Today is Veterans Day in the United States, a time to reflect, honor, and pay tribute to our nation's real heroes - those who have served in the military. While I appreciate all of the dedication and sacrifice those in the Marines, Army, Navy, and Coast Guard have shown, today we also remember Veterans Stadium."The Vet" was home to the Phillies from 1971 to 2003. It hosted three World Series (1980, 1983, 1993) and a ton of losses. Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton made a name for themselves there. Chase Utley hit his first home run there. Despite the Vet's inglorious history in baseball and mostly football, it is still a place that many who grew up going there have fond memories of.
Today More Hardball takes a look at the top five moments in Veterans Stadium's baseball history, but I felt like taking it a step further with a top ten. I'll let More Hardball have their top five, but I will offer you my next five to create a top ten.
#6. Terry Mulholland's no-hitter, August 10, 1990
In a record-breaking season for no-hitters, Terry Mulholland tossed the eighth of the season, and the only of his career, doing so against the San Francisco Giants. Only Rich Parker would reach base on a throwing error by Charlie Hayes, keeping Mulholland from a perfect game.
New York Times: Phillies' Mulholland Pitches Season's 8th No-Hitter (August 10, 1990)
On a personal side note, I was supposed to be at this game. My dad had tickets for the game as part of his season ticket package, but we were leaving for Disney World early the next morning so my dad opted to stay home and rest up with a good night's sleep. The tickets went unused.
#7. Kevin Milwood's no-hitter, April 27, 2003In the final season of Veterans Stadium Kevin Millwood, one of the new faces on the team, threw a gem against a very talented San Francisco Giants, lead by Barry Bonds. The Phillies offense had a poor outing, recording just four hits and Ricky LeDee's first inning solo home run would be all the scoring Millwood would need. Millwood struck out ten batters and walked just three. It was the first no-hitter of Millwood's career and helped him finally get out of the shadows of his former teammates in Atlanta, who were routinely winning Cy Young Awards.
ESPN.com - Phillies 1, Giants 0 (April 27, 2003)
#8. Jim Thome and Todd Pratt take down Red Sox Nation, June 21, 2003
Jim Thome carried the Phillies on his back not once, but twice against the visiting Boston Red Sox. But Todd Pratt was the man of the hour. Boston's Nomar Garciaparra tied a franchise record with six hits in the game but the Red Sox could not hold on to three separate leads late in the game. Boston starting pitcher Pedro Martinez pitched seven great innings and left with a 2-1 lead. Randy wold pitched well in 6.2 innings of work for the Phillies.
Bobby Abreu put the Phillies up 1-0 with a lead-off solo home run in the second inning but the Red Sox rallied with a run to tie it in the third inning on the first of Todd Walker home runs on the day. Thome hit a two out solo home run to tie the game at two off reliever Mike Timlin in the eighth inning. The Red Sox took a one run lead in the 12th inning when Kevin Millar tripled to score Garciaparra, but Thome hit his second two-out solo home run of the day in the bottom of the 12th inning on a 3-2 pitch.
After the Red Sox took a two run lead in the 13th inning off of Phillies reliever Jose Mesa, things looked dim for the home team. With the abundant number of Red Sox fans on hand standing and cheering, it would be the home town faithful who would be celebrating. Abreu lead off the bottom of the 13th with a walk and scored on a double by David Bell with two outs. Boston turned to Rudy Seanez to face Pratt, but Pratt took Seanez deep for a two run home run, giving the Phillies one of the most exciting wins in recent memory.
If anybody has the recoding of Scott Graham's radio call from that game, please let me know!
redOrbit: Phillies edge Red Sox 6-5 in 13 innings (June 21, 2003)
#9. NL East Showdown after September 11, September 17, 2001
After the tragic and horrific events of September 11, Major League Baseball respectfully shut down operations. When baseball returned to the spotlight the Phillies shad an important game to play against the NL East leading Atlanta Braves. In addition the Phillies were in position for a wild card spot in the playoffs.
The Braves took the early lead when Chipper Jones hit a solo home run off of Phillies starter Robert Person, but Scott Rolen connected for a lead off home run off of Greg Maddux in the second inning and brought home Abreu in the fourth inning o a ground out to give the Phillie the lead. Paul Bako tied the game for the Braves with a ground out that scored Rey Sanchez in the fifth inning, but it was all Phillies from there.
Rolen hit his second home run of the game off Maddux in the bottom of the sixth and the Phillies tacked on two more runs in the eighth inning, including a Jimmy Rollins run on another Rolen ground out but all runners were safe on a throwing error.
Baseball-Reference.com Box Score
#10. The Willie Stargell Star, June 25, 1971For an opposing player to have any kind of monument or dedication in a baseball stadium is almost unheard of. That is unless you are Willie Stargell, who had a part of Veterans Stadium marked specifically for the long time Pittsburgh Pirate legend.
On June 25, 1971 Stargell hit the longest home run in the history of Veterans Stadium in a 14-4 rout of the home town Phillies by the Pirates. The second inning home run came off of Jim Bunning and extended the Pirates' lead to 4-2 but in the first season of Veterans Stadium the legend was already put in place.
The people in charge of the Vet realized that the home run would be legendary for years to come so they marked the exact spot Stargell's blast with a white circle and yellow star. After Stargell's death in 2001 the circle was painted black in his honor.
Baseball-Reference.com Box Score
So now that I have offered my bottom half of the top ten, what are some of your favorite Veterans Stadium memories?
Original Story:
http://macho-row.blogspot.com/2009/11...
