Sports: (Get) Outta Here!
Baseball is officially in full swing — meaning yet one more season of high hopes (followed no doubt by dashed ones). Here, some selected shouts and murmurs from the past 50 years.
“They’ve shown me ways to lose that I never knew existed.” — Mets manager Casey Stengel, on the Phils’ 23-game losing streak in 1961.
“It was like watching somebody drown.” — Phils manager Gene Mauch, after the 1964 team blew a six-and-a-half-game lead with 12 games left in the season.
“Five hundred dollars for being drunk, and $100 for being with the Phillies.” — Former (1966-’67) Phils catcher and comic Bob Uecker, on being fined by the police.
“Philadelphia is the only city where you can experience the thrill of victory and the agony of reading about it the next day.” — Mike Schmidt, in 1974.
“Since 1915, I have been cheering for the Philadelphia Phillies. … In such circumstances, it is traditional to say, ‘I supported them in good years and bad.’ There were no good years. I cheered in bad and worse.” — Bucks County author James Michener, in 1978.
“YOU OWE US 30” — Sign greeting the returning World Series champion Phillies in 1980, a twist on the 76ers’ famous (and, in hindsight, ill-advised) “We owe you one.”
“Honest, we’re really not bad people. But you wouldn’t want us in your home.” — First baseman John Kruk, in 1993.
“It was like watching somebody drown.” — Phils manager Gene Mauch, after the 1964 team blew a six-and-a-half-game lead with 12 games left in the season.
“Five hundred dollars for being drunk, and $100 for being with the Phillies.” — Former (1966-’67) Phils catcher and comic Bob Uecker, on being fined by the police.
“Philadelphia is the only city where you can experience the thrill of victory and the agony of reading about it the next day.” — Mike Schmidt, in 1974.
“Since 1915, I have been cheering for the Philadelphia Phillies. … In such circumstances, it is traditional to say, ‘I supported them in good years and bad.’ There were no good years. I cheered in bad and worse.” — Bucks County author James Michener, in 1978.
“YOU OWE US 30” — Sign greeting the returning World Series champion Phillies in 1980, a twist on the 76ers’ famous (and, in hindsight, ill-advised) “We owe you one.”
“Honest, we’re really not bad people. But you wouldn’t want us in your home.” — First baseman John Kruk, in 1993.
Originally published in Philadelphia magazine, April 2007
