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During the 1944 season, 16-year-old Ralph "Putsy" Caballero became the youngest Phillie in team history when he broke into the Major Leagues. Signed out of high school by the Phillies that year, Caballero reached the big show in September for the final few weeks of the season. He played in parts of 8 different seasons as a member of the Phillies, mostly as a reserve infielder. In his debut season, the right-handed hitting Caballero went 0-for-4 in 4 games and then went hitless in 9 appearances the following season at the big league level. Caballero, a Louisiana native, missed the 1946 season, as he was summoned for military service. He later achieved his first Major League hit in 1947. In 1948, still very young for the highest level of the sport, at 20-years-old, Caballero saw action in 113 games with the Phillies, spending time at second base and third base. That season, Caballero hit .245 with 12 doubles a triple and 33 runs scored. With minimal power, Caballero hit jus...

Bill Nicholson was an outfielder with the Phillies from 1949-1953. Nicholson was a power hitting lefty batter whose best years were mostly behind him by the time he became employed by the Phillies. Nicknamed "Swish" because of his free-swinging style, Nicholson became a 5-time all-star in his 10 seasons with the Chicago Cubs. He also hit over 20 homers in six different seasons during that same stretch playing with Chicago. Turned down for military service because he was color blind, Nicholson would dine well on war time hurlers. In 1943 and 1944, Nicholson led the National League in homeruns and RBI, finishing second in league MVP voting in 1944, when he also led the league in runs scored with 116 and batted .287. Nicholson fell just 2 voting points short of winning the award, when the Cardinals' Marty Marion took home the honor mainly for his defense, as Marion's offensive numbers (.267 avg., 50 runs, 6 HR, 63 RBI) did not compare to Nicholson's. In that 1944 sea...

Stan Lopata was a catcher with the Phillies from 1948-1958. A back-up catcher through most of his career, a change in Lopata's batting stance well into his career increased his power and his playing time. A Michigan native, Lopata, debuted with the Phillies in 1948, playing in 6 games. Over the next six seasons, he served as the understudy to backstops like Andy Semenick and "Smoky" Burgess. Lopata played a key role in one of the best known defensive plays in Phillies history. In the final game of the 1950 season, with the Phillies and Dodgers playing one another and tied for the National League lead, the teams were knotted in a 1-1 tie in Brooklyn entering the bottom of the 9th inning. With Robin Roberts on the mound, the Dodgers quickly got runners on 1st and 2nd, with no outs. Duke Snider lined a single to centerfield. Richie Ashburn fielded the ball on one hop, while Dodgers third base coach, and former Phillie, Milt Stock waived Cal Abrams home. Abrams was a relative...

Russ Meyer was a pitcher with the Phillies from 1949-1952. Meyer, an Illinois native, came up with the Cubs and pitched parts of three seasons for Chicago, mainly as a reliever. Following the 1948 season, the Phillies, who were in need of pitching help, purchased Meyer's contract from the Cubs for $20,000. Meyer would become a starter with the Phillies in 1949. His first season playing for Philadelphia was his best as a pro. In 37 games, 28 of which were starts, he posted a 17-8 record with 14 complete games, 2 shut outs, a 3.08 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. His ERA was lowest in the National League among right-handers. The following year, Meyer suffered an arm injury following spring training, which limited him to 25 starts. However, when the Phillies needed him most, Meyer surely came through. As the season wound down and the 1950 pennant chase heated up, the Phils held a slim lead in the standings over Brooklyn, after losing 3 straight games to Brooklyn in early September. In the 4th gam...

The baseball world lost one its all-time greats on Thursday morning as Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts passed away at the age of 83. An official release from the Phillies stated that Roberts died of natural causes at his Florida home. Roberts had a 286-245 career record with a 3.41 ERA. As a Phillie, Roberts posted a 234-199 record and completed 272 games. Also, from 1949-1960, he won at least 10 games each season. That streak of 12 straight seasons with double-digit victories is 2nd, only to Steve Carlton, in team history. Roberts also threw 3 one-hitters in his Phillies career. A seven time all-star, Roberts was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976. Roberts was attending Michigan State University on a basketball scholarship, when the Phillies convinced him to sign a professional baseball contract by offering him a $25,000 bonus. At 21-years-old in 1948, Roberts attended his first spring training, before being assigned to the Phillies minor league affiliate in W...

Andy Seminick was a catcher with the Phillies in the 1940's and 1950's. With his contract purchased in September 1943 from Knoxville in the minors, Seminick made his major league debut with the Phils that month and his very first major league hit was a homer. Seminick spent much of the next two seasons in the minors, but by 1946, Seminick had locked down the job of starting catcher for the Phillies. While he could hit for a bit of power, Seminick's defense was what held him back from becoming a top tier catcher in the National League as he led the league in errors in 1946, 1948 and 1949. However, in 1949, Seminick had his first of back to back 24 HR/68 RBI seasons and became an all-star. Those two seasons coincided with the Phillies' rise in the standings. A rough and tough backstop, Seminick would never shy away from a confrontation at home plate and would not let injuries hold him out of action. In the closing games of the 1950 season, Seminick was involved in a colli...

