Wiffin’ Willie Wilson While Watchful World Waits

Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia lived to tell the tale of a World Series Game 6 on Tuesday, October 21, 1980. Twenty eight years ago, world championship baseball was initiated for the hometown Phillies. In the crisp autumn night, a clutch Kansas City Royals leadoff leftfielder named Willie Wilson ambled to home plate. Phillies rambunctious relief pitcher, Tug McGraw clung to a 4-1 lead. The bases were loaded in the top of the ninth inning. Starter, Steve Carlton, had endured an efficient mound effort that evening. “Lefty” was on track to win his second game of the dramatic 1980 World Series if McGraw could secure the final out. Talented all-star third baseman, Mike Schmidt, batted .381 in the Fall classic and anchored the lineup in game six. Schmidt smugly hit safely, showing he was the driving force in the October 21st lineup.
Wilson worked a 2-1 count before sheepishly striking out with a swing and miss on a sluggish McGraw fastball. The fighting 1980 Phillies won the World Series and they remind me so much of the 2008 Philadelphia team. The fiery shortstop, Larry Bowa, could be an older version of the intense Jimmy Rollins. Nerve-racking but surefire closer Brad Lidge is this year’s Tug McGraw. Cole Hamels is the confident and quiet Steve Carlton going about his business on the mound. The “Flying Hawaiian” Shane Victorino shows signs of becoming the next “Charlie Hustle” Pete Rose. MVP Mike Schmidt reminds me of MVP first baseman Ryan Howard with his strength and power. And both players are class acts. Veteran 1980 Phillie Greg Luzinski compares to Jamie Moyer. I see a little bit of Bret Boone in Pat Burrell. Second baseman Manny Trillo was signed as an amateur free agent and bounced around from team to team like Matt Stairs has done. Bob Walk pitched one season for the ’80 team similar to JC Romero performing one full season in Philadelphia. Brett Myers and Dick Ruthven were both drafted by the Phillies as starting pitchers. The 1980 Phillies had Bake McBride, Tim McCarver and Garry Maddox. This year, Chase Utley, Carlos Ruiz and Jayson Werth are key components. Head coaches Dallas Green and Charlie Manuel bring a high level of professionalism to the Phillies organization. The parallels are all there. The one major component missing from this series is Veterans Stadium. If the series does go six games and the Phillies happen to win again, the victory will occur in Florida. I can see it happening—another six game Phillies world championship series for the city of Brotherly Love.

Parting points: Four days and counting down until the Big 10 showdown between Ohio State and Penn State.
Song of the day: “Where it’s at” by Beck