The Phillies Win The Pennant!!!
Today, many residents of southeastern Pennsylvania (including myself and Anne Marie) are basking in the glow of the Philadelphia Phillies winning the National League Championship for the second year in a row. The term “basking in the glow” sounds so much better than the truth, which is we’re operating at half-steam today no matter what our jobs are, because many of us got at most five hours sleep last night. There is a sense of exhaustion, but it’s a good, warm, fuzzy exhaustion we’re experiencing today.
I thought I did quite well, dragging myself through the day with only the equivalent of – if you’re my cardiologist and you’re reading this, please look away — five cups of coffee and a Diet Pepsi. The only serious mistake I made was while constructing a ham and cheese wrap for my lunch. In my semi-comatose state this morning, I sprinkled what I thought was oregano on my lettuce, when actually I grabbed the celery seed in error. My lunch was a bit more interesting than usual.
This is certainly a great time to be alive in Philadelphia sports history. Entire generations of Phillies fans were born, lived and rooted for the Fightin’s, and died without ever once experiencing the joys of a championship season. The 1960s were particularly gloomy. Year after year, the Phillies toiled in the basement of their division, and I won’t even mention the 1964 implosion. Yet today, here we are, world champions on our way to defending that crown, the first time this has ever happened in the franchise’s 125 year history. Please, somebody pinch me!
We should acknowledge the strong competition which both the Colorado Rockies and the Los Angeles Dodgers gave us in the 2009 post season. For the second year in a row, Joe Torre brought his players to the playoffs with a bullpen that was touted as the best in the league. Various Dodgers players were looking understandably disappointed as the Phillies gathered on the baseball diamond to celebrate their pennant victory.
I felt particularly bad for their third base coach, Larry Bowa, who in his prime was a legendary figure on the Phillies squad. Even more bittersweet for Bowa is the fact that he managed the team for a few years earlier in the decade, and was replaced with the current skipper, Charlie Manuel. Now that I think about it, Bowa replaced Terry Francona as the Phillies manager, and Francona himself went on to lead the Boston Red Sox to a World Championship.
Okay, now I’m feeling real bad for Larry Bowa. Maybe we should just forget that I brought up the subject. In any event, the Dodgers shouldn’t feel ashamed at their loss; they were worthy opponents for the Phillies.
Former Phillies pitcher Vincente Padilla in particular did an outstanding job in the October 16 game in Los Angeles. He held us to one run until Torre pulled him. Padilla left the field and the Dodgers fans put down their glasses of Chablis long enough to give him a justly-deserved standing ovation.
So now the Phillies will rest to watch the outcome of the Yankees-Angels series. All bets right now are that the Yankees will emerge as the American League representatives in the World Series. If that happens, then it will be a replay of the 1950 World Series. This could very well be the revenge of the Phillies Whiz Kids.
On the other hand, anything could happen and the Angels may pull out a miracle. As the old Yogi Berra adage goes, “It ain’t over until it’s over!” In the meantime, we Phillies fans will catch up with our sleep.
(Thank you for reading. Please remember Richie Ashburn and Harry Kalas in your thoughts. They are certainly enjoying this victory and singing “High Hopes” wherever they are.)
I thought I did quite well, dragging myself through the day with only the equivalent of – if you’re my cardiologist and you’re reading this, please look away — five cups of coffee and a Diet Pepsi. The only serious mistake I made was while constructing a ham and cheese wrap for my lunch. In my semi-comatose state this morning, I sprinkled what I thought was oregano on my lettuce, when actually I grabbed the celery seed in error. My lunch was a bit more interesting than usual.
This is certainly a great time to be alive in Philadelphia sports history. Entire generations of Phillies fans were born, lived and rooted for the Fightin’s, and died without ever once experiencing the joys of a championship season. The 1960s were particularly gloomy. Year after year, the Phillies toiled in the basement of their division, and I won’t even mention the 1964 implosion. Yet today, here we are, world champions on our way to defending that crown, the first time this has ever happened in the franchise’s 125 year history. Please, somebody pinch me!
We should acknowledge the strong competition which both the Colorado Rockies and the Los Angeles Dodgers gave us in the 2009 post season. For the second year in a row, Joe Torre brought his players to the playoffs with a bullpen that was touted as the best in the league. Various Dodgers players were looking understandably disappointed as the Phillies gathered on the baseball diamond to celebrate their pennant victory.
I felt particularly bad for their third base coach, Larry Bowa, who in his prime was a legendary figure on the Phillies squad. Even more bittersweet for Bowa is the fact that he managed the team for a few years earlier in the decade, and was replaced with the current skipper, Charlie Manuel. Now that I think about it, Bowa replaced Terry Francona as the Phillies manager, and Francona himself went on to lead the Boston Red Sox to a World Championship.
Okay, now I’m feeling real bad for Larry Bowa. Maybe we should just forget that I brought up the subject. In any event, the Dodgers shouldn’t feel ashamed at their loss; they were worthy opponents for the Phillies.
Former Phillies pitcher Vincente Padilla in particular did an outstanding job in the October 16 game in Los Angeles. He held us to one run until Torre pulled him. Padilla left the field and the Dodgers fans put down their glasses of Chablis long enough to give him a justly-deserved standing ovation.
So now the Phillies will rest to watch the outcome of the Yankees-Angels series. All bets right now are that the Yankees will emerge as the American League representatives in the World Series. If that happens, then it will be a replay of the 1950 World Series. This could very well be the revenge of the Phillies Whiz Kids.
On the other hand, anything could happen and the Angels may pull out a miracle. As the old Yogi Berra adage goes, “It ain’t over until it’s over!” In the meantime, we Phillies fans will catch up with our sleep.
(Thank you for reading. Please remember Richie Ashburn and Harry Kalas in your thoughts. They are certainly enjoying this victory and singing “High Hopes” wherever they are.)
posted by todd gunther | 6:39 PM
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