Bob Miller was a pitcher with the Phillies from 1949-1958. Signed as an amateur free agent in 1948, Miller made his Major League debut with the Phillies the next season, pitching 3 games in relief, after winning 19 minor league games. He returned with the big club the next season and won 11 games and posted a 3.57 ERA for the 1950 pennant winners. Miller, a Michigan native, got his chance to start following struggles by veterans Russ Meyer and Ken Heintzelman. Miller quickly made the most of his chance by pitching consecutive shutouts of Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. By the time Miller allowed a run, in his third start, he had pitched 22 straight scoreless innings. Miller's record soon ran to 8-0. Miller would soon prove to be an accident prone player the likes of which the Phillies have probably not seen since. In late June, 1950 Miller tripped over a step while carrying his luggage to a waiting train and injured his back. After a period of recovery, he did not pitch as effectively. ...

Emory "Bubba" Church was a pitcher with the Phillies from 1950-1952. Like Curt Simmons, Church was a strong-armed Phils farmhand who quickly moved through the minor league system. Following 15 wins at Toronto in 1949, he earned a shot in the big leagues and debuted with the Phillies in 1950. Church had some solid success with the team. As a rookie, Church was initially used out of the bullpen. By the middle of the 1950 season, Church was inserted into the starting rotation and helped the Phillies win the National League crown with some convincing wins. He won five of his first six starts, including a couple of shutouts. In mid-September that season, Church took a line drive to his face off the bat of Cincinnati's Ted Kluszewski. Church would be carried off the field on a stretcher. He made one final start that season, but was not used in the World Series. In 1951, Church started the season slowly. He won just 3 of his first 8 starts. However, starting in late May...

Willie "Puddin' Head" Jones was a third baseman with the Phillies from 1947-1959. Jones was a big country boy from South Carolina who combined slick defense with a strong bat. The nickname Puddin' Head came from his childhood friends after a character in a film by the same name. Jones spent more than a decade manning the hot corner and played more games at third base for the Phillies than anyone except Mike Schmidt. At the plate, Jones' strong bat provided a boost on offense for the Phillies lineup. In 1949, Jones took over full time duties at third base for the Phils and early that season, Jones hit four consecutive doubles in one game against the Braves. That same season, in a game against the Reds, he hit a triple and a homer in the same inning. When the Phillies won the National League pennant in 1950, Jones' 25 homeruns and 88 RBI were both second best on the team. He led the league in games played that year also. Jones was an all star in both the ...

Del Ennis was an outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1946-1956. Ennis, a Philadelphia native, played for the "Class B" Interstate League team in Trenton, NJ for one season prior to enlisting in the Navy to serve during World War II. While serving, he played on a Navy Service team which included Pee Wee Reese, Mickey Vernon and other big name ball players. Ennis was released from the Navy in early April 1946, and within a couple weeks was playing baseball with the Phillies. Ennis would become the Phillies' first rookie to be named an all star. By the end of the season, his .313 batting average and 73 RBI got him named The Sporting News Rookie of the Year. The following season, Ennis' 81 RBI led the team. The next best total by a Phillie was 51. In 1949, Ennis was part of a record setting inning, when the Phillies struck 5 homers in the same inning. Ennis, Andy Seminick (who hit 2), Willie Jones and Lynwood "Schoolboy" Rowe completed the feat. Ennis ...

Dick Sisler was a player with the Phillies from 1948-1951. Sisler, was acquired in a trade with the Cardinals as a first baseman, but was moved to the outfield, as his infield defense was not very solid. Sisler was an all star for the 1950 Phillies Whiz Kids squad that went to the World Series. In the 1950 season, Sisler hit 13 homers and had 83 RBI with a .296 batting avg. Those were all personal bests. In May of 1950, Sisler had hits in 8 straight at bats against his ex-team, the Cardinals in St. Louis. Sisler is best know for hitting the biggest homerun in Phillies history. On the final day of the season, the Phillies faced the Dodgers in Brooklyn. The Phils held a one game lead over Brooklyn for the league crown. Phillies ace Robin Roberts and Dodgers starter Don Newcombe dueled to a 1-1 tie, through nine innings. Already with 3 hits that day, Dick Sisler came to bat and slugged a 3 run homer into the left field grandstand to push the Phillies ahead 4-1. Roberts would shut the Dod...

