1976 Philadelphia Phillies season
Encyclopedia
The Philadelphia Phillies
season was the 94th season in the history of the franchise. The Phillies won their first National League East
title, as they compiled a record of 101-61, nine games ahead of the second-place Pittsburgh Pirates
.
The Phillies lost the NLCS
, 3-0 to the Cincinnati Reds
. Danny Ozark managed the Phillies, as they played their home games at Veterans Stadium
, where the All-Star Game
was played that season.
, the Phillies saw a -game August lead dwindle to just 3 games as their offense dried up on two late-year road trips.
Mike Schmidt
hit 12 home runs in Philadelphia's first 15 games, including 4 in one game on April 17. No one had hit this many home runs so quickly. In that game, the Phillies and Chicago Cubs
combined for thirty-four runs in a game which featured nine home runs. Schmidt's home run feat was later tied by Alex Rodriguez
in .
Schmidt also won his first of 10 Gold Gloves that year, and carried the Phillies to the 1976 NLCS where he hit .308.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
season was the 94th season in the history of the franchise. The Phillies won their first National League East
National League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
title, as they compiled a record of 101-61, nine games ahead of the second-place Pittsburgh Pirates
1976 Pittsburgh Pirates season
The Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 90th in the National League, and the 95th in franchise history. The Pirates compiled a 92-70 record during the season, as they finished in second place in the NL East, nine games behind their cross-state rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies. As a result, their...
.
The Phillies lost the NLCS
1976 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 9, 1976 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaReds starter Don Gullett held the Phils to two hits in eight strong innings and helped his own cause with an RBI single in the sixth and a two-run double in the eighth...
, 3-0 to the Cincinnati Reds
1976 Cincinnati Reds season
The Cincinnati Reds season was a season in American baseball. The Reds won their second consecutive National League West title with a record of 102-60, 10 games ahead of the runner-up Los Angeles Dodgers...
. Danny Ozark managed the Phillies, as they played their home games at Veterans Stadium
Veterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
, where the All-Star Game
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
was played that season.
Offseason
- October 24, 1975: Larry Cox was traded by the Phillies to the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
for Sergio FerrerSergio FerrerSergio Ferrer Marrero is a former Major League Baseball shortstop. He played in parts of four seasons in the majors in two separate stints. He played for the Minnesota Twins in and , then spent two seasons in the minor leagues before returning to the majors to play for the New York Mets in and...
. - December 10, 1975: Dick RuthvenDick RuthvenRichard David Ruthven is a former Major League Baseball pitcher with a 14-year career from 1973 to 1986. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs all of the National League. During his career, Ruthven had a record of 123-127, an ERA of 4.14, and 1145 career strikeouts...
, Roy Thomas, and Alan BannisterAlan BannisterAlan Bannister is a retired professional baseball player who played for the Philadelphia Phillies , Chicago White Sox , Cleveland Indians , Houston Astros and Texas Rangers...
were traded by the Phillies to the Chicago White SoxChicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
for Jim KaatJim KaatJames Lee "Jim" Kaat , nicknamed "Kitty", is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins , Chicago White Sox , Philadelphia Phillies , New York Yankees , and St...
and Mike BuskeyMike BuskeyMichael Thomas "Mike" Buskey is a former Major League Baseball player. Buskey played for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1977....
. - December 27, 1975: Luis AguayoLuis AguayoLuis Aguayo Muriel is the former third base coach of the New York Mets baseball team. He is a former major league baseball player. An infielder, Aguayo played with the Philadelphia Phillies from 1980 to 1988. During the season, Aguayo was traded for pitcher Amalio Carreno to the New York Yankees...
was signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent. - January 7, 1976: Derek BotelhoDerek BotelhoDerek Wayne Botelho is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Kansas City Royals and Chicago Cubs, who is currently the pitching coach for the Class A-Advanced Lynchburg Hillcats.-Career:...
was drafted by the Phillies in the 2nd round of the 1976 Major League Baseball Draft1976 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1976 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :The 1976 Arizona State University team, considered by many to be the best collegiate team ever, played a major role in the draft. Floyd Bannister was picked number one...
. Player signed May 5, 1976.
Regular season
The final 9-game margin masks how competitive the season actually was. In a scary echo of 19641964 Philadelphia Phillies season
The Philadelphia Phillies season was the 82nd season for the franchise in Philadelphia. The Phillies finished in a second-place tie in the National League with the Cincinnati Reds, while posting a record of 92-70. The teams finished one game behind the NL and World Series champion St. Louis...
, the Phillies saw a -game August lead dwindle to just 3 games as their offense dried up on two late-year road trips.
