When fans of the Philadelphia Phillies think about the World Series, their minds probably flash to 1980 or 2008. The euphoria of the most passionate sports city in the world created memories that will last a lifetime and pass through generations.

The Phillies are one of the oldest franchises in professional sports. You might hear more often about how they were the first to lose 10,000 games, but they’ve also reached the World Series eight times.

Phillies in the World Series

The Fightin’ Phils waited nearly a century of existence and 77 years after the first Fall Classic before winning their first championship ring. The early years included runs from some of the all-time greats, including the renowned “Whiz Kids” in 1950.

The great teams of the 1970s and 1980s captured two more National League pennants. Legends of the game like Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, and Pete Rose reached the level of franchise allure. One decade later, one of the most beloved teams in Philly sports history took the town by storm.

Cole Hamels, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, and Chase Utley carried the torch during the 21st century. Bryce Harper has taken over and led the Phillies into a new era.

MLB History

Baseball cherishes its history more than any other sport. Memories of America’s (former?) Pastime help maintain the love that fans have for the sports and for their teams. When a long summer culminates in a World Series run in October, they get to witness an event for the history books.

Phillies fans have of course suffered through more losses than any other professional sports franchises. The hardships of the past allow them to cherish the memories of success that they’ve hung around long enough to enjoy.

  • Red Sox Take Down Phillies (1915)

    Grover Cleveland Alexander led the Phillies to their first World Series appearance in franchise history in 1915. He went 31-10 in 49 starts for a team that called the Baker Bowl in North Philadelphia their home. The Phillies won Game 1 of the World Series with Alexander on the mound, but the Red Sox rallied for four straight to take the title.

  • The Whiz Kids (1950)

    The “Whiz Kids” shocked the world by winning the National League pennant on the backs of stars Del Ennis, Richie Ashburn, and Robin Roberts. The miracle season didn’t have a happy ending, however. Joe DiMaggio and the New York Yankees swept the underdog Phillies to win their second of five consecutive World Series.

  • Ya Gotta' Believe (1980)

    The franchise began as the Philadelphia Quakers in 1883, and the first World Series took place 20 years later. However, Phillies fans had to wait until 1980 to celebrate their first World Series.

    Mike Schmidt led the team with two home runs and seven RBIs in the series. Tug McGraw struck out Willie Wilson for the final out in Game 6 at Veterans Stadium end the drought.

    Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia Phillies

  • "The Wheeze Kids" (1983)

    Schmidt led the Phillies to another National League pennant three years later. A 3-1 series win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS sent the Phillies back to the World Series for the second time in four tries during the most successful era in franchise history.

    The stars of the team didn’t appear as ripe as the 1950 Whiz Kids, so the Wheeze Kids moniker fit them a little better.

    Future Hall of Famer Eddie Murray helped the Orioles break the dreams of Philadelphia fans. They took down the Phillies in five games, including a 5-0 whimper at Veterans Stadium in the clincher.

  • Macho Row Falls to Joe Carter (1993)

    The 1993 Phillies became one of the most beloved teams in Philadelphia sports history because of the “Macho Row” mentality that landed so perfectly with the fan base. A colorful mix of personalities like Curt Schilling, Lenny Dykstra, and John Kruk helped push the Phillies past the Braves in the NLCS.

    One of the most infamous moments in franchise history ended the memorable ride. Mitch Williams surrendered a walk-off home run to Joe Carter in the 9th inning of the Game 6 clincher.

    Joe Carter of the Toronto Blue Jays, who defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1993 World Series

  • Surviving Mother Nature (2008)

    The Phillies announced a new era of dominance in 2007 by storming back on the New York Mets for their first playoff appearance in 14 years. However, they left the fan base hungry for more with a quick playoff exit. Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, and Cole Hamels delivered one year later with an unforgettable playoff run.

    Shane Victorino’s grand slam helped the Phillies to a commanding lead in the NLDS. Matt Stairs hit an absolute moonshot at Dodger Stadium. Utley made the best heads-up play in MLB history for the third out of the 7th inning in the clincher.

    Mother Nature made them wait two extra days, but Brad Lidge eventually threw the final strike to break a 25-year championship drought for major professional sports teams in Philadelphia. Hamels took home the hardware as the World Series MVP at age 24.

    Brad lidge and Carlos Ruiz of the Philadelphia Phillies after the 2008 World Series

  • Just Short of Back-to-Back World Series (2009)

    The defending NL champions sunk the Dodgers again in the NLCS to advance back to the World Series. Cliff Lee dominated a stacked Yankees lineup in Game 1, but the Phillies ultimately ran out of gas just short of the finish line.

    Cole Hamels ended his disappointing 2009 season with a Game 3 loss. Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, and Hideki Matsui overwhelmed a pitching staff that didn’t have enough behind Lee to win consecutive titles.

    Cliff Lee of the Philadelphia Phillies at Yankee Stadium in Game 1 of the 2009 World Series against the New York Yankees

  • "Dancing On My Own" To A Miracle Run (2022)

    The Phillies backed into the 2022 MLB Playoffs, but their first postseason trip in over a decade made the fan base forget quickly. A 9th inning rally in the postseason opener raised some eyebrows, and the Phillies set themselves up for the triumphant return of Red October at Citizens Bank Park.

    The Atlanta Braves didn’t know what hit them in an NLDS stunner, and Bryce Harper capped off the NLCS with the swing of his life against the San Diego Padres.

    Only the Houston Astros stood in the way. The Phillies slugged their way to a 2-1 lead in front of a raucous crowd in Philadelphia, but the Astros responded with a combined no-hitter in Game 4 to suck the momentum out of the miracle Red October run. The series ended with another heartbreaker in a Game 6 loss in Houston.

    Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 5 of the 2022 National League Championship Series against the San Diego Padres

  • 97.5 The Fanatic

    Watch Kincade & Salciunas on the 97.5 The Fanatic YouTube page for discussion about the latest breaking sports news in Philadelphia.

     

     

Sign me up to for the BENefits Club email newsletter!

Make sure that you’re a member of one of Philadelphia’s most fun groups: The 95.7 BEN-efits Club to get concert and contest info, local and music news, and so much more straight to your inbox!

*
By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.