If you were to mention the Phillies to anyone in Philadelphia, you would probably hear a tirade about how disappointing the Phillies were in the Playoffs. True, they didn't win a championship or a game. However, the Phillies did manage to do one thing: Put a major crack in the "Curse of Billy Penn" that has haunted Philadelphia sports since the construction of One Liberty Place over the statue of William Penn above city hall. And they did it "a la bambino"...
It was the night of August 30th, and the Mets were playing the Phillies, who were hoping for an unthinkable four-game sweep of the Mets. It was the bottom of the 9th inning, the Phillies down 10-9 after a disastrous 8th Inning. Billy Wagner, the overpowering, former Phillies' closer who left for more money was pitching. After a single, Jayson Werth, armed with scouting reports from his teammates on Wagner, stole two bases consecutively, ending up at third. With one out, Tadihito Iguchi slapped a single to score Werth. Iguchi then stole second himself, setting up an intentional walk to Jimmy Rollins and then Chase Utley came to the plate...
This unthinkable four-game sweep of the best team in the National League was a segway into an incredible September. The Phillies won their last eight games against the Mets, and proved all their critics wrong by winning the divison. Many would consider this was just dumb luck, as the Mets collapsed on their own. This is just plain incorrect.
The Phillies were instrumental in the Mets downfall. They hit the Mets hard on their first punch (the four-game August Sweep) setting themselves up to knock the Mets out on the second blow (September three-game sweep). Need proof?
- Mets Before Four-Game Sweep: 73-59
- Mets between four- and three-game sweeps: 10-3
- Mets after three-game sweep: 5-12
The Phillies' August 30th victory was a far cry from a season-changing game, but the Red Sox broke their curse in a similar way. In game 4 of the ALCS, with their backs against the wall in the series, Dave Roberts' "Steal Heard Round the World"- when he stole a base by inches off Mariano Rivera after 3 near-pickoffs- put him in scoring position, setting up a Red Sox walk-off win. Despite the three unlikely wins they needed to get to win that series, and the fact that it wasn't even the world series, Roberts' steal is what many considered to be the event that broke the "Curse of the Bambino".
The Phillies may not have won a championship, and thus haven't completely broken Philly's curse, but there are undeniable similarities to the Red Sox in 2004. Besides, winning your division in baseball (especially if you would have won it if the pre-1995 divisions were in place) is much bigger than doing so in any other sport.
Finally, a reiteration from yesterday's entry: If I had told you that the Phillies would make the playoffs in 2007, you would have laughed at me. If I had told you Freddy Garcia and Jon Lieber would implode and get injured, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Shane Victorino would be out for weeks, Cole Hamels replaced buy some AA guy, and Brett Myers would go 0-3 and get exiled to the bullpen, and told you the Phillies would still make the playoffs, you would have committed me to an insane asylum.
If you still need proof to subdue your doubts, consider the injuries the Phillies had to deal with this season...
- Chase Utley: Out 7/26-8/27
- Ryan Howard: Out 5/9-5/25 & 7/8-7/13
- Shane Victorino: Out 7/30-8/22 & 9/1-9/7
- Jayson Werth: 6/28-8/1
- Cole Hamels: 8/16-9/18
- Freddy Garcia: 6/8-Present
- John Lieber: 6/20-Present
- Brett Myers: 5/23-7-28
- Tom Gordon: 5/1-7/17
- Ryan Madson: 7/29-Present
Still think Philadelphia Sports are reeling from the "Curse of Billy Penn"? To tell you the truth, you wouldn't be a true Philadelphia sports fan if you ever did.
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