Mike Schmidt
Mike Schmidt
Michael Jack Schmidt is a Hall of Fame third baseman popularly considered among the greatest third basemen in the history of Major League Baseball. He played his entire career for the Philadelphia Phillies....
hit 12 home runs in Philadelphia's first 15 games, including 4 in one game on April 17. No one had hit this many home runs so quickly. In that game, the Phillies and Chicago Cubs
1976 Chicago Cubs season
- Offseason :* October 28, 1975: Don Kessinger was traded by the Cubs to the St. Louis Cardinals for Mike Garman and a player to be named later. The Cardinals completed the deal by sending Bobby Hrapmann to the Cubs on April 5, 1976....
combined for thirty-four runs in a game which featured nine home runs. Schmidt's home run feat was later tied by Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel "Alex" Rodriguez is an American professional baseball third baseman with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Known popularly by his nickname A-Rod, he previously played shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers.Rodriguez is considered one of the best...
in .
Schmidt also won his first of 10 Gold Gloves that year, and carried the Phillies to the 1976 NLCS where he hit .308.
Notable transactions
- April 9, 1976: Wayne NordhagenWayne NordhagenWayne Oren Nordhagen is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and designated hitter. He played eight seasons in the majors for the Chicago White Sox , Toronto Blue Jays , Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs .Drafted by the New York Yankees in 1968, Nordhagen played in 502 games in his eight...
was purchased by the Phillies from the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. - May 14, 1976: Bobby BrownBobby Brown (outfielder)Rogers Lee "Bobby" Brown , is a former Major League Baseball player who played outfield in the major leagues from -. Brown played for the Toronto Blue Jays , New York Yankees , Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres In 502 games, Brown accumulated 313 hits, 26 home runs, 130 RBI, and a .245 batting...
was signed as a free agent by the Phillies. - July 14, 1976: Wayne Nordhagen was traded by the Phillies to the Chicago White SoxChicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
for Rich CogginsRich CogginsRichard Allen Coggins was an outfielder for the Baltimore Orioles , Montreal Expos , New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox ....
.
Draft picks
- June 8, 1976: Joe CharboneauJoe CharboneauJoseph Charboneau was a Major League Baseball player for the Cleveland Indians and is one of the most often-cited examples of a flash in the pan or of baseball's fabled sophomore jinx....
was drafted by the Phillies in the 2nd round of the secondary phase of the 1976 Major League Baseball Draft1976 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1976 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :The 1976 Arizona State University team, considered by many to be the best collegiate team ever, played a major role in the draft. Floyd Bannister was picked number one...
. Player signed June 10, 1976.
Roster
| 1976 Philadelphia Phillies | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers | Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders | Manager Coaches |
||||||
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 160 | 666 | 189 | .284 | 1 | 56 | |
| 3B | 160 | 584 | 153 | .262 | 38 | 107 | |
| LF | 149 | 533 | 162 | .304 | 21 | 95 | |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 95 | 124 | 25 | .202 | 1 | 13 | |
| 4 | 6 | 4 | .667 | 0 | 0 | |
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 252.2 | 20 | 7 | 3.13 | 195 | |
| 38 | 227.2 | 12 | 14 | 3.48 | 83 | |
| 33 | 222 | 18 | 10 | 3.08 | 118 | |
| 32 | 168.2 | 13 | 8 | 3.68 | 54 | |
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59 | 9 | 3 | 11 | 2.82 | 92 | |
| 58 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 2.50 | 76 | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.00 | 0 |
Game 1
October 9, Veterans StadiumVeterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 0 | |
| Philadelphia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 1 | |
| W: Don Gullett (1-0) L: Steve Carlton Steve Carlton Steven Norman Carlton , nicknamed "Lefty", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1965-1988 for six different teams in his career, but it is his time with the Philadelphia Phillies where he received his greatest acclaim as a professional and won four Cy Young Awards... (0-1) SV: None |
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| HRs: CIN – George Foster (1) PHI – None | |||||||||||||
Game 2
October 10, Veterans StadiumVeterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | |
| Philadelphia | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 1 | |
| W: Pat Zachry Pat Zachry Patrick Paul Zachry is a former Major League baseball pitcher who had a ten year career from to .-Cincinnati Reds:... (1-0) L: Jim Lonborg Jim Lonborg James Reynold Lonborg is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher who played with the Boston Red Sox , Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies... (0-1) SV: Pedro Borbón Pedro Borbón Spudro spärde Von Dolan is a former pitcher. He played Major League Baseball for 12 seasons for four teams, including 10 seasons for the Cincinnati Reds , playing on two World Series winning teams... (1) |
|||||||||||||
| HRs: CIN – None PHI – Greg Luzinski (1) | |||||||||||||
Game 3
October 12, Riverfront Stadium| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 0 | |
| Cincinnati | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 2 | |
| W: Rawly Eastwick Rawly Eastwick Rawlins Jackson "Rawly" Eastwick is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played from 1975 to 1981.-Career:... (1-0) L: Gene Garber Gene Garber Henry Eugene Garber is a former sidearm relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 20th round of the amateur draft, and pitched for the Pirates, the Kansas City Royals, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Atlanta Braves.Upon his retirement in , his... (0-1) SV: None |
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| HRs: CIN – George Foster (2) Johnny Bench Johnny Bench Johnny Lee Bench is a former professional baseball catcher who played in the Major Leagues for the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 to 1983 and is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame... (1) PHI – None |
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