 years, Ed Bolden dominated black baseball in Philadelphia. He owned two teams, the Darby-based Hilldale Club and the Philadelphia Stars, and briefly led the Eastern Colored League, which he founded. Winner of two championships--one with each team--he experienced the highs and lows of the Negro Leagues. He remained with the Stars until his death in 1950, which foreshadowed the dissolution of the Negro Leagues in the face of Major League Baseball's integration. This book examines Bolden's leadership of both teams through economic downturns, racial discrimination and two world wars.

Highlights the stories, athletes, and memorable moments that have defined the Philadelphia Phillies since the franchise's founding in 1883.

The Philadelphia Phillies, one of the oldest teams in Major League Baseball, have maintained a strong, loyal fan base for over 125 years. Despite historic set backs, the franchise has proven resilient and evolved into a perennial contender with consistently large attendance figures. In fact, the Phillies claim 37 Hall of Famers, two World Series championships, seven National League pennants, and nine division titles. The Philadelphia Phillies chronicles the greatness of Grover Cleveland Alexander, the remarkable career of Richie Ashburn, the perfection of Jim Bunning, and the teams of success and luster as well as those shining stars of the less successful eras.

From when the Phillies franchise was established in 1883 and a rookie manager led the team to its first National League pennant in 1915 to the World Series titles in 1980 and 2008, Larry Shenk, a longtime Phillies executive, provides insight into a potpourri of faces, places, events, and personalities in Phillies history. He takes readers through every no-hitter thrown by a Phillies pitcher and an incredible season by a relief pitcher who became the Most Valuable Player. Read about Mike Schmidt’s most dramatic home run, the youngest pitcher to ever win a game in the big leagues, the greatest one-game performance in World Series history, the most unbreakable records in franchise history, and why the Phillies held spring training in Pennsylvania during the 1940s.

In October 1954, the Philadelphia Athletics relocated to Kansas City, putting an end to more than a half-century of American League baseball in the City of Brotherly Love. However, of all the professional sports teams ever to play in the city, Connie Mack's Athletics remain the most successful-and frustrating. Their five World Series titles and nine pennants were balanced with seventeen last-place finishes. Mack's 3,776 victories as a manager were only exceeded by the 4,025 defeats he suffered-still a record for most losses by a single manager. In The Philadelphia Athletics, author William C. Kashatus tells the story of Connie Mack's talented and comedic team. Eighteen Philadelphia Athletics are enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, including players as famous as Ty Cobb, Mickey Cochrane, Eddie Collins, Jimmie Foxx, and Lefty Grove and as colorful as Rube Waddell, Chief Bender, and Al Simmons. From the early days of the American League, when the Athletics were ridiculed as the "White Elephants," through the glory years and their final decade in Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Athletics tells the poignant story of a manager and team who were among the greatest of all time.

The Philadelphia Phillies have lost more games and finished in last place more times than any other major league club. The lost seasons have established their reputation as one of the most unsuccessful teams ever to take the field--but even so the Phillies have had some unforgettable players and notable triumphs throughout their history. This work is a history of the Philadelphia Phillies baseball club from its inception in 1883, when the Worcester (Massachusetts) Brown Stockings moved to Philadelphia, through the 2000 season, 118 years later. It covers the team's finer seasons, moments, and players, including the great outfield of the 1890s, which was perhaps one of the best in big league history, Grover Cleveland Alexander and the 1915 pennant winner, Chuck Klein's slugging feats, Roberts, Ennis, and Ashburn, the era of Gene Mauch, Jim Bunning and the heartbreak of the lost pennant in 1964, Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton and the 1980 World Series championship, and the surprise pennant win in 1993. The book also covers the less than memorable times that are all too familiar to the fans. The team's relationship with the city of Philadelphia is also discussed at length.

Jack Coombs (1906-14) won three games in the 1910 World Series, an amazing accomplishment for any pitcher. (In three World Series he was lifetime 5-0.) That year he had gone 31-9 to pace the A’s and lead the league in victories. He was 28-12 the following season and 21-10 in 1912, clearly the best years of his fourteen-year-career. He spent four years with Brooklyn and finished up with Detroit. Lifetime in 355 games Jack was 159-110. After his playing days were over he became head baseball coach at Duke University and sent a number of players to the A’s during that time. Orge “Pat” Cooper (1946) a pitcher, not the comedian, who was one of those “Cup of Coffee” guys who saw action in one game, one inning and was never seen or heard from again in the majors. In the minors he pitched, played the outfield and first base and got into 622 games over ten years batting, of all things, .318. As a minor-league pitcher, he was 24-16. Arthur “Bunny” Corcoran (1915) was a member of the ’15 A’s. He was 0-4 in his one game at third base. Played just two minor-league campaigns (1920 at Norfolk and 1921 at Rocky Mount), played in 238 games and batted .230. Ensign “Dick” Cottrell (1913) spent small parts of five different years in the majors—and every one of them with a different team. With the A’s he was 1-0, with the rest of them, combined, he was 0-2. In four minor-league seasons, he won 34, lost 26. Why would someone give their kid a military rank as a first name? Stan Coveleski (1912) Hall of Famer, a native of Shamokin, PA, Stan started his fourteen-year career with the A’s in 1912 and, somehow, they let him get away after he went 2-1. In fact he spent four years in the minors and was twenty-seven before he was back in the majors to stay, mostly with Cleveland (1916-24). He also saw service with Washington and the Yankees. Lifetime in 450 games, Coveleski won 215, lost 142 with an ERA of 2.88. He was the brother of Harry Coveleski a very good southpaw major-league pitcher who appeared with the Phillies, Reds, and Tigers over nine years (1907-18). Ironically the two brothers never faced each other on the mound. The correct spelling of his last name was Coveleskie, but he never corrected anyone and, as a consequence, his Hall of Famer The Ultimate Philadelphia Athletics Reference Book 1901-1954 93 plaque has his last name spelled incorrectly. (The original spelling of his name was Kowalewski, he and his brother changed it legally). Stan Coveleskie shared the same name (and they spelled it right, too) not the same talents as the well-known Hall of Famer. Stan played in the minors for six seasons (1944-51), five of them in the Phillies farm system, one in the A’s organization. A catcher by trade, Coveleskie appeared in 346 games and batted .261. Homer Cox was signed as a catcher by the A’s in 1938 and spent the majority of his ten-year minor-league career in their organization. He played in 578 games and had a .301 lifetime batting average, but never really got out of the low minors. He batted .367 for Lexington in 1945 in eighty-four games, his best season. Martin “Toots” Coyne (1914) went zero for two in his one game for the A’s. No other pro record exists. Born and died in St. Louis. Jim Roy Crabb (1912) in seven games for the A’s he was 2-4, in two games with the White Sox to start the season, he was 0-1. Lifetime, one year, nine games. Spent seven seasons in the minors, winning seventy-six, losing seventy-one. Once lost twenty games playing for three different teams in 1914. George Craig (1907) no decisions in two appearances. He was a left hander. Was 6-5 in his one minor-league season. Roger “Doc” Cramer (1929-35) who belongs in the Hall of Fame and will never get there despite his twenty-year-career and lifetime batting average of .296. His best A’s year was 1935 when he batted .332 in 149 games. Cramer appeared in 2,239 games, had 2,705 hits and batted over .300 eight times