Granville "Granny" Hamner was an all star short stop who played for the Phillies from 1944-1959. Granny was signed by the Phillies when he was 17 years old to play second base. His strong arm and solid range later got him moved to short stop. The following season, Granny's brother Garvin signed with the Phillies, and they began the 1945 season as the team's double play combination. Early on, Granny did not prove a match for Major League pitching. He hit just .171 in 14 games as an 18 year old before he was sent down to the minors to gain more experience. By age 21, in 1948, Granny was back with the big league club to stay. That season, brother Garvin batted .198 in 32 games and was sent down. He never returned to the majors again. During Granny's career he displayed above average power for a middle infielder. He had four seasons with more than 30 doubles and hit a career high 21 homeruns in 1953. He was also a proficient clutch hitter and had four seasons with mor...

Curt Simmons made his Major League debut for the Phillies at age 18 and, over time, became one of the team's most dependable starting pitchers. The lefty signed with the team in 1947 for $65,000 following an exhibition game set up by team owner Bob Carpenter. Much to everyone's surprise, Curt Simmons struck out eleven Phils in the game, which ended in a 4-4 tie. Upon signing, Simmons was assigned to Wilmington, in the minor leagues. After striking out 197 batters in 147 minor league innings, Simmons was promoted to the Major League club for the final week of the 1947 season. In Simmons debut, he beat the Giants at Shibe Park 3-1, giving up just 5 hits and striking out 9. The following season, Simmons had a rough go of it, and started off slowly. In his first start of the season, he struggled to find the strike zone, as he walked 7 of the 14 batters he faced. Over his first two full seasons with the Phillies, Simmons' control hurt him. He was a combined 11-23 in 1948 and 194...

Jim Konstanty was a pitcher with the Phillies from 1948-1954. Early on, Konstanty, was assumed to have little shot at a real career in the Major Leagues. His scholarly appearance and small repertoire of pitches did little to instill confidence in the clubs he pitched for. Konstanty, whose real first name was Casimir, was a 4-sport athlete at Syracuse University. He did not begin pitching till he had completed college. Konstanty pitched briefly for the Reds in 1944 but Navy service interrupted his progress and the next few seasons in the minors weren't great. Eddie Sawyer took over as manager of the Phillies' triple A team, Toronto, in 1948. Sawyer moved Konstanty to the bullpen, and when Sawyer got promoted up to manage the Phillies, he brought Konstanty up along with him. In 1949, Konstanty had a break through season for the Phillies and went 9-5 with a 3.25 ERA. 1950, however, was the year that put Jim Konstanty in the history books. That season, the Phillies won their first ...

John S. "Jocko" Thompson was a left handed pitcher for the Phillies from 1948-1951. Jocko had been in the Red Sox organization prior to World War 2 breaking out, but served military duty as a paratrooper and company commander prior to making his major league debut. Jocko was set to enter the 1942 season with the class A Scranton Red Sox but, when World War 2 broke out, he was called to duty and sent to basic training. After completing training in Louisiana, he became a paratrooper with the famed 504th Paratroop Regiment of the elite 82nd Airborne Division. Thompson and the 82nd Airborne made jumps in nearly every major war zone. One of Jocko's early jumps was into Sicily in 1943. This invasion led to the Allies' capture of dictator Benito Mussolini. The list of Jocko's notable war experiences is long. When the war ended, so did Thompson's military career. Upon his return to the United States and baseball, Thompson was the most decorated professional ball play...

There is tons of lore about the 1950 Phillies, the team full of youth that fought off the Dodgers to make it to the World Series, but do you know about how the season finished? Do you know how the 1950 Whiz Kids nearly pulled a 2007 Metropolitans? Read on, little stars...and let's shine together. In the closing weeks of the 1950 season, our Phillies had a 7 game lead with just 11 games left to play. A World Series berth seemed almost locked up. It would be the Phillies first trip to the Series in 35 years. However, without warning, the team began to fizzle (yes the Whiz began to Fizz). They lost seven of nine, during the final weeks of the season, while the Brooklyn Dodgers won 12 of 15 games during a stretch in the closing weeks. The Phillies roster suffered a big loss, in September, when 17 game winner, pitcher Curt Simmons, an Army National Guard member, was drafted for the Korean War. The team kept fighting, however. In fact, 1950 was the year that the team got the nickname, ...

Eddie Sawyer was a highly regarded Yankees' outfield prospect until a shoulder injury knocked him out of action in 1939. Sawyer never made it to the majors as a player, but earned college degrees from Cornell University and Ithica College prior to playing in the minors. With his playing days over, he began managing in the minor leagues, trying to work his way up the ladder. In 1944, Sawyer took over as manager in Utica, which was the Phillies' Eastern League affiliate, in those days. There, Eddie Sawyer was responsible for moving a young Richie Ashburn from catcher to the outfield. Sawyer began the 1948 season managing the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Phillies' triple A team, and midway through the 1948 season, the Phillies fired manager Ben Chapman, and Sawyer was promoted to the big club. At the time, some press questioned the move of hiring a man who has never played in the majors, as the manager. Sawyer's arrival in the majors coincided with the development of some